Whether you’re an experienced skateboarder or a new enthusiast, chances are you’ll want to bring your board with you the next time you head out on a trip. And when it comes to air travel, a question that often comes up is: Can you take a longboard on a plane? Well, the short answer is, yes, you can!
But when planning to fly with your board, there are a number of things to consider. We explore these in this article and look at some of the best skateboard travel bags that will help keep it protected, no matter what type of travel you’ll be doing.
Protect Your Skateboard When Traveling
While you can just carry your longboard as is, you do run the risk of the board being damaged during flight if it’s not adequately protected. To prevent this from happening, there are a number of ways to protect your board when traveling.
- Put your board in a travel bag specifically designed for skateboards. See below for some top picks.
- If you’re bringing a large suitcase with you anyway, you might consider packing your board in it where it will be nicely padded with surrounding clothes and other belongings.
- You might also consider dismounting the board and packing the hardware separately to make it easier to handle and more likely to be accepted as a carry-on.
The Best Skateboard Travel Bags
Whenever you’re transporting your board, you want to make sure it stays undamaged and in one piece. Getting a good quality skateboard carry bag is a smart idea because it will not only provide added protection for your longboard, but it will also make it easier to carry your board and accessories, whether traveling across the world or across town.
Here are some of the best quality options across sizes and prices. Check carefully to make sure the case you choose is big enough to hold your board.
Sector 9 The Field Bag Skateboard Travel Bag
Our top pick is the Field Bag from Sector 9. It’s definitely among the best quality bags out there, and can pack everything you’ll want for a skate trip. At 52 inches long, it’s got enough room for two boards, your helmet, and plenty of other gear. This bag is durable and well designed so that it can easily be checked-in on your flight as a sports bag, and some airlines even allow it as one of your carry-ons.
It’s really well-made with tough nylon straps and and tear resistant polyester body. The bag has a carry handle and a removable shoulder strap, and can easily be converted from a regular bag to a backpack when the board is out, for totally hands-free carrying. Very convenient.
Inside there are cinch straps to keep your board(s) securely in place. There’s a removable inner carrying case which is great if you need a second small bag for hardware or other gear, and mesh pockets for organized storage. On the exterior there are some handy zippered compartments for things you might want to get to more quickly, and there’s even a helmet pouch.
Choose from tan with black trim or camo. Currently priced at under $140, the high quality, thoughtful style, and top user ratings make this carry case easily worth every penny.
Whiptide Carve Board Travel Bag Carrying Case
This skateboard bag from Whiptide is a lightweight, durable bag with lots of packing options. It has a shoulder strap and a top handle for easy carrying. And there are plenty of pockets and compartments for storing extra gear and items. These include 2 large and 2 small pockets in the interior, and 3 easy access zippered pockets on the exterior.
This bag measures 36 inches long and 12 inches wide. At only about $30, this is a great value bag.
Sector 9 Lightning Longboard Wheeled Travel Bag
This Lightning Longboard Travel Bag is another top pick from Sector 9. Only this one also has the advantage of wheels for even more convenient handling through airports and on the road. The inline skate wheels are smooth rolling, quiet, and lightweight.
This bag has a removable protective board sock, a removable inner carrying case and a removable shoulder strap, giving you lots of ways to customize it for your specific travel needs. Straps keep your board from slipping around, and a helmet pouch stores the helmet neatly away. Several storage compartments make for great packing options. The extra roomy bag has plenty of space for packing some clothing and other gear, and can be easily checked in as a regular size luggage on most airlines.
Lovinstar Longboard Carry Case
The most economical pick on our list is the longboard carry case from Livinstar. At only about $15, this simple no-frills travel bag does exactly what it sets out to do – helps you carry your skateboard easily and securely, wherever you’re heading.
This lightweight bag is made of rip-resistant polyester that is water-proof treated. The carry handle is long enough to sling over your shoulder, or just grab with your hand and go. Perfect for tossing in the overhead compartment without worrying about someone else’s bag scuffing up your board.
So the real question to ask isn’t can you take a longboard on a plane, but how do you best protect your longboard when traveling. Depending on your type and length of travel, and your budget, there’s a good skateboard travel case solution to meet your needs.
Air Travel With a Skateboard: Carry-On or Checked Luggage
When packing for a trip by air, it’s often a challenge to determine what to carry-on and what to check. This extends to your skateboard as well. Think about how important it is to have ready access to you in the cabin vs. checking it and picking it up at baggage claim at the other end.
Your answer will depend on a number of things, including:
Amount of Luggage You’re Taking If you’re traveling super light on a week-end or other short journey, you might only have one small carry-on bag and your board. For longer trips you might be bringing one or more larger bags that needs to be checked, and maybe one or two small carry-ons as well. You’ll want to think about how easy it is to handle all your gear when boarding and unboarding the plane, the time it takes to deal with baggage claim, and any fees charged by your airline (more on that below).
Your Airline’s Guidelines Each airline has different guidelines for what can be carried on and what needs to be checked. This includes measurements for what they’ll allow to be stowed in the overhead compartment, and it also might include a list of specific items that must always be checked, such as certain sports equipment. There is also a limit to the number of items you can carry-on with you. Check to see if your airline has anything published online that specifies how to handle your longboard.
Your Airline’s Fees Another important thing to look at is baggage fees. Every airline is different these days, with some charging fees for extra carry-ons and others charging fees for checked bags.
The good news is, in most cases you will be able to simply carry your skateboard on-board as one of your allowed carry-on items. Longboarders across the globe report that flight attendants often step in to help find a place to store a board if for some reason it won’t fit in overhead or under seat storage.