Traveling With Your Skateboard:  Dos and Don'ts

Traveling With Your Skateboard: Dos and Don'ts

By:  William Royce

 

If you've never traveled with your skateboard, it can be tough to find reliable information on the do's and don'ts.  A common question we get asked at Bustin Headquarters is:
"can I take my skateboard on a plane?"

The answer:  It depends on where you're flying from.  


How can you travel with your board?
Flying inside the USA:  Carry-On or Within Checked Luggage

Flying Outside the USA:  Checked Luggage Only 

In our experience, traveling inside the States generally provides you with more options than traveling internationally.  Smaller boards like the Yoface, Bonsai, and Maestro Mini are usually okay to take on the plane, even with your trucks and wheels on the board.  You can also have it strapped to your backpack if they are both able to fit inside the overhead compartment.  Having your board with you is by far the most fun way to travel, however you'll run into problems if you are taking an international flight.

Most international airports aren't as friendly when it comes to flying with your skateboard.  Many airports outside the United States do not allow you to bring a skateboard as part of your carry-on.


Best/Safest Option? Checked Bag
The safest way to travel with your board is putting it in your checked bag.  The most common issue we hear is from people who don’t have a large enough bag.  If this is your dilemma, you've got three options: buy a bag, put your board in a shipping style box, or check your board as its own bag.  

 

Secret Weapon:  Buying a Board Bag
On many airlines, oversized golf bags fly for no additional cost.  Used golf bags are easy to find online or at thrift stores, and as long as they meet the airline's requirements you shouldn't have any trouble.  Golf bags are the perfect secret weapon because they’re long enough to fit most boards yet skinny enough to pass the restrictions.  

If you have access to a smaller shipping box your board will fit in, that would work as checked luggage also.  Keep in mind: depending on the size of the box, you might also be able to fit your extra clothes and other necessities for the trip (although… who needs 'em? you'll be going too fast for anyone to smell you anyway).  

If you can’t find an appropriate golf bag or box, most airlines will check your skateboard as its own bag.  The key is to at least wrap it in some sort of plastic, as they will otherwise slap a barcode sticker directly onto the board.  Be aware that checking your board as its own bag can potentially lead to some issues.  Sometimes the boards get stuck in the airport’s conveyor belt or run into some other mishap that causes damage from being tossed around.  


Electric Board Travel
Traveling with your electric skateboard can be a bit more challenging than a regular board.  

Hybrid Sportster
The battery in the Hybrid Sportster is too large to pass standard airline security checks.  If you attempt to fly with your board in your checked bag or as a carry-on, this will cause delays and may even make you miss your flight.  Unfortunately at this point the only option is to leave the board.

Hybrid YoFace
The battery in the YoFace is small enough to fly with, but sometimes you will still run into problems with TSA not permitting you to fly with a giant lithium ion battery.  

Thus, if you are traveling by air and would really like to bring your Bustin Hybrid board, the safest way is to mail it to your destination.  

 

Bottom line: traveling with your skateboard doesn't have to be a hassle if you come prepared and are willing to problem solve.

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