How to Ship Skis & Snowboards (2026 Guide)

Skis and snowboards are the worst-treated items on the ramp. They're long, awkward, and stack badly with cube luggage. Here's how to get them to the mountain without a cracked tail.

Fly with them or ship them?

The honest answer for 2026: ship them, unless you're checking only one ski bag on a domestic flight and have status. Here's the math behind that statement.

2026 airline ski/snowboard fees

• Southwest: Counts as one of two free checked bags. (Best deal in US travel.)
• Delta, American, United: Counts as one regular checked bag if under 50 lb and within 80 linear inches. Standard checked-bag fee applies (~$35 each way).
• JetBlue: $40 each way
• Alaska: Counts as regular checked bag
• Air Canada: Counts as regular checked bag if 23 kg or less, otherwise overweight fees
• European carriers (BA, Lufthansa, Air France): Often $75–$100 even within allowance
• Air New Zealand: Special sports equipment fee, around NZ$30–$50

Shipping cost ranges

• One ski bag + boot bag, domestic ground: $60–$95 each way
• One snowboard bag, domestic ground: $55–$85 each way
• International (Europe, Japan): $200–$450 each way

If you're flying within the US on Southwest with one ski bag under 50 lb, just check it. For everyone else — especially if you have boots in a separate bag, are heading abroad, or your bag is borderline overweight — shipping wins.

How to pack skis

1. Bind your skis together base-to-base. Use the original ski straps or two strong velcro straps top and bottom.
2. Wrap the tips and tails in bubble wrap. This is where damage happens.
3. Loosen the bindings. Set DIN to lowest setting for transit so the springs aren't stressed.
4. Fill the bag with soft clothing. Long underwear, sweaters, jackets — they pad the skis and save space in your other bags.
5. Use a padded ski bag, not a flimsy sleeve. Dakine and Thule make good ones.
6. Tighten all external straps snugly. Loose bags are tumble bags.

How to pack a snowboard

1. Remove the bindings. Pack them in your luggage or in a corner of the snowboard bag, wrapped in a fleece.
2. Bubble-wrap the nose and tail.
3. Lay clothes on top. The board sits flat at the bottom of the bag and the clothes are your impact buffer.
4. Use a padded board bag, not a "day bag" sleeve.

What about boots?

Ski and snowboard boots are stiff, heavy, and oddly shaped — perfect overhead-bin filler at home, terrible to pack in a soft bag. If you're shipping a ski bag, pay the small extra fee and ship the boot bag in the same shipment. Most shippers will combine them for $10–$15 extra.

Destination delivery

The cleanest move: ship your gear to your hotel or rental property a few days before you arrive. Confirm with the front desk that they'll accept and hold packages (most resort properties will). When you land, the bag is in your room. No carousel. No lost-bag panic before the first run.

Use our shipping calculator to estimate exact cost for your trip.