airline fishing travel
You’re packing to fly off to some great fishing grounds on that long-awaited vacation, and you pick out your gotta-have rods, reels and lures, plus of course the leader, extra line, pliers and various hardware you probably won’t find at the other end. But my, how quickly it mounts up and, next thing you know, you’ve got a load of gear in your tackle bag and a 7-foot rod tube. As an enthusiastic fishing traveler myself, I feel your angst.
It helps to at least know which airlines will merely make your life difficult, and which will really be a pain in the ass.
It’s been about three years since we’ve run anything on “fisherman-friendly” airlines (a label we’ve used in the past), so we went to the websites of the airlines on the next page to compile a handy updated list.
When it comes to fishing-gear allowances, airlines are just like their routes: all over the map. When it comes to accommodating fishing gear, some kind of get it; others have no clue.
But even those whose rules somewhat accommodate still follow the general formula apparently laid out decades ago by some airline-industry brainchild who once went brook trout fishing and decided that whatever the occasion, every fisherman would be completely served by having with him a tackle box plus a single rod with two reels (or a “spool” as one airline labels it), a landing net and a pair of boots or waders. We can only imagine the look on a billfish-charter skipper’s face upon seeing his fare show up with this gear.
In any case, for a useful site to see online most airlines’ rules regarding fishing gear, you might visit this site.
DOMESTIC:
AIRTRAN
Piece allowance: (i.e., what is counted as one piece of checked baggage — up to 50 pounds total)
two rods
reel
net
tackle box
boots
Size allowance:
rod tube: 91 inches (3 inches in diameter)
Cost per checked bag:
$25 + $35
Rating: FRIENDLY
ALASKA AIRLINES
Piece allowance:
two rods
two reels
tackle box
Size allowance:
rod tube: 115 inches
Cost per checked bag:
$20 + $20
Rating: FRIENDLY
AMERICAN AIRLINES
Piece allowance:
two rods and one reel in a case
one bag with fishing tackle, landing net and fishing boots
Size allowance:
rod tube: 126 inches
Cost per checked bag:
$25 + $35
Rating: FRIENDLY
DELTA AIRLINES
Piece allowance:
none
Size allowance:
rod tube: 115 inches
**Cost per checked bag: **
$25 + $35
Rating: not so FRIENDLY
JET BLUE
Piece allowance:
two rods
reel
landing net
pair of fishing boots
tackle box
Size allowance:
“Fishing poles are -exempt from the 62‑inch maximum.”
Cost per checked bag:
$0 + $40
Rating: FRIENDLY
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Piece allowance:
tackle box
rod tube (no silly maximum number of rods specified)
Size allowance:
rod tube: 91 inches (3 inches in diameter)
**Cost per checked bag: **
$0 and $0
Rating: very FRIENDLY
UNITED AIRLINES
Piece allowance:
two rods
reel
landing net
pair of fishing boots
tackle box
Size allowance:
“suitable container” 115 inches (total, L+W+H)
Cost per checked bag:
$25 + $35
Rating: FRIENDLY
US AIRWAYS
Piece allowance:
two rods
reel
landing net
pair of waders
tackle box
Size allowance:
none specified (so rod tube presumably limited to 62 inches without -incurring excess charges)
**Cost per checked bag: **
$25 + $35
Rating: UNFRIENDLY
(at least if you own any -one-piece rods)
INTERNATIONAL
AEROMEXICO
Piece allowance:
none
Size allowance:
none specified (so rod tube presumably limited to 62 linear inches total)
**Cost per checked bag: **
$0 + $50
Note: To bring fishing tackle requires a payment of $64.
Rating: unFRIENDLY
AIR CANADA
Piece allowance:
rod tube with one rod
tackle box
tackle bag
reels
landing net
boots
life jacket
Size allowance:
“No oversize or additional charges apply (for fishing rod in rod case) if carried with tackle box.”
Cost per checked bag:
$25 + $35
Rating: FRIENDLY
COPA
Piece allowance:
two rods
“a spool”
fishing net
pair of fishing boots
tackle box
Size allowance:
All items must be packed in a container not to exceed 115 linear inches (L+W+H).
However, rod tube: 80 inches total length.
Cost per checked bag:
$0 + $0
Rating: not so FRIENDLY
(by virtue of that -confounding 80‑inch limit on rod‑tube length)
LUFTHANSA
Piece allowance:
none
Size allowance:
none
Note: Any sporting -equipment must be preregistered with the airline. Apparently there is a $150 charge for this.
Cost per checked bag: $0
Note: Checking a second bag is verboten.
Rating: hostile
QANTAS
Piece allowance:
none
Size allowance:
109 inches
Note: Rod tubes must be of PVC (only).
Cost per checked bag:
$0 and $0 (internationally)
Rating: not so FRIENDLY
