Fly With Your Bike & Save

Here are seven tips for beating bag fees along with the best and worst airlines for cyclists.

• Join an airline rewards program. Once you reach preferred-customer status, you get expedited check-in and a higher weight allowance for checked bags. Several frequent flyers we spoke to said that their status has helped them avoid bike fees almost entirely.

• Agents at smaller airports that don't handle lots of oversize luggage don't always charge the fees. If you live near one of them it's suddenly fiscally more responsible to spend R500 more on a ticket than R1000 on excess baggage fee.

• Some carriers have seasonal bans on oversize baggage. And check your aircraft—regional jets have smaller holds and may not be able to take bikes all the time.

• Shipping your ride may be cheaper, depending on your route and airline.

• Pack your bike properly.

• Some carriers assess lower charges for oversize bags than for bikes. "As soon as you say anything that has to do with a bike, you're done," says pro racer Tim Johnson. Instead, he replies "exercise equipment" when asked what's in the bag. (To make this work, don't check in with your helmet clipped to your carry-on.) Other less-than-honest yet effective answers: massage table, art supplies, trade-show booth. But if your bike is damaged and wasn't declared as a bike, you might forfeit liability payments.

• If challenged, calmly state facts: The package is only X linear inches over the basic baggage limit; when you checked a few days earlier, the baggage allowance for Gold status was more generous. But always smile and be pleasant.

The Best and Worst AirThe Best and Worst Airlines for Cyclists
Airlines generally allow a bike case that measures no more than 158 dimensional inches (length plus width plus height) and weighs less than 20 kg to fly as regular checked baggage. Beyond that, you'll pay extra. All figures quoted are for one-way travel
	AIRLINE	WEIGHT LIMITS	COST	NOTES
BEST	SAA	20kg	R30 per kg if baggage limit is exceeded	Bikes must be correctly boxed to prevent damage and tyres need to be deflated.
	Kulula.com	20kg	R25 per kg if baggage limit is exceeded	Bikes need to be protected (bubble wrapped), tyres deflated and bike computers removed.
	Mango	20kg	R175 handling fee	Bikes are stored separately from other baggage.
WORST	BA	23kg	R25 for every kg over 23kg.	The airline recommends that cyclists use bike bags, and protect the pedals and gears.
	Lufthansa	32kg	R1,695	Bikes to be checked in two days prior to departure, but what's the point at that price?
	Emirates	30kg	R600 per kg if baggage limit is exceeded.	You'll have to leave half your luggage behind to avoid these fees in euros.