First time flying United

**Luke Campbell** · 02-11-2019, 09:44 AM

Heading to Bozeman on United tomorrow and I see conflicting info on the website regarding ski/boot bag fees. Do they charge the standard checked bag rate or is there an over sized bag fee? Their website says both so just trying to figure out so there’s no surprises at the gate.
Thks

**Duffman** · 02-11-2019, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by Luke Campbell

Heading to Bozeman on United tomorrow and I see conflicting info on the website regarding ski/boot bag fees. Do they charge the standard checked bag rate or is there an over sized bag fee? Their website says both so just trying to figure out so there’s no surprises at the gate.
Thks

I've flown United a ton of times from PHL or EWR to most ski destinations as a catalog to for you , I have never been charged a fee beyond nornal checked bags for a double ski bag loaded up to the 50lb limit. I do not check a boot bag , so can't tell you how the policy of one ski+boot bag = 1 checked bag is enforced, but I would guess the total combined weight limit would be 50lbs. I get my ski bag free as a credit card holder as well , so they are considering it normal luggage.

If checking in online and prepaying , do not pick oversized item, it confuses the issue. Just pick one bag. Also word of advice, Curbside check in with a $10 or $20 in hand(depending on how overweight) can prevent a lot of overweight issues. This is the only way I check at PHL since the curbside guys work for tips and are incentivized to help you, while the desk agents are not.

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**thefortrees** · 02-11-2019, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by Luke Campbell

Heading to Bozeman on United tomorrow and I see conflicting info on the website regarding ski/boot bag fees. Do they charge the standard checked bag rate or is there an over sized bag fee? Their website says both so just trying to figure out so there’s no surprises at the gate.
Thks

Ski bag + boot bag = 1 regular bag as long as both are under 50 lbs

**Luke Campbell** · 02-11-2019, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by thefortrees

Ski bag + boot bag = 1 regular bag as long as both are under 50 lbs

This is what I was thinking but the “ oversized bag” thing on their site is confusing.

**Magic Carpet** · 02-11-2019, 10:02 AM

Ignore the “oversized bag” thing, it counts as standard bag up to 50lbs. Check the weight at home and aim for a bit less than 50, the airport scales can be off a bit and repacking a ski bag at the airport sucks.

**Luke Campbell** · 02-11-2019, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Magic Carpet

Ignore the “oversized bag” thing, it counts as standard bag up to 50lbs. Check the weight at home and aim for a bit less than 50, the airport scales can be off a bit and repacking a ski bag at the airport sucks.

This is typically what I do. We usually fly southwest so just wanted to make sure it was the same.

**S_jenks** · 02-11-2019, 10:24 AM

So I flew United with my ski bag as recently as December. Oversized both ways, and was definitely overweight on the way home. Never charged for the oversized baggage fee.

In both cases the people at the counter didn't give much of a damn about the size/weight of the bag. The key was being kind and courteous to them. Lotta people are shitty to airline employees, and it goes a long way if you are one of the easier people they'll deal with that morning.

**S_jenks** · 02-11-2019, 10:26 AM

Oh, and telling them that I packed my boots inside my ski bag would perk them up. Then they would only have to print one bag tag instead of two, and they'll happily oblige any convenience like that when on the clock at 6am.

**Talisman** · 02-11-2019, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Duffman

Also word of advice, Curbside check in with a $10 or $20 in hand(depending on how overweight) can prevent a lot of overweight issues. This is the only way I check at PHL since the curbside guys work for tips and are incentivized to help you, while the desk agents are not.

+2. Skycaps are your friends if you have a few Jacksons ready. Flying international (Skycaps can't check those bags) I tipped the curbside guy to see if he could get me to the front of a huge line for the counters. "Of course! Follow me." He loaded a cart with skis etc and went to a gate agent to start the process.

**Iowagriz** · 02-11-2019, 10:28 AM

Just as others said above $25 for ski +boot bag. But, caution, some agents try to push skis and boots only. So packing clothes into them will incur 2x$25 fees (at that point they argued two different bags). To get around this, I pack all of my clothes around my skis and carry my boots onto the plane.

I didn't get that pushback everywhere, but in enough places that I no longer try 2 bags

**Magic Carpet** · 02-11-2019, 10:41 AM

Many flights with ski bag, only once ever asked what was in the bag but never actually checked.

One United agent wouldn’t accept 50.4lbs despite my best efforts at diplomacy.

**XXX-er** · 02-11-2019, 11:18 AM

Dunno about United but I personaly would never trust ANY airline with my boots

they go in my 40L pack as a carry-on

**GoldMember** · 02-11-2019, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by XXX-er

Dunno about United but I personaly would never trust ANY airline with my boots

they go in my 40L pack as a carry-on

^^ This. Never check your boots, always take them as carry-on. If for whatever reason your skis don't make it or are delayed, you can always demo but you don't want to try and rent boots if yours don't make it.

**3PinGrin** · 02-11-2019, 05:33 PM

Depending on where you fly out of you may want to take a copy of the ski bag policy. I flew out of Little Rock a few years ago and had to battle with the ticket counter even after I showed them the policy. Finally resolved after she check with a higher up. But I dont imagine they see much ski gear in LR. Flying back out of Portland was easy peasy though.

**old goat** · 02-11-2019, 07:09 PM

To make it clear--the 50# limit is ski bag and boot bag combined, not for each. Although like the other guys I never check boots. My boots and enough clothes to ski for a day go in a standard carryon suitcase, my electronics, pills,etc in a small backpack, and everything else in the ski bag. I would have a hard time keeping ski bag plus boot bag under 50#. I love taking ski trips with my AF son, he gets something like 5 free bags--whether he's deploying or going skiing. He also churns credit cards, so he gets me into first class lounges once in a while.

I've seen signs at airports with weight limits for carryone bags, can't remember the weights. I've never had mine weighted. Anyone?

**Self Jupiter** · 02-11-2019, 07:17 PM

If you have curbsyde check in available and tip them well, I wouldn’t be worried about ski setup being overweight IME, ymmv

**BC.** · 02-11-2019, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by Magic Carpet

Many flights with ski bag, only once ever asked what was in the bag but never actually checked.

One United agent wouldn’t accept 50.4lbs despite my best efforts at diplomacy.

Coming back from Jackson my ski bag was 51 pounds and she made me take out 1 lb. of stuff......I just laughed....lol...she was at least smiling when she said she was going to charge me for my bag being overweight......I apologized and took out a pair of ski socks and stuffed em in my backpack.

**XXX-er** · 02-11-2019, 10:00 PM

it sounds like they break shit

**reckless toboggan** · 02-11-2019, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by BC.

Coming back from Jackson my ski bag was 51 pounds and she made me take out 1 lb. of stuff......I just laughed....lol...she was at least smiling when she said she was going to charge me for my bag being overweight......I apologized and took out a pair of ski socks and stuffed em in my backpack.

Your ski socks weight a pound?.

What size feet do you have?

**GoldMember** · 02-11-2019, 10:40 PM

He was coming back from Jackson so the socks probably hadn't been washed in a week.....saturated weighs more.

**BC.** · 02-12-2019, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by reckless toboggan

Your ski socks weight a pound?.

What size feet do you have?

That was the ridiculousness of her making me open my ski bag up to take stuff out...I reached in, grabbed a pair of socks, and the scale went down to 50 lbs....[emoji848]. The scale was probably off...that’s why we were laughing at her/situation.

We all knew being over by 1 pound and being charged 100 bucks was a little extreme. (rules are rules, I get it)

**::: :::** · 02-12-2019, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by Self Jupiter

If you have curbsyde check in available and tip them well, I wouldn’t be worried about ski setup being overweight IME, ymmv

How different is this than paying for an extra
bag or overweight fee?

Ski flyer JONGs wanna know

**ThreeRidges** · 02-12-2019, 08:31 AM

I’ve had varying experiences with how closely they hold to the 50 lb limit, but you best shot is definitely curbside, cheerful demeanor , and obvious tip in hand

**simple** · 02-12-2019, 08:41 AM

Had a 53 lbs snowboard bag on the way to Japan. They made me pull out 3 lbs.

Same on the way back. Was over and they watched me pull shit out.

United is militant on 50 lbs.

That 50 lbs rate is too low for my giant Dakine board bag. It sucks.

**caderader** · 02-12-2019, 08:46 AM

Never check my boots anymore, flying back from PDX to ATL they were caught in a belt and chewed up to hell along with ripping my boot bag. I would've argued they owed me but it was 2 am and I was on pain med for a torn sternoclavicular ligament and still needed to drive 2 hours. Still too cheap to buy a new boot bag, just velcro the power straps together and toss them around my neck.

Never been charged extra for my skis. Same as above, be polite, tip if they seem grumpy; they don't make money off the fee so they generally don't care. I usually take a moment to suss out which curbside or desk agent to go to depending on who looks like they do or don't have an axe to grind.