Delta Decreases Fees for Sports Gear

Adventure travelers who plan to hit the bike trails or surf the waves while on vacation now have a new reason to book a seat with Delta Air Lines. Travelers with large athletic gear such as bicycles and surfboards no longer have to worry about paying extra cargo fees when flying with the airline.

Following in the footsteps of American Airlines, which also made a similar change to luggage fees in early 2019, Delta will no longer charge the $150 fee for specialty sports bags. Instead, travelers only need to pay a standard baggage fee for such luggage, which must still meet the weight and dimensional requirements as traditional luggage. The fee for the first bag is $30 for each leg of the flight, and the fee for a second bag is $40 each way.

The new baggage fee rule applies to travelers who booked tickets for travel on or after July 17, making it possible to squeeze in a few adventure trips before the cold seasons kick in.

Other airlines that removed the sports baggage fees include Alaska Airlines, the first to do so in 2017, and United Airlines, which removed its surfboard fee — which could range from $150 to $200 — but only for travelers who have booked non-stop flights to and from California.