How To Fly For Free With A Tandem Bicycle

Flying with a bicycle for the first time can be intimidating. The idea of getting rejected or charged exorbitantly at the check-in counter for your bicycle is daunting. God knows we were quaking in our boots at the prospect of flying with not just any bicycle, but a massive tandem that was much bigger than the size of a normal bicycle.

But we quickly learned that travelling with a bicycle was not as difficult as it seemed after flying with our tandem bicycle for the first time from JFK airport. In fact, with a little bit of research we even managed to fly our bicycle as normal baggage without paying for extra baggage.

The most important thing before you can fly with your bicycle for free is to do extensive research on which airlines allow bicycles as part of checked baggage allowance at no extra charge.  

Finding out airline requirements

Visit the airline website and check every single time you fly as policies are often subject to change. 

As of 2023, the following airlines allow bicycles to be part of luggage allowance.

For flights from/to the UK and Europe: 

1. Lufthansa

2. British Airways 

3. Swiss Air

For flights from/to or within the United States: 

1. United Airlines

2. American Airlines

3. Delta

4. Air Canada (with the exception of some flights)

For flights from/to or within Asia Pacific: 

1. Air New Zealand 

2. Cathay Pacific 

3. Emirates 

4. Eithad

5. Malaysia Airlines 

6. Qantas

7. Qatar

8. Singapore Airlines

9. Virgin Australia 

However, it is important to note the destination you are flying out of as it will make a huge difference in the number of baggages you are allowed to check-in. 

Piece Concept 

For instance, if you are flying in/out from America, most airlines like Delta and United have luggage requirements that go by the weight per piece of luggage. There is a limit as to the number of luggages can be checked in. 

Weight Concept

However, if you are flying from Asia or some parts of Europe, certain airlines like Emirates allow passengers to check in as many luggages as you like as long as it is within the weight limit and within appropriate baggage dimensions which will be stated on their website. 

Unless mentioned explicitly, it would be safe to assume that most airlines with long-haul flights to/from America or Africa will follow the Piece concept.

So in order to avoid paying extra baggage fees, it is important to pack as light as possible. Or you can be like Gracia and tie all her spare sweaters on her waist. 

After doing your research on the airlines, the next step would be to start packing your bicycle proper! 

How to pack your bicycle 

If you have never done this before, fret not because neither have we. But if beginners like us could manage to get away with packing a bicycle unscathed, you can as well! So after watching a few Youtube tutorials, we slowly took our bicycle apart and packed it into a cardboard box.

Using a cardboard box

This DIY method is the cheapest and proper pauper approved but be prepared that you might have to pay for the cardboard box for your bicycle. We were lucky to get ours for free in the end from a friend but most bicycle shops we went to in New York City wanted to charge us at least $15 for a cardboard box they were going to dispose of. 

Another alternative would be to collect a few normal sized cardboard boxes and tape them up to fit your bicycle. 

When packing your bicycle, remember to not be tempted to over-wrap every single part of the bicycle to protect it as you would want your packed bicycle to be as light as possible. 

To reduce the weight of your packed bicycle, we would suggest packing the heaviest parts of the bicycle (the pedals, handlebars, seatpost etc.) into your hand-carry as it is permitted on board the flight. We did so and it really helped us keep to the weight requirements of baggage allowance and our tandem bicycle weighed a measly 46 pounds despite all the bubble wrap and old yoga mats we used as cushioning. 

We learnt the importance of packing a light bicycle box from David, the owner of Bifold Bicycles in New York City as well as a seasoned cyclist who often flew with his bicycle. He told us that it would be safe to assume that most of the time the airlines baggage crew will throw heavy objects around as they are unable to lift it, so it would really help to make the box as light as possible while protecting only the necessary parts of the bicycle such as the frame, forks and deraileur especially when bubble-wrapping your bicycle yourself to fit a cardboard box. 

Using a bicycle bag/box

Of course, using a cardboard box is not for everyone. Some might prefer using a bicycle bag or hard cover box. These boxes are usually rather costly but do at times provide an added level of protection for your bicycle.

Weigh your packed bicycle before your flight

Finally, after packing your bicycle, remember to weigh it before getting to the airport. You can get a ballpark figure with a regular weighing scale for body mass. Bring some additional tape to the airport and get there ahead of time in case you might need to open your box to repack your bicycle to fit weight requirements. 

Flying with a bicycle is never easy but there are many steps that can be employed in order to facilitate the process and make it as fuss-free and cost-free as possible. Now all you have to do is to decide where you will bring your bike :)