The Ins And Outs Of Flying With A Folding Bike

Did you know that you can take your folding bike on the aircraft as well?

If you're a fitness or cycling enthusiast, or simply one who uses their folding bike every day, you'd realize that folding bikes have become a pretty welcome convenience. The ability to carry the folded bikes allows for easier multi-modal commuting onto buses, trains, subways, and cars.

But did you know that you can also take your folding bikes on aircraft as well? While passengers might fear the extra baggage weight fees or restrictions, flying with folded bicycles might be easier than you think. If you're still doubtful, fret not because here's your guide on bringing your foldable bikes onto an aircraft.

As convenient as folded bikes can be hand-carried onto almost any means of transportation, it's slightly trickier to try having them as a carry-on for a flight. But if it's something you prefer as opposed to checking it in, it could be a possibility if you're flying on a widebody aircraft and less likely if you're flying on a narrowbody.

It's also best to always check with the airline beforehand, as some carriers have stricter policies that allow for folded bicycles only to be checked in. On the other hand, some airlines might allow you to bypass checking it in at the counters but would require you to gate-check your folded bicycle.

Even if the airline you're flying with is happy to have the folding bicycle as a carry-on for the flight, you might be at risk of being stopped at the security gate for further questioning. While it's unlikely that security will confiscate the folding bicycle - unless, of course, you're smuggling something in its folds - it's still time wasted before your flight.

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You can choose to have your folding bike checked in. However, airlines typically charge up to $150 for each flight leg if passengers were to travel with their folded bicycles as a single piece of checked baggage.

Since the whole point is to avoid paying hefty fees, a better option would be to pack folding bikes into standard luggage that complies with the airline's weight and size allowance. This means that, as with nearly everything in life, size does matter when packing your folding bicycle for a flight.

Fortunately, most foldable bikes have wheel sizes between 20 to 24 inches and weigh between 9.5 to 14 kilograms, allowing them to fit into baggage that complies with the checked-baggage allowance offered by many airlines. Additionally, there should be additional space within the baggage for some tools, tubes, clothes, and toiletries.

What if your folded bicycle is a little too big, such as the full-sized ones with wheels spanning between 24 to 26 inches? Since packing the bigger foldable bikes into standard-sized baggage might be more challenging, and without wanting to pay extra fees, the best recommendation is to pack the folded bikes into their original box packaging.

Although the boxes' outer dimensions typically exceed most airlines' standard baggage allowance by as much as 10 inches, the likelihood of you being charged for checking in an oversized piece is reduced since the size difference is only small. When checking in, the airline staff would have to confirm that it's a bicycle inside the box, but otherwise, you're all set to fly with your folded bike.

Journalist - Fascinated by aircraft from a very young age, Charlotte's dream was to work alongside them. In pursuit of her dream, she recently graduated with her degree in Aviation Business Administration and minor in Air Traffic Management, and hopes to better contribute to the industry soon. Based in Singapore.