How to Box a Bike and Fly on Alaska Airlines

This past summer, my best friend and I went on our first bicycle tour. After spending months planning the tour, the start date was fast approaching and I still had one problem that I needed to solve. My bike and gear were in Los Angeles and our tour started in Seattle. After a bit of research, I found that Alaska Airlines had recently updated its baggage policy and now will fly bikes for the same price as a regular checked bag: $25. This is an excellent deal for bicycle tourists. It is far cheaper than any other US domestic airline. In this guide, I’ll explain how to box a bike and fly with it.

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How to Pack a Touring Bike in a Bike Box

I went down to my local bike shop and picked up a bike box for free. To pack my bike:

1. First I removed the front wheel, rear derailleur, pedals, handlebars, seat post, and rear rack. I then removed the skewer from the front wheel.
2. I placed all small parts such as the rear rack mounting hardware, wheel skewer, etc. into a plastic Ziploc bag so they wouldn’t get lost.
3. Next, I wrapped the rear derailleur, brake levers, and shifters in bubble wrap to protect them from the baggage handlers.
4. If you care about the paint on your bike, you’ll want to wrap the frame in some foam or bubble wrap at this point. Some people use pool noodles cut to size. I skipped this step because the paint on my bike is already destroyed.
5. Then I lifted the bike into the box. I slid the front wheel into the box against the frame on the non-drive side of the bike.
6. Next, I carefully positioned the handlebars with the cables still attached next to the frame of the bike on the drive side. I was careful not to bend the cables too much. 
7. Then I packed all of the remaining components into the box around the bike.
8. Finally, I packed my tent, sleeping bag, and some clothes around the fragile parts for some extra protection.
9. Lastly, I stuffed as much gear as I could fit into a bike box including my bikepacking bags, water bottles, helmet, etc. I tried my best to pack it in a way that heavy parts wouldn’t move around too much in the box if it ended up being tipped upside down.

After Packing the Box

After packing the box, I taped it up and put it on a bathroom scale to make sure that it weighed less than 50 pounds. It did. Everything fragile such as electronics I carried in my backpack along with some extra clothes as carry-on.

This was the first time that I packed a touring bike for air travel. The whole process only took me about an hour. My bike is fairly small. It is just an old Schwinn High Sierra mountain bike from the 80s with 26 inch wheels. If you are packing a large 29er, you’ll want to allow more time to pack and you’ll possibly need a bigger box. 

Flying with my Bike from LAX on Alaska Airlines

After arriving at the airport, I dragged my box over to the Alaska Air’s check-in kiosk. I paid my $25 baggage check fee with my credit card and my boarding pass and bag tag printed from the machine. Next, I dragged the bike to the oversized baggage check-in counter. An agent walked over and asked me if I had a bike in my box. I told him that I did. Next, he asked for my bag tag which he stuck to my box and then lifted it onto the baggage belt. He didn’t even weigh the box. That was that. I then proceeded through security and got on my flight.

Arriving in Seattle

Once I arrived in Seattle, I walked to the baggage claim. My bike box was already waiting for me at the oversized baggage window ready for me to pick it up. Somehow it was already there when I arrived at the baggage claim. No waiting around. The box looked to be in pretty good shape as well.

Unpacking the Bike

My buddy picked me up at the airport and helped me carry the box to his car. I unpacked the bike and my gear and checked for damage in the parking structure. Everything had made the trip just fine. Next, I secured my bike to his bike rack on his car and filled the trunk with my camping gear. I folded up as small as I could and fit it into his car. The box was in good enough condition that I was able to reuse it on my way back.

Final Thoughts

Having lived my whole life between Washington and California, Alaska Airlines was always my go-to for traveling between the two states. I was really happy to see bike friendly they are. I was pretty nervous about flying with my bike. There is always the possibility of damage or additional unexpected charges when flying with a bicycle. I don’t make any money from recommending Alaska Airlines. I’m just writing this to explain the process. Also, I was also really happy with their price and service.

Have you ever flown with your bike? Comment below with your experience and recommendations!

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Zachary Friedman

Zachary Friedman is an accomplished travel writer and professional blogger. Since 2011, he has traveled to 66 countries and 6 continents. He founded ‘Where The Road Forks’ in 2017 to provide readers with information and insights based on his travel and outdoor recreation experience and expertise. Zachary is also an avid cyclist and hiker. Living as a digital nomad, Zachary balances his professional life with his passions for hiking, camping, cycling, and worldwide exploration. For a deeper dive into his journey and background, visit the About page. For inquiries and collaborations, please reach out through the Contact page. You can also follow him on Facebook.

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