Thinking about changing up arrangements in getting to Mammoth as I try to use up a season pass. Just saw that I can fly via Alaska Air for like $175 bucks from LAX and I think theyll charge about $ 20 each way to fly my bike. Anybody ever do this? Advise appreciated. Thought it might be a cool change. There is a bus ride to Mammoth Inn from the airport. Splitting up meals between ready to eat stuff at the hotel room and a couple of trips to town for real food might work out to make it fairly reasonable and make the round trip almost like going to the local trail head. http://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/policies/baggage-sporting-equipment.aspx Saw some reviews that this works good. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=106851 If you know any bike cases fit to fly with, and is about 200 or less, would like to hear about it.
a bike will cost more that $20. Bike boxes are oversized and pretty much unless you bike and box weighs less that 50lbs its also overweight. Alaska charges the highest baggage cost. So if you have only one check bag you would have the most expensive far of three, $20 for first bag, $50 for overweight and $75 for oversized. It should be $75 every time but I often get away with overweight only or sometimes even less that that but I am also a diamond member on a partner airline so I get things others might not. I would plan for $75 each way and if its less be happy.
Great info. Will be looking into it. The convenience of the one hour flight is great, but for me, its got to be fairly close to gas costs (around 200 more all in) to make sense The drive wasnt all bad.
Also check your flight price closer, I have a feeling that $175 was just one way. Alaska has a system were each way is priced separate. Last I would call to verify being able to bring a bike on that flight, I have a feeling it will be on a smaller aircraft (likely Bombider Q series prop plane) and sometimes they have size limits. I know on ther regional aircraft I have had to make reservations for a bike box over the phone to make sure there is room for it when I get to airport.
i know they dont charge you for skis/sb going to mammoth. they know everyone going there has sports equipment. maybe its similar for bikes.
Yeah, will be calling to check into what I saw in the link above. I'm hoping I can get a bag around 10 pounds. My bike is approx 36 pounds. Just not sure if I can stick a fox 40 in it. More research needed.
i just flew to pdx on southwest a few weeks ago, was 75$ each way. after packaging it well in a cardboard bike box mine weighed 56lbs. it was my 31lb AM bike too not my DH. its easy to get over 50.
With yours even if it was less than 50lbs it wouldn't have mattered they charged for oversize not weight.