Traveling at this time of year hopefully means warm, sunny beaches and golf destinations or hitting the slopes. Either way it may require taking sporting equipment with you. Now that the airlines charge you for every bag you check you must be efficient with your packing.
The first question you should ask yourself is “how much time will I actually use this equipment?” Many times it is easier and more cost effective to rent equipment when traveling by airplane. You can rent high quality, sometimes new equipment. Often the equipment might be better than what you own at reasonable rates, which would make traveling much easier. You should check with your destination about the equipment they rent. I usually take my ski boots and rent the skis.
If you take your own equipment, be sure to take advantage of the space in the bags. Put your ski pants and jacket in after packing your ski boots in the bag with your skis/snowboard. Carry on a backpack and hang your ski/snowboard boots on the outside making it part of your carry on. (Be careful not to hit anyone on the head as you put it into the overhead bin, better yet put them under the seat.) The same holds true for golf and tennis. Put golf shoes and clothes in with your clubs. Attach the tennis racket and shoes to your backpack this way you will be less likely to leave it behind in the overhead bin.
Lastly, an offsite airport parking operator, like EZ Air Park, is a smart choice for getting to the airport. There is plenty of room in our large and comfy shuttles for your equipment and we drop you off at the MSP airport’s terminal doors. And, of course, we help you load and unload your equipment and luggage on and off the shuttle bus.