Australian airlines add extra fees for travelling with golf clubs

Jetstar and Tiger Airways have recently added extra charges for flying with golf clubs.

If you’re thinking of checking-in golf clubs on your next Australian domestic flight, you may want to read this first as a few of Australia’s major airlines have changed their fees for travelling with sporting equipment  – which includes golf clubs.

Previously you may have been able to check-in golf clubs (oversized items) as long as they were within your total checked baggage allowance but there have been some changes.

Jetstar and Tiger Airways have added an extra fee for travelling with golf clubs that will be charged even if your total check-in weight is under your baggage allowance.

Here are the specifics for each Australian domestic airline.

Jetstar
Jetstar changed their policy on March 17, adding an oversized item charge of $25 per flight. So if you’re flying on a golf trip it’ll cost you an extra $25 for each flight to take your clubs with you (for both domestic and international flights).

And be aware that the golf clubs will be included in your total checked-in baggage allowance. Just make sure you’ve paid for this before you get to the airport, otherwise you’ll get stung a lot more.

See more information on Jetstar baggage information.

Tiger
If you want to travel on Tiger Airways with golf clubs you’ll also be up for an extra sporting equipment fee after a pricing restructure over the past few months. You’ll now need to add a sporting equipment fee during the booking process. The total weight needs to be under your checked-in baggage allowance and the extra fee will be $25 for a short flight (under 1 hour 45 min) and $35 for a long flight (over 1 hour 45 min).

And once again make sure you get this paid at the time of booking otherwise you’ll be charged more for managing your booking later on, and much more at the airport. Once you get to the airport it’ll be $85 for golf clubs on a short flight (under 1 hour 45 min), or $100 for a long flight (over 1 hour 45 min). Ouch.

See more information on baggage at the Tiger Wairways website.

Virgin Australia
As it stands Virgin Australia are not charging extra for sporting equipment but they do charge per piece of baggage with a maximum weight of 23kg. So if you’re travelling with a golf bag as well as another bag to be checked-in, you’ll need to buy an additional piece of baggage.

See more information on baggage at the Virgin Australia website.

Qantas
Qantas are the best airline to travel if you’re going to be travelling with golf clubs with no added fees to check them in. For most flights within Australia, your ticket will come with a 23kg baggage allowance, including golf clubs. So if you need to check-in a bag and golf clubs, just make sure their combined weight is less than 23kg. If you pay more for extra weight, make sure no single bag exceeds 23kg.

See more information on baggage allowances at the Qantas website.