Hawaiian, Alaska Airlines Updates Surfboard Policy

It’s one thing every surfer experiences at some level in their lives. You’re all packed up, prepared to go on a surf journey someplace heat and unique, and then you hit the airport. A wave of anxiety washes over you as you method the ticketing counter.

Will you be slapped with an sudden, exorbitant price for your boardbag? Will the desk attendant smile and wave them through? Do you slip a foot under the luggage scale just in case? Either method, it’s a roll of the cube. Then, there’s whether or not or not your boards will make it to their vacation spot in one piece, and that’s a entire different story.

And over the years, the draconian boardbag charges have modified from airline to airline. But now, two major carriers – Hawaiian and Alaska – have announced some up to date rules, or as they call it, a “new policy to accommodate all surfers.”

Here’s the specifics:

“Our new surfboard policy – the most generous among premium U.S. airlines – allows guests flying on Alaska and Hawaiian aircraft to check multiple surfboards in a single bag measuring up to 10 feet, 5 inches (from nose to tail), and 50 pounds. For flights operated on our regional E175 aircraft, surfboard bags must not exceed nine feet, 7 inches.”

Additionally: “We also treat surfboards as standard checked baggage – with no special item fees.”

Related: Joel Tudor Gets “Denied” By Hawaiian Airlines For Longboards

The new announcement comes scorching off the heels of a current controversy surrounding this very issue, one involving one of the world’s best longboarders, Joel Tudor.

“This is a psa to every longboard surfer in the world,” Tudor wrote, calling out a scenario with Hawaiian and Alaska. “They denied my surfboards that I’ve flown with on their airlines for 35 yrs….refused to rebook or reimburse my ticket and even had the audacity to keep the charge on my card for the boards they denied! Not a good look considering Waikiki is the longboard capital of the world!”

So, according to the new announcement from Hawaiian and Alaska, it seems like they’ve upped the permitted size of the boards they permit on their flights. And there gained’t be any further charges. Progress, proper? Now any individual go check it out, and report back.

Related: Airline Absolutely Destroys Surfboards: ‘Worst We’ve Ever Seen’

This story was initially reported by Surfer on Nov 3, 2025, where it first appeared in the News part. Add Surfer as a Preferred Source by clicking right here.