Ski and Snowboard Travel Tips From Cheapflights Canada

TORONTO--(Marketwire - January 26, 2010) - While many Canadians dream about escaping the snow and cold winter weather, other Canucks are avid skiers and snowboarders who are eager to hit the slopes. Whether you are planning a ski trip out west to BC or Alberta, out east to Quebec or Newfoundland or overseas to experience the Alps, Cheapflights Canada, a leading travel price comparison website, has you covered with a new "Cost of Carrying Skis on Flights" page in its ever popular Travel Tips section.

"One of our mandates at Cheapflights Canada is to create tools and tips that help make the lives of the travel consumer easier," said Oonagh Shiel, Content Editor for Cheapflights Canada. "Figuring out additional airline fees in today's world can be quite daunting so Cheapflights.ca's latest 'Cost of Carrying Skis on Flights' tips page was created to help alleviate some of the confusion. The most fundamental tip, however, is to always check your airline's website for any updates before you travel. Given the ongoing changes taking place in the airline industry today, this one tip alone can improve your travel experience."

The tips page created by Cheapflights.ca is a helpful tool that lists close to 20 airlines and outlines the costs of travelling with ski equipment along with 'Need to Know' information to avoid any surprises at check-in.

Some examples from the list include:

Air Canada -- Ski equipment counts as part of your free baggage allowance (two bags allowed for travel within Canada, up to 23kg each).

Need to Know: The oversize charge is waived for skis and snowboard and there's no charge for ski and snowboard boots (if outside the free baggage allowance) when they are carried along with skis/snowboard. Pre-register at least 24 hours before the flight.

American Airlines -- Charges $25 for first checked piece, $35 for second, $100 per piece for third, fourth and fifth, $200 for sixth checked bag.

Need to Know: Ski/board boot bag and one pair of skis/snowboard are charged the checked bag charge for the 1st or 2nd checked bag -- $25 or $35.

British Airways -- No extra cost as part of the free baggage allowance (on transatlantic routes, one piece at 23kg).

Need to Know: One pair of skis, poles and boots or one snowboard and boots are allowed.

Delta Air Lines -- First bag costs $23, the second, $32.

Need to Know: The combined weight of the ski/snowboard bag and boot bag must not exceed 22kg or excess baggage fees will apply. There's no oversize charge (203cm plus).

WestJet -- Counts as part of the free baggage allowance -- two pieces of checked baggage, up to 23kg each.

Need to Know: One set per passenger. If oversized, the fee will be waived, but overweight or extra piece fees will be charged.

To view the complete list of Cheapflights.ca's list of airline fees for ski equipment, please visit http://www.cheapflights.ca/travel-tips/cost-of-carrying-skis-on-flights/

Where to Ski this Winter?

Earlier this season, Cheapflights Canada introduced its first ever online Fall/Winter Travellers' Handbook, a 12-page downloadable guide featuring useful information and fun travel ideas to help Canadians make the most of the fall and winter, at home or abroad. The guide features a section titled Ski: go off the beaten track showcasing under-discovered resorts in BC, Alberta and Quebec. The big resorts of these three ski provinces are world famous, but Cheapflights has also gone off the beaten track, onto the back-country trails you could say, and selected some less well known resorts where the snow is just as deep and fluffy, the devotion to good skiing just as strong, and the après ski just as hot. Check out the full list of resorts or download the full Fall/Winter Handbook to plan your ski outings.

About Cheapflights Canada

Cheapflights Canada (www.cheapflights.ca) is the best place to find cheap airfares and up-to-date travel information. It is part of Cheapflights Ltd., a leading travel price comparison site launched in the UK in 1996. Cheapflights does not sell travel products; it publishes one of the largest selections of airfare deals available online. These are advertised by a huge range of flight providers from each of its national sites' home countries. To learn more about the company, please visit www.cheapflights.ca/about-us/.

Every day, travellers can search for flight deals from both traditional and low-cost airlines, as well as smaller specialty-travel providers. Our experienced travel editors also post travel deals and flight offers exclusive to cheapflights.ca. The Flight & Travel Info sections are packed with more than 500 destination travel guides, travel tips, and the latest news and information, to help flyers enjoy the best possible travel experience, every time they fly. Sign up for the Cheapflights Canada newsletter, which contains deals customized to travellers' specific preferences, or follow us on Twitter for hot travel deals, helpful tips and destination guides.

Contact Information: Media Contacts: Cheapflights.ca Dalia Blumenthal Publicist Tel: +1 416-926-1967 Mobile: +1 416-788-4573 E-mail: Twitter: @cheapflights_ca Cheapflights Ltd: John Barrington-Carver Corporate PR Tel: +44 (0) 207 467 3535 Mobile +44 (0) 7831 655 630 E-mail: