Before you book your flights, make sure to scope out the baggage allowance and the price of oversized baggage. Oh, and FYI, all bicycles are considered oversized, so don’t forget to factor that in before hitting the confirm button.
If you’re going to be stopping over in any countries along the way, don’t forget to check if you need a visa. Some places need one even if you’re just passing through, while others might let you chill in a special airport area. Do your research so you don’t end up stuck in airport purgatory.

Tips: Traveling with a Bike:

Depending on the appearance of your bike case, we have been successful traveling to Colombia from the states using very discreet looking black soft cases that don’t have fancy graphic branding on the outside.  We declare them as a “TRADE SHOW DISPLAY” to the counter person and generally avoid an oversized luggage charge. 

When you land in Colombia, fill out your customs declaration form and claim it as a bike with a declared value of less then $1500.00. You can bring in your bike and personal items tax-free, but if you’re rolling with some super fancy gear worth more than $1500, be smart, don’t exceed $1500.00 in value when declaring it.  Customs agents are generally friendly and welcoming to cyclists traveling with a bike.  Most of them ride as well.  So coming into the country on a cycling  vacay is not something new to them.  But still the potential for a 15% tax on your bike does exist.  Our advice is to always keep an attitude of gratitude, kindness and understanding and play it smart.

Last but not least, when you’re hopping from country to country, don’t forget that you’ll probably need to grab your luggage and go through security again. Each place has their own rules, so make sure you’re not caught with your pants down (or your luggage lost) by planning enough time for security checks and bag scans during your layover. Don’t trust that front desk person from your first airport either, they might be living in a completely different reality.