Flying with a bow to RSA

[seth30]

Good afternoon fellow hunters,

any of you fly to RSA with a bow?  Im  looking at getting the Pelican 1745BOW Air Bow Case with TSA locks.  There is no direct flight from Seatac To Jobo, but connecting flights in NYC or London.  Would a bow case be considered oversize? Also wondering if any of you have any good or bad stories about flying overseas with a bow?  My trip is not till next year, but getting all my ducks in a row before the event. 

[Stein]

A bow case usually isn't oversized, check your airline and your bow case.  They will tell you the max dimensions LxWxD and it's easy to measure.

I usually stuff a bunch of clothes, FD meals or whatever else I can fit in there for better protection as well as minimizing checked luggage.

I haven't been to every country but I haven't ran into anyone that thinks a bow is a problem.  I usually put some type of GPS tracker in my luggage, both checked and carry on if it's going in the overhead bin as thieves seem to be the only issue.

[seth30]

Stein,

thank you for the info!  So far the only extra charge I am aware of is, the whidbey shuttle charges 10 bucks extra for the case.  Saw on lots of bow hunting forums to not travel through Amsterdam as many reported their bows went missing there.

[bearpaw]

A lot of hunters try to avoid going thru London, too many anti-hunters work there and too many weapons seem to get lost!

[kentrek]

Cant speak on the traveling part but can tell you that case has been awesome on a lot of trips

[seth30]

A lot of hunters try to avoid going thru London, too many anti-hunters work there and too many weapons seem to get lost!

  Thank you for the information.  Are they flying with decals over their cases or other identifying marks? 

[Bob33]

With firearms I've used Delta through Atlanta several times with no problems. There are too reports about issues in London and Amsterdam with firearms that I wouldn't use them. Maybe it's different with archery.

[seth30]

With firearms I've used Delta through Atlanta several times with no problems. There are too reports about issues in London and Amsterdam with firearms that I wouldn't use them. Maybe it's different with archery.

  Thank you for the info.  I will try NYC or somewhere close to that for the change over.

[Caveman123]

I flew out of SeaTac with my bow this year. I was told and did get the homeland inspection on my bow and they put a sticker on it. The people working at the gate told me if you just check it through oversized luggage they usually open it and have plenty of horror stories of bows getting broken on a rough inspection. Workers think it could be a firearm and if it is full of padding they will dump it out to inspect. You have to specifically request an inspection from homeland or they will send you to oversized luggage.

[D-Rock425]

Never traveled over sea but done plenty of traveling in the states for archery tournaments.  I always take my sight off and keep it with me in a carry-on.  I've seen others zip tie around the strings on the bow so nobody tries to pull it back or anything.

[seth30]

Thanks for the tip on the sights and requesting a homeland inspection!

[bearpaw]

A lot of hunters try to avoid going thru London, too many anti-hunters work there and too many weapons seem to get lost!

  Thank you for the information.  Are they flying with decals over their cases or other identifying marks?

No, but the anti's recognize cases. A friend of mine who has hunted all over the world started using a hard case normally used for convention booths, he slid in the rifles and some of his baggage around them and locked it as required. Never had another problem since it didn't look like a gun case.

On one of my trips to New Zealand our guns never made it. We went and bought a rifle at a local guns store and also used some of the outfitters rifles. The day we were leaving our guns showed up at the Christchurch airport, they said they had been in London the whole time.

[seth30]

Thank you bearpaw!  Any bad stories out of a France transfer?  There is a lot of flights that go through there as well.

[bearpaw]

Thank you bearpaw!  Any bad stories out of a France transfer?  There is a lot of flights that go through there as well.

Never heard any, have you checked on a direct flight from Atlanta without stopping in Europe? I think Delta is the carrier?

Google says United also flies direct from Wshington DC to RSA.

[seth30]

Thank you bearpaw!  Any bad stories out of a France transfer?  There is a lot of flights that go through there as well.

Never heard any, have you checked on a direct flight from Atlanta without stopping in Europe? I think Delta is the carrier?

Google says United also flies direct from Wshington DC to RSA.

I have a coworker from New Jersey that recommenced a connecting flight through Newark, he told me Atlanta is massive and can be confusing.  The tickets are not available yet, but march of 2026 is showing now.  I presume by next month we can purchase the tickets and will stick with a US airport for transfer.  Thanks again for all the guidance!  Honestly this is the only part of the trip I am stressing.

[Bob33]

Thank you bearpaw!  Any bad stories out of a France transfer?  There is a lot of flights that go through there as well.

Never heard any, have you checked on a direct flight from Atlanta without stopping in Europe? I think Delta is the carrier?

Google says United also flies direct from Wshington DC to RSA.

I have a coworker from New Jersey that recommenced a connecting flight through Newark, he told me Atlanta is massive and can be confusing.  The tickets are not available yet, but march of 2026 is showing now.  I presume by next month we can purchase the tickets and will stick with a US airport for transfer.  Thanks again for all the guidance!  Honestly this is the only part of the trip I am stressing.

Newark? Not a good idea now. https://www.npr.org/2025/05/06/nx-s1-5388404/newark-airport-delays-faq