Delta eliminates extra fees for sports equipment such as bikes and golf clubs

For sporting passengers, Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines just hit a home run. Make that a hole in one. The airline has rewritten its policy on specialty baggage to eliminate the $150 fees for checking golf clubs, bicycles, surfboards, scuba gear and other large pieces of sports equipment. Customers will instead pay only the usual checked baggage fees, or none if they qualify according to their booking or SkyMiles Medallion status. The change took effect for travel worldwide on tickets purchased beginning July 17, 2019.

The move follows similar changes at United and American Airlines.

On domestic flights, Delta charges $30 for a first checked bag and $40 for a second checked bag unless a passenger qualifies for a free checked bag. Additional fees will be charged for bags weighing more than 50 pounds.

The airline also won't accept items whose length, width and height measurements exceed 115 inches. "Due to space limitations, acceptance and charges may vary for itineraries on a Delta Connection carrier," the airline noted.