Sports equipment
See our guidelines
Your sports equipment is counted as part of your check in allowance
When flying to most destinations, please follow our check in luggage guidance for weight and dimensions. If your kit exceeds these amounts, you will be charged for having excess baggage.
Special rules and regulations
For some items of sports equipment we have certain preparation requirements for you to bring them on board.
If you plan on travelling with a bicycle, please contact our Global Contact Centres as far in advance as possible, though at least 72 hours prior to departure. This is confirm that your bicycle can be accepted in the aircraft assigned to your flight, noting that space is very limited and is granted on a first-come-first-served basis. The bicycle can be included as part of your total checked baggage allowance as long as it meets the following requirements:
- A non-motorised touring or racing, single-seat bicycle
- Handlebars that are either fixed, tightened sideways, tightened parallel to the frame or enclosed in plastic foam or similar material
- Pedals that have been either removed, fixed inwards or enclosed in plastic foam and similar material
- Deflated tyres
- Packed in a strong and protective hard case or recognised bicycle box. If departing from Zurich airport, there is a height restriction on the bicycle box: 100 cm (39 in) or lower
You may bring a rescue backpack as checked baggage or hand baggage, as long as you notify our reservation office. The backpack must be stowed in a way that means it will not be accidentally activated. The airbag within the backpack must be fitted with pressure relief valves.
Backpacks containing a cylinder of compressed gas (in division 2.2) may only be equipped with a pyrotechnic trigger mechanism that contains less than 200mg of Division 1.4S. Please present your data sheet at check in.
Please note that the compressed gas cylinder must be carried in the corresponding avalanche rescue backpack, only one avalanche rescue backpack is allowed per passenger.
Contact your local reservation office.
Sporting firearms consist of:
- one rifle case containing not more than two rifles, 5kg / 11 lb of ammunition, one shooting mat, noise suppressor and small rifle tools
- two shotguns and two shotgun cases
- one pistol case containing not more than five pistols, 5 kg / 11 lbs of ammunition, noise suppressors, one pistol telescope and small pistol tools
Any passenger wishing to travel with firearms should read about our banned items and get in touch with our booking and reservation office for further details.
The following information is for flights to/from the U.S., Canada, and Central and South American countries, marketed by Cathay Pacific. Please see our codeshare flights information if you're flying with another airline.
If your journey is via the U.S. or Canada, but crosses multiple flight sectors internationally, please check our carrier rules.
When you fly to or via America, your luggage is counted in a piece system with restrictions on weight per piece.
The following articles count as one ‘piece’ (158 cm / 62 in, in total dimensions) regardless of their actual dimensions:
- One sleeping bag or bed-roll
- One rucksack, knapsack or backpack
- One pair of snow skis with one pair of ski poles and boots
- One snowboard and boots
- One water surfing board (158 cm / 62 in of length)*
- One golf bag containing clubs and accompanying golf shoes
- One duffle-type bag or type 22 bag (soft-sided and zippered bags with side panels that can be opened with a zipper)
- Suitably packed firearms (see requirements below)
- Pre-booked avalanche backpack (see requirements below)
- One suitably packed bicycle. (See regulations below)
- One pair of standard water skis or slalom water skis
- Suitably packed fishing equipment consisting of two rods, one reel, one landing net, one pair of fishing boots and tackle box
*If the length exceeds 158 cm / 62 in, but the total dimensions are within 203 cm / 80 in, oversized baggage charges will be applied as follows:
- For tickets issued on/after 1 February 2018 with the first sector of travel on/after 1 May 2018, USD 150 per piece or other equivalent currency shall be paid by customers.
- For tickets issued before 1 February 2018; or for tickets issued on/after 1 February 2018 with the first sector of travel before 1 May 2018, USD 100 per piece or other equivalent currency shall be paid by customers.
*If the length exceeds 158 cm / 62 in and the total dimensions exceed 203 cm / 80 in, 4 times of extra baggage charge applies.
View check in baggage allowances when flying to America
See more about excess baggage charges
Special rules and regulations
For some items of sports equipment we have certain preparation requirements for you to bring them on board.
If you plan on travelling with a bicycle, please contact our Global Contact Centres at least 72 hours prior to departure, to confirm that your bicycle can be accepted in the aircraft assigned to your flight. Space is subject to availability and is granted on a first-come-first-served basis. The bicycle can be included as part of your total checked baggage allowance as long as it meets the following requirements:
- A non-motorised touring or racing, single-seat bicycle
- Handlebars that are either fixed, tightened sideways, tightened parallel to the frame or enclosed in plastic foam or similar material
- Pedals that have been either removed, fixed inwards or enclosed in plastic foam and similar material
- Deflated tyres
- Packed in a strong and protective hard case or recognised bicycle box. If departing from Zurich airport, there is a height restriction on the bicycle box: 100 cm (39 in) or lower
You may bring a rescue backpack as checked baggage or hand baggage, as long as you notify our reservation office. The backpack must be stowed in a way that means it will not be accidentally activated. The airbag within the backpack must be fitted with pressure relief valves.
Backpacks containing a cylinder of compressed gas (in division 2.2) may only be equipped with a pyrotechnic trigger mechanism that contains less than 200mg of Division 1.4S. Please present your data sheet at check in.
Please note that the compressed gas cylinder must be carried in the corresponding avalanche rescue backpack, only one avalanche rescue backpack is allowed per passenger.
Contact your local reservation office.
Sporting firearms consist of:
- one rifle case containing not more than two rifles, 5kg / 11 lb of ammunition, one shooting mat, noise suppressor and small rifle tools
- two shotguns and two shotgun cases
- one pistol case containing not more than five pistols, 5 kg / 11 lbs of ammunition, noise suppressors, one pistol telescope and small pistol tools
Any passenger wishing to travel with firearms should read about our banned items and get in touch with our booking and reservation office for further details.
For non-stop flights between Hong Kong and Auckland without extra sectors (wholly within Hong Kong and New Zealand), on Cathay Pacific or Air New Zealand only. It includes any domestic Air New Zealand flights you might add onto this route.
If your tickets inlcude additional international flights beyond Hong Kong or Auckland, or you have a stopover between Hong Kong and Auckland, please check our carrier rules.
When you fly directly from Hong Kong to Auckland, your luggage is counted in a ‘piece’ system.
The following articles count as one ‘piece’ (158 cm / 62 in, in total dimensions) regardless of their actual dimensions:
- One sleeping bag or bed-roll
- One rucksack, knapsack or backpack
- One pair of snow skis with one pair of ski poles and boots
- One snowboard and boots
- One water surfing board (158 cm / 62 in of length)*
- One golf bag containing clubs and accompanying golf shoes
- One duffle-type bag or type 22 bag (soft-sided and zippered bags with side panels that can be opened with a zipper)
- Suitably packed firearms (see requirements below)
- Pre-booked avalanche backpack (see requirements below)
- One suitably packed bicycle. (See regulations below)
- One pair of standard water skis or slalom water skis
- Suitably packed fishing equipment consisting of two rods, one reel, one landing net, one pair of fishing boots and tackle box
*If the length exceeds 158 cm / 62 in, but the total dimensions are within 203 cm / 80 in, oversized baggage charge of USD100 applies. If the length exceeds 158 cm / 62 in and the total dimensions exceed 203 cm / 80 in, 4 times of extra baggage charge applies.
View check in allowance when flying to New Zealand
See more about excess baggage charges
Special rules and regulations
For some items of sports equipment we have certain preparation requirements for you to bring them on board.
If you plan on travelling with a bicycle, please contact our Global Contact Centres at least 72 hours prior to departure, to confirm that your bicycle can be accepted in the aircraft assigned to your flight. Space is subject to availability and is granted on a first-come-first-served basis. The bicycle can be included as part of your total checked baggage allowance as long as it meets the following requirements:
- A non-motorised touring or racing, single-seat bicycle
- Handlebars that are either fixed, tightened sideways, tightened parallel to the frame or enclosed in plastic foam or similar material
- Pedals that have been either removed, fixed inwards or enclosed in plastic foam and similar material
- Deflated tyres
- Packed in a strong and protective hard case or recognised bicycle box. If departing from Zurich airport, there is a height restriction on the bicycle box: 100 cm (39 in) or lower
You may bring a rescue backpack as checked baggage or hand baggage, as long as you notify our reservation office. The backpack must be stowed in a way that means it will not be accidentally activated. The airbag within the backpack must be fitted with pressure relief valves.
Backpacks containing a cylinder of compressed gas (in division 2.2) may only be equipped with a pyrotechnic trigger mechanism that contains less than 200mg of Division 1.4S. Please present your data sheet at check in.
Please note that the compressed gas cylinder must be carried in the corresponding avalanche rescue backpack, only one avalanche rescue backpack is allowed per passenger.
Sporting firearms consist of:
- one rifle case containing not more than two rifles, 5kg / 11 lb of ammunition, one shooting mat, noise suppressor and small rifle tools
- two shotguns and two shotgun cases
- one pistol case containing not more than five pistols, 5 kg / 11 lbs of ammunition, noise suppressors, one pistol telescope and small pistol tools
Any passenger wishing to travel with firearms should read about our banned items and get in touch with our booking and reservation office for further details.
