Did you know you can fly musical instruments for FREE?
Well, here we go again; these drums are flying internationally.
Have you ever wondered how to fly your musical instruments internationally without breaking your bank account? Five years ago, if someone had told me my son Ellis’ drum set would be making its fourth international flight next month for free, I would have laughed at them. But here I am again taking it apart and packing it up so it can make its appearance back in the USA.
Game-Changer
Learning how to get cheap or free bags so I could fly the instrument affordably was a game-changer.
Over the last ten years, I have learned many things about flying internationally. One of the things that helped me save money is learning that every airline has different rules for bags, including size, weight, what kind of contents they allow.
Airlines charge different prices
They all charge differently, and extra bags and overweight charges can become costly. This is the challenge with things like oversized instruments or extra bags. Most importantly the great deal you thought you were getting becomes not so great after the add-ons.
Flying with free bags
As a mother of a musician, I had assumed that we would be replacing the drum set after we got settled in Central America. Once we arrived in Costa Rica, we quickly learned that replacing the drum sets was not the best option due to quality, cost, and availability. I never thought that we would be flying the original set back and forth over the years, but that is exactly what happened.
So, imagine how excited I was when I found out that Southwest Airlines flies two bags for free.
Bags are something I have a love/hate relationship with
Limitations to the number of bags or high fees make you become select on what you bring when traveling back and forth. A drum set is not always at the top of the list but if it can fly for cheap or free it has a higher chance of making it to the top.
Costa Rica cheapest flight
This time I’m traveling from Tamarindo Costa Rica to Denver Colorado (DIA). I know we save time and money 99% of the time if we fly out of the Liberia Costa Rica International Airport (LIR) to the US. Flights might be cheaper when departing from San José Costa Rica the other international airport, but I have to keep in mind my transportation cost and how much my time is worth. The drive to the city is going to take longer. Transportation costs are a consideration. Paying for gas, renting a car, bus or taxi are all going to cost more. Most importantly this can add up to be more than the savings on the plane ticket so the great deal might not end up being so great in the end.
Cheap is not always the lowest seat price
By “cheap flight”, I want to make sure you understand. Cheap is not always the lowest seat price. I’m looking for the most affordable option when traveling with musical instruments while keeping a few things in mind.
When booking a flight, I want to keep in mind what the airlines offer. Do they offer free entertainment? Are they going to charge me for my food and drinks? What about an outlet to charge my devices? What’s the seating like and most of all, how much are my bags going to cost?
Travel time
In addition, I also want to keep in mind layovers and flight times. This all plays a big role in my travel time and cost. Long layovers can add to my cost by increasing food, and lodging accommodation, or making it so I have to spend a restless night in the airport trying to stay awake while I wait for my next flight.
Since I’m flying internationally from Costa Rica to Denver Colorado, Huston Texas seems to be one of the most common layover cities if I don’t book a direct flight. I will have to collect all my bags even my checked luggage since this is the first stop my flight makes in the new country. I will then take all my belongings through customs.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
After going through customs, I will then recheck all checked bags and take any personal or carry-on items through security again. Southwest offers a short layover but it’s long enough for me to get through customs and security without feeling rushed. Therefore, having a shorter layover saves me time and money while getting me to my final destination quicker.
Airline guidelines & rules
Because I’m taking a musical instrument this time, I want to make sure that I fall into guidelines and rules. We pack the drums and cymbals in a hardcover case, the hardware adds weight quickly, so I have to make sure that I’m not oversize or overweight when we send them back and forth resulting in overweight and additional bag fees. Southwest baggage Fee
In order to fly with the drums, we disassemble them packing them in a hardcover drum case as full as we can without going over on the weight limit. Then we pack the rest of the hardware in another bag. Depending on the airline and weight rules we might end up putting some of the hardware in a carry-on just to avoid overweight fees. Beware most airlines have size and weight restrictions on carryon baggage as well.
Best airline prices for Costa Rica to Denver Colorado
After doing some research I’m happy to say Southwest Airlines was the cheapest flight from Liberia Costa Rica to Denver Colorado, with a total ticket price of $265. Passengers are allowed a personal bag and a carry-on. After checking the checked baggage rules, the hardcover case size and weight are within the guidelines, so the drums will fly free.
