LOT Polish Airlines kitesurf equipment: fees, weight limits and how to pack
LOT carries kite gear, but not free in place of a suitcase: kites aren't on its list of equipment that fits your allowance. You pay a fee per direction based on the bag's weight and length, and you only see the exact price in your booking.
LOT Polish Airlines will carry your kitesurf equipment, but only as a paid item: kites aren't on its list of sports equipment that can travel in place of a suitcase. LOT puts the bag in the small, medium or large category by weight and length, and you pay per direction. For scheduled flights the website gives no fixed price; your booking shows it.
This is based on LOT's website on 25 October 2026. On its baggage pages, LOT gives fixed sports equipment prices only for charter flights, in zloty, euros and dollars, not in pounds.
The general side of flying with kite gear (packing, batteries, claims) is covered in flying with kite gear: airline fees and packing.
LOT kite gear in numbers
| What | LOT |
|---|---|
| Category | kites not on the free list; classified by weight and length |
| Small | up to 10kg and up to 140cm long |
| Medium | over 10kg up to 20kg and 141-200cm |
| Large | up to 32kg and over 200cm |
| Fee | depends on route and dimensions, shown in your booking |
| Charged | per piece and direction; anything packed separately is charged separately |
| Notice | when booking or at least 24 hours before departure |
| How to add | lot.com or Manage My Booking, with type, weight and dimensions |
| Upper limit | over 32kg only as cargo |
The category's weight limit applies to the whole set. LOT's default weight for sports equipment is 23kg; above that you pay overweight up to 32kg, unless you booked the equipment as large.
What a return trip costs
| Situation | Return |
|---|---|
| Kite bag, scheduled LOT flight | 2 x the fee from your booking |
| Kites and board in 2 bags, scheduled flight | 4 x the fee (2 pieces, 2 directions) |
| LOT Charters, kite gear up to 20kg, short-haul | 2 x €75 = €150 |
| LOT Charters, kite gear up to 20kg, long-haul | 2 x €130 = €260 |
Check the price first
Then there's the suitcase: Economy Saver has no checked bag and you buy one, while Standard and Flex include 1 x 23kg in Europe. So find out the kite bag price before paying for the ticket: go through the booking as far as the extra services step and look at the amount.
What's different about LOT
No free swap for a kite bag
LOT has a list of sports equipment that can replace your suitcase for free, up to 23kg and 203cm, arranged through the Contact Center. It includes bodyboards, skateboards, skis (water skis too) and scuba gear, but not kites. Other equipment is charged, according to LOT. So even on a Standard fare, the kite bag costs extra.
Your booking details must match
When you add equipment, you enter its type, weight and dimensions. LOT warns it may refuse equipment that doesn't match the booking. Weigh and measure the bag before you enter the details, rather than guessing.
Deadline: 24 or 12 hours
The sports equipment page says to check availability when booking or at least 24 hours before departure. The extra services annex says online purchase is possible up to 12 hours before departure. I'd stick to the earlier deadline.
Connecting to another airline
If your trip continues on another airline's flight, you buy equipment carriage for that flight directly from that airline. Hold space for sports equipment also varies by aircraft type, so check availability for every flight.
Charters: kites named outright
On LOT Charters flights, operated for tour operators such as Itaka, Rainbow and TUI, kite surfing equipment is named in the up-to-20kg category. It costs €75 (300 PLN) per direction on short-haul and €130 on long-haul. Equipment over 2m has to be cleared with LOT in advance through the tour operator.
Batteries and CO2 cartridges
- Power banks: carry-on only, 2 at most, up to 100Wh each; no charging them or charging from them in flight.
- Spare batteries: lithium-ion up to 100Wh, cabin only, with protected terminals.
- Vest with a CO2 cartridge: up to 2 devices per person and 2 spare cartridges per device, only with LOT's consent.
Practical tips
- One bag: kites, bar and board in one bag means one fee per direction. Anything packed separately counts as another piece.
- The 20kg and 200cm line: a bag over 10kg up to 20kg and 141-200cm long is medium; over 200cm it's large.
- At the airport: surfboards and other non-standard bags go to the oversize baggage counter, so leave extra time.
- Packing: fins off the board, kites deflated, bar in a cover. More in kite board bags and flying with your gear.
Where LOT can take you kiting
lot.com sells Prague - Tenerife flights: on 25 October 2026 it showed a January 2027 return with carry-on baggage from CZK 12,049. LOT also sells flights to Colombo, and its Sri Lanka page mentions kitesurfing on the west coast beaches. The spots are covered in kitesurfing in the Canary Islands and kitesurfing in Sri Lanka.
On the kite safari in Egypt I go on, there are pumps and a compressor on board and a twintip costs €60 for 6 days (2026 prices), so you can leave the board at home. The kite safari packing list covers what else to bring.
Questions
Does LOT Polish Airlines accept kitesurf equipment?
Yes, for a fee. Kites aren't on the list of sports equipment LOT carries free in place of a suitcase, so it puts the bag in the small, medium or large category by weight and length. Add it when booking or at least 24 hours before departure.
How much does LOT charge for sports equipment?
On scheduled flights LOT doesn't publish a fixed price; it depends on the route and dimensions and shows up during booking or in Manage My Booking. It's charged per direction. On LOT Charters flights, kite gear up to 20kg costs €75 per direction on short-haul and €130 on long-haul (25 Oct 2026).
Can I take a kite bag instead of a suitcase on LOT?
Not according to LOT's website. The free swap only covers listed equipment, such as bodyboards, skateboards, skis and scuba gear, up to 23kg and 203cm. Kites aren't listed, and other sports equipment is charged.
What if I connect from LOT to another airline?
If your trip continues on a flight operated by another carrier, you buy sports equipment carriage for that flight directly from that airline and should check its rules. LOT warns that otherwise your equipment may be refused.
Sources and fact checks (11)
- LOT: selected sports equipment free within the allowance after contacting the Contact Center, max 23kg and 203cm; list: fishing, golf, hockey, inline skates, boogieboard/bodyboard, bowling, parachute, mountaineering, scuba diving, skateboard, skis including water skis, snowboard, rackets; other sports equipment is charged and classified as small (up to 10kg and 140cm), medium (over 10 up to 20kg, 141-200cm), large (up to 32kg, over 200cm); weight limit applies to the whole set www.lot.com (checked 25 October 2026)
- LOT: limited hold space that varies by aircraft; check availability when booking on lot.com or at least 24 hours before departure in Manage My Booking, giving type, weight and dimensions; default weight 23kg, overweight charge up to 32kg, none for equipment booked as large; over 32kg cargo only; check other carriers' rules when connecting; equipment must match the booking or may be refused; separately packed items charged separately; fee per one-way journey www.lot.com (checked 25 October 2026)
- LOT: the cost of transporting sports equipment depends on the route and dimensions; exact price shown when booking or in Manage My Booking www.lot.com (checked 25 October 2026)
- LOT Annex 2: Special Equipment service covers bicycles, golf, diving, skiing, snowboard, fishing equipment and musical instruments, other items via the Contact Center; max 32kg; on flights operated by another carrier buy directly from that carrier; price per one-way flight, return flights paid separately; online purchase up to 12 hours before departure www.lot.com (checked 25 October 2026)
- LOT short and medium haul: checked baggage Economy Saver 0, Standard/Flex 1 x 23kg, Business in Europe 2 x 32kg; max 158cm; first bag can be bought on Saver; surfboards and other non-standard baggage checked in at a dedicated oversize counter; charter baggage limits set by the tour operator www.lot.com (checked 25 October 2026)
- LOT Charters: kite surfing equipment in Sports equipment Small/Medium up to 20kg; fee per one-way trip per set, separately packed parts charged separately; Small/Medium short-haul 300 PLN / 75 EUR / 80 USD, long-haul 540 PLN / 130 EUR / 140 USD; equipment over 2m to be verified via the tour operator; charters for tour operators including Coral Travel, Itaka, Rainbow and TUI www.lot.com (checked 25 October 2026)
- LOT: power banks carry-on only, max 2 up to 100Wh, no charging or use in flight; spare lithium-ion batteries up to 100Wh carry-on only, terminals protected; non-flammable CO2 gas cartridges in a life jacket or vest: max 2 devices per passenger and 2 spare cartridges per device, carrier's consent required www.lot.com (checked 25 October 2026)
- LOT: power banks carry-on only, up to 2 per passenger, each up to 100Wh (approx. 25,000mAh); prohibited in checked baggage www.lot.com (checked 25 October 2026)
- lot.com: Prague (PRG) - Tenerife (TFS) return, January 2027, LOT Economy with carry-on baggage from CZK 12,049 www.lot.com (checked 25 October 2026)
- lot.com sells flights to Colombo; the page mentions kitesurfing on the beaches of Sri Lanka's west coast www.lot.com (checked 25 October 2026)
- Safari 2026: compressor and pumps on board; twintip rental €60 / 6 days paradisekitesurf.cz (checked 25 October 2026)
