Ok.  Thanks.  Yeah, I meant "when I purchase" & get free shipping is why I don't know what the shipping costs are. 

Appreciate you telling me the shipping.  That is an awful lot.  If it's $25 to check the extra bag of balls then it might be worth it I thought it was $50 though.  But if there is a way around it by carrying them on, & it's not too cumbersome to lug around, then by all means, do that.  Everyone has their own tolerance & wallet size...

The number of bags you can check in for free depends on the airline.  Southwest (as of last year, don't know about now) used to allow two free checked bags and a carryon.  Other airlines only allow one free checked bag.

I've always checked them and never had a ball issue, but my bag has been damaged in some way more times than not.

The problem with trying to carry them on is that some airports will allow them and others will not.  So unless you know for sure what TSA at YOUR departing airport allows, you could be stuck having to turn around and pay to check them at whatever the prevailing rate is for your airline. 

It has been many years since I flew with equipment but it WAS in the post-9/11 era.  Had no real issues getting on a plane in Austin but had to check the tote flying home through Newark.  Fortunately I had status with the airline so I didn't have to pay for it, but it was the reminder that every airport is different.

I only did Nationals once, and took 2 totes - carried my shoes with me. Checked them in, no problem from the airline side other than one of the zippers getting destroyed. Lugging them into/through the airport was a PITA.

After bowling, I checked into Fed Exing them home. They had a place right there in the convention center - boxed em up for me and shipped them.

I don't remember the cost, but for me it was worth every penny to not have to drag 60 more lbs of stuff through the airports. I'll never fly with bowling balls again (but then, I don't like dealing with airports anyway. Everything before and after the actual flight just sucks). Anyway, just figure the shipping into the overall cost of the trip and enjoy not having to deal with them off the lanes.

Quote from: BMFOBR on January 21, 2015, 12:10:35 AM

I wouldn't want my bowling balls subjected to the extreme cold that an airliner cargo hold sees.  I'd ship Fed-Ex

Does Fed Ex heat the packages on their planes?

Quote from: Monster Pike on January 21, 2015, 01:57:29 PM

How long does Fed ex ground take?  And are the backs of those Fed Ex ground semi truck trailers heated?   Are the ware house portion of the distribution centers they get dropped & picked up from heated?  And finally, are the back of those delivery trucks heated? 

Or when is nationals?  Summer?  Will those trailers be too hot?  I think the cargo hold for a few hour flight isn't gonna hurt those bowling balls, temperature wise, that much...  I would think the long road trip in the back of a sem trailer would be worse...

It doesn't get as cold on the ground as it does at 30,000 feet.  The heat in summer?  De-oils the balls before the tourney.  Perfect!