Can You Take Baseball Cleats On A Plane? (All You Need To Know)
Are you traveling for a baseball tournament? Would you like to bring your baseball cleats when going on holiday? If this is the case, you may want to know if you can take baseball cleats on a plane and where to pack them.
You may bring baseball cleats in your checked baggage or hand luggage. Baseball cleats aren’t considered dangerous items on a plane, and you don’t have to take any special measures when flying with baseball cleats. You can fly domestically and internationally with baseball cleats.
Since sporting equipment is challenging to pack, you may be concerned about the safety of flying with baseball cleats. That’s why we are here. We’ll discuss whether you can take baseball cleats on a plane and how to travel with them to keep them safe.
Is It Safe To Take Baseball Cleats On A Plane?
Traveling by plane is already a stressful situation for many. The last thing you want is more stress added when your bags are flagged or manually searched. This is why many people wonder about the rules for traveling with sports equipment, like baseball cleats.
While the rules aren’t the same in all countries, they are usually similar for most. You can use the TSA’s (transportation security administration) guidelines to determine what you can fly with domestically and internationally.
The TSA sets forth the rules used in all airports throughout America. They are usually quite standard, meaning they will likely be the same worldwide. So, what does the TSA say about flying with baseball cleats?
According to the TSA guidelines, you can fly with baseball cleats in your hand luggage and checked baggage since cleats cannot be used as a bludgeoning weapon. Any sports equipment that can be used to bludgeon or harm someone is prohibited from your hand luggage. This includes things like baseball bats and bowling balls.
Fortunately, baseball cleats aren’t heavy enough to be used as a bludgeoning tool. The spikes also aren’t long or sharp enough to impale someone, making it quite hard to use a baseball cleat as a weapon. This means that you can safely travel with your baseball cleats wherever you want on a plane.
You also should be fine bringing your baseball cleats through the security checkpoint at an airport. However, some TSA officers may manually inspect your bag if they see the cleats on the x-ray scanners.
This shouldn’t be a cause for concern, however, and they’ll likely just check to make sure that the cleats aren’t dangerous to the flight crew or passengers. Thereafter they will send you on your way and to your flight.
Where Should You Pack Baseball Cleats When Flying?
Despite being able to fly with your baseball cleats wherever you choose, many people also worry about the safety of their cleats. For example, if your cleats get thrown around in their bag, the spikes may get damaged, which can cause you some problems after reaching your destination.
This makes people wonder where to pack their baseball cleats when flying. Although anywhere on the plane is fine, you must consider how you package your cleats when flying. We’ll discuss safely packing your baseball cleats before flying in another section.
Overall, it is best to keep fragile items in your hand luggage when flying. Although baseball cleats aren’t necessarily considered fragile, you may wish to keep them with you if you are worried they might be damaged in the cargo hold.
Your checked baggage is often handled roughly since airport staff tries to load and unload a plane’s cargo as quickly as possible. The result is that some fragile items get damaged in the process, even if you put a fragile sticker on your bag.
Sometimes checked baggage also gets lost, which is why many people prefer to keep their valuable items in their hand luggage, where they can monitor it. If you are worried about your baseball cleats getting lost or damaged, consider keeping them in your hand luggage.
On the contrary, if you are worried about spending additional time at airport security, pack your baseball cleats in your checked baggage. As mentioned, even though you are allowed to travel with baseball cleats in your hand luggage, some airport security officers may inspect your bags further if they spot the cleats on the x-ray scanners.
Although you shouldn’t have any trouble with baseball cleats when they do a manual search, it will take some time, meaning you could risk missing your flight if you are already late. Packing baseball cleats in your hand luggage can also damage other items in the hand luggage.
Where you pack your baseball cleats ultimately depends on your preference and how important the cleats are to you.
Should You Declare Baseball Cleats When Flying?
You must declare certain items when traveling with them by plane, especially if you are heading to another country. Fortunately, baseball cleats aren’t one of these items. You don’t have to declare baseball cleats when flying since they aren’t considered dangerous and aren’t luxury items.
Suppose you buy new baseball cleats in another country. In that case, removing them from their packaging is recommended before bringing them home. This is because you aren’t allowed to import things from another country if you intend to resell them at home.
Since items in their original packaging have a resale value, you may encounter trouble going through airport security at your home destination. Remember to bring your receipt when traveling with new cleats if you must return them for some reason.
If your cleats aren’t new, you have no reason to worry, and you don’t have to declare them when traveling to another country.
How To Safely Pack Baseball Cleats On A Plane
One final question about traveling with baseball cleats is how to package them for flying. While you can pack your cleats in any bag, we recommend bringing them to your checked baggage. Alternatively, you can remove the spikes from your baseball cleats and bring them in your hand luggage.
By keeping the shoes and spikes separate, you protect both and won’t damage your bag or other items therein. If you cannot remove the spikes from your cleats, consider wrapping them in bubble wrap or newspaper to prevent the cleats from digging into your bag or being damaged by other items.
Consider stuffing your baseball cleats with socks, underwear, or newspaper to keep them from being squished and losing their form in transit. Surround them with soft items that won’t scratch or damage them to keep them safe while flying.
These tips will protect your cleats and the other items in your bag while traveling and ensure everything is in good condition and ready to use when you arrive at your destination.
Conclusion
You can bring baseball cleats on a plane, either in your hand luggage or checked baggage. The TSA states that baseball cleats aren’t dangerous items, and you can bring them anywhere on a plane. Stuff them with socks and wrap them before flying to keep them safe on the plane.
