Flying meat home?

[280rem]

Just wondering if anybody’s plans include checking their caribou on AA coming home? Has their changes in baggage charges affected your decisions? Does any one have current experience with these fee changes and checking heavy meat baggage? What options have you switched to if you have altered your plans? Is sending it air cargo now a much better option? Thanks for any insight

 

[Djacker]

Keep your checked bag under 50lbs and your good to go. I checked 210lbs of fish a couple weeks ago. We had 9 checked bags total. I used AA cargo for my moose meat and 2 sets of antlers wrapped together last Sept, also very easy.

 

[thayerp81]

with their new baggage policies, it seems it would make the best financial sense to pack meat boxes as close to 100 lbs as possible, unless I'm missing something

new price for excess checked bag is $150 each, price for overweight (up to 100#) is an additional $100. so it would cost $300 to send two 50# boxes, but only $250 for a single 100# box

 

[S-3 ranch]

I spent over $900 in air freight coming from anchorage, this didn’t count the cost getting from naknek ak to anchorage

We are going tuna fishing in September and are planning $300 if we pack our clothes in a ice chest going to the destination and using a carry bag returning

 

[Djacker]

with their new baggage policies, it seems it would make the best financial sense to pack meat boxes as close to 100 lbs as possible, unless I'm missing something

new price for excess checked bag is $150 each, price for overweight (up to 100#) is an additional $100. so it would cost $300 to send two 50# boxes, but only $250 for a single 100# box

It cost $80 to ship 2 50# boxes. 1st bag $35, 2nd bag $45. Get the AA credit card and your 1st bag is free.

 

[thayerp81]

While it’s true that you can ship your first two bag/boxes for $80 (or 45 with the AA credit card) the reality is that anyone traveling to Alaska for a hunting trip already has at least two checked bags of gear/guns/bows. That means the extra bags (meat) are going to be billed at the 150 per item and an additional $100 to bump it up to 100#. Did you not go with any gear?

 

[Djacker]

I had 3 bags myself last trip, never charged me more than $45. Even for oversize. Granted I've only went twice last Sept and july

 

[william schmaltz]

Just booked a flight yesterday and here’s most updated rates from the confirmation email.

 

[HuntHarder]

in 2021 I checked 99 lbs of caribou in a box onto my AA flight. It costed a 100$ back then. Last year I brought back Moose meat and used Nick @ AK trophy expediters. He was great and handled everything. My transporter took my meat to a processor and Nick took it from there. Seamless but expensive. Total after shipping and processing was close to 4-5$ a pound.

 

[thayerp81]

I looked at AK trophy express but it’s definitely pricey. $575 for caribou if you do early registration, $650 otherwise and that doesn’t include storage charges in Fairbanks until it’s picked up. If I shoot a monster and want to save the rack I’d probably use them, but otherwise I’ll just take 100# of meat as carry on for $250

 

[BRTreedogs]

You can check your bags all the way thru. Even if you flights are separate.
No need to pick up you fish boxes and re check them.

 

[Haro450]

Might have to check other airline policy’s for future trips. Sounds like it will cost me $400 for meat and horns. That seems a little pricey considering the ticket only cost $480

 

[280rem]

Some helpful info and some not helpful. Thank you. Yes as one stated above about gear, my baggage is already consisting of gear, clothing and guns. Meat and and antlers would already be racking up extra bag fees plus extra fees. This is for my wife and I, by the time we add meat from 2 caribou, probably at least 1 cape and then antlers. It appears that air cargo would be significantly cheaper. I already have known shipper number, just have never went this route. If you have used air cargo for getting caribou or moose home, please tell me how that was, how you prepped and any details I may need to know. Thank you

 

[HoneyDew]

Until I got to the first picture I thought we were discussing American Airlines (AA) policies . Alaska Airlines is (AS).

 

[Djacker]

Some helpful info and some not helpful. Thank you. Yes as one stated above about gear, my baggage is already consisting of gear, clothing and guns. Meat and and antlers would already be racking up extra bag fees plus extra fees. This is for my wife and I, by the time we add meat from 2 caribou, probably at least 1 cape and then antlers. It appears that air cargo would be significantly cheaper. I already have known shipper number, just have never went this route. If you have used air cargo for getting caribou or moose home, please tell me how that was, how you prepped and any details I may need to know. Thank you

I used Alaska Air cargo to ship meat and antlers last year out of Anchorage. I used rubbermaid totes to hold my meat. I lined the tote with a trash bag and tied it, to make sure nothing leaked out. My meat was processed and frozen. I wrapped the antler tips with pipe insulation or cardboard, then put plastic wrap around the entire rack. I also wrapped the skull with a trash bag and plastic wrapped it.
Try not to fly out on Sunday, it's more expensive to ship cargo on Sundays. It's an easy process.

 

[BRTreedogs]

My understanding with air cargo is the meat may not exactly travel with you.

Meaning it may not show up to you destination until a day or 2 etc after you.

And not all places have cool storage.
You have to check that the final destination has cold storage incase it need to sit a day or 2 until you get it picked up.

That's why we just check the meat. So it was more likely to be there when we got there.

 

[jdub17]

Call Nick Ploesser with Alaska Trophy Expediters. He will take great care of you, and will be able to ship the meat back to the lower 48 cheaper than you can.

 

[280rem]

Any places in Anchorage to wasilla that will freeze meat?

 

[Cyril]

Any places in Anchorage to wasilla that will freeze meat?

Most of the hotels in anchorage have a freezer. Availability is first come. As others have stated, Nick with AK Expediters is great to work with.

 

[Djacker]

The airport has freezers too.