Free tool

Race Trip Planner

Ironman a few months out? Plan the whole trip: entry, flights, getting your bike there, race-weekend hotel and food. You get a total, a per-person cost and a booking timeline. No signup, and it saves on your phone.

Everything is an estimate you control. Airline fees below were checked on each airline's own page in Nov 2026 (see Sources). Fees change, so confirm before you book.

The race

Event

Presets only fill in day counts and starting amounts for food and gear. Change anything.

Race date

Days before (arrive)

Days after (stay)

Entry fee ($)

Entries (racers)

Entry fees vary a lot by race and go up as spots fill, so I don't fill one in. Example only: the official 2027 IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin page listed $536.50 per person when I checked in Nov 2026. That is a typical number, not yours. Check your race (see Sources).

Getting there

Flight per person ($ round trip)

Travelers

Your bike

Airline

Bike fee each way ($ per bike, doubled for round trip)

Before you fly: bike box checklist

Tick as you go. Saved on this device only, no account.

Put a tracker (AirTag-style) inside the bike case
Photograph the bike and case, packed and at check-in
Keep the bag tag / claim stub
Know your airline's baggage claim deadline (see links below)
If the case is missing or damaged, file a report at the airport before you leave

Official delayed, lost or damaged bag pages:
Alaska Airlines: delayed, damaged or missing baggage
Delta: delayed, lost or damaged baggage

Why bother: a real example of a bike box lost 36 hours before an Ironman.

Backup plan: add a local rental bike

Off by default. Use it to budget a rental in case your case is late.

Number of bikes

Rental car or gas ($ total)

Staying there

Hotel rate ($ per night)

Rooms

Race-weekend markup (% extra, optional)

If the rate you see is for a normal weekend, add a cushion here for race weekend. Leave 0 if you already have the race-weekend price.

Food per person ($ per day)

Gear and extras ($ total)

Per-person cost

Your race trip

Book refundable early

Race weekends fill hotels near the start and finish, and prices can climb as the date gets close. My tip: once you register, book a free-cancellation room right away. If a better deal shows up later, cancel and rebook.

Find race-weekend hotels

Affiliate link: I may earn a commission if you book through Expedia, at no extra cost to you.

Pack for the trip

Bike travel case CO2 or mini pump travel kit Race number belt

Amazon search links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases; I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Note: CO2 cartridges have airline rules, so check before you fly.

Plan your race fueling

Trip sorted? Work out how many gels to carry with the Gel Calculator.

How the math works

Nights = days before + days after. Food days = nights + 1.
Flights = price per person x travelers.
Bike on a plane = fee each way x 2 x bikes. Shipping = your quote x bikes.
Hotel = rate x nights x rooms, plus the race-weekend markup percent on top.
Food = per day x days x travelers. Entry = fee x entries.
Per person = total / travelers (or the full total if you pay for everyone).

Sources

Checked Nov 2026 on the official pages. Fees are one way, per bag, before taxes, and change often.

Alaska Airlines, Optional services and fees: standard 1st checked bag $35, one way. alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/optional-services-fees
Alaska Airlines, sporting equipment: bikes accepted as checked bags, overweight waived up to 70 lb, over 115 linear inches pays oversize. alaskaair.com sporting equipment
Delta, Baggage policy and fees: $45 1st standard checked bag, each way, domestic Main and Comfort. delta.com/us/en/baggage/overview
Delta, Sporting equipment: bicycles take standard baggage fees; over 50 lb pays excess weight. delta.com/us/en/baggage/special-items/sporting-equipment
Example entry fee: 2027 IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin, individual entry $536.50 (price may change with availability). in.usa.ironman.com/2027-ironman-703-wisconsin

Other airlines (United, American, Southwest and more): pick "Other airline" and enter the fee from their sports equipment page. Timeline dates are planning tips, not rules.