Traveling with bicycle causes lots of inconvenience for us. Here are some links and tips to make you more prepared.
Some experience:
"Many airlines take bicycles free of charge, or for a very nominal charge, as long as you tell them when you make your booking. But make sure you tell the booking agent you'll be traveling with a bicycle and get an acknowledgement of this IN WRITING. (We only had a verbal acknowledgement and therefore had no proof.)
Although I have traveled without one, I recommend using a purpose-made, padded bike-bag. These require you to take off your wheels, mudguards and pedals, and lower your saddle. You must also withdraw your handlebar stem and strap your complete handlebar/stem/brake-lever unit to your frame. This will need some practice, but it all results in a padded package which is less likely to get damaged by airport baggage handlers. (I once witnessed damage to a fellow cyclist's bike.) And, take time to check everything BEFORE leaving the baggage reclaim area at each destination airport - if you need to, it'll be too late to make any claims later.
It's quite possible to keep all your luggage within your weight allowance, even with a lightweight tent and sleeping bag, so long as you don't take more than the absolute minimum. Eg. just 1 pr trousers, 1 pr shorts, 1 jumper, 1 sweatshirt, 1 t-shirt, 2 underpants, 2 pr socks, 1 waterproof coat, 1 waterproof overtrouser, 1 pr waterproof gloves, 1 pr shoes. You don't need any more if you wash dirty pants and socks each day. Don't take any food or drinks. Split the tent with your partner. Wear ALL your clothes on the plane and put any heavy items in your hand luggage (eg pedals and bike tools if they let you)."
Chris Bell (2004)
Comments: If you have not very expensive bike a regular cardboard box would be OK. The bigger the box the less demount operations you need to complete to put your bike into the box. Minimum can be: to remove pedals and turn handlebar.