Like bicycles and other oversized gear expect to pay the oversize surcharge/fee.
Depending on a lot of factors when checking your gear at your home town airport
where everyone knows your name the charges may be waived overlooked forgotten
but on the return trip don't expect this and make trouble.

When I was with Western Airlines surfboards came and went without much fanfare.
Wrap and pack with care and absolutely remove the fin - we all have seen enough
of the 'Sharknado' movies !
Now with nit-picking baggage fees and even olives being counted in the martinis
expect the worst. If the largest airplane serving your city is CRJ or Piper Cub expect
more of the worst (your surfboard may become a boogie board {1/2 surf board})
trying to mangle the board into a cargo hold that Houdini could not escape from !
You might try to convince the flight crew that if it was fasten to the wings it might
improve the airflow and look nice matching the little winglets ! LOL !