I have a Serfas hard case--plenty of foam padding comes with it. I think I paid about $350 for it. Doody has made 2 trips cross-country in it just fine. She's a carbon fiber Trek. It has wheels and a strap for ease of transporting in the airports. I've paid $50-$80 to $0 to take her on the planes--depends on the airline and how observant some people are. Also if you're going 1st class, there's no extra charge. (I upgrade with miles.) I wouldn't dream of anything soft sided.