Cheapest Way to Ship Luggage to avoid Airline Baggage Fees

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some people in my traveling party don't have status with delta- wondering what luck people have had with shipping luggage.
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FedEx.
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Fedex Ground, to be more precise....
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Depends on how far you're going - if it's a transcon, FedEx Ground could take a week or so.
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$15 for the first bag is pretty much always going to be cheaper than (or at the same price as) FedEx/UPS Ground. Much better getting it that day too than waiting 3-4 days for your bag.
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Depends if it's international (two free up to weight limit), premium class, or economy. If this is domestic travel and the bags don't exceed the weight limit, I doubt one is going to get them to the destination any cheaper than the $40 for two bags ($15 first, $25 second) on Delta.
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Cheapest Way to Ship Luggage to avoid Delta Baggage
does the luggage have to be in a box or can you ship as is?
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Quote: does the luggage have to be in a box or can you ship as is?
You can ship as is. FedEx Kinkos has a special pouch that is zip-tied to luggage that attaches the shipping label. I've done it numerous times.
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I actually often ship stuff via FedEx two day and it isn't very expensive...

If I'm going to be in six cities in six days, I put what I'll need for the last three days into a medium FedEx box and ship it to whatever hotel I'll be at on the fourth night. At the third hotel, I'll get a FedEx box and ship home my laundry. This lets me keep to one carry-on (travel with projector and computer, so space is limited to stay within one bag and personal item) which allows me to be flexible getting on earlier flights. Heavy stuff like shoes of jeans comes with me. Light stuff - socks, t-shirts, etc., goes via FedEx.

Sticking to the FedEx boxes keeps the price down. (As does using my company's negotiated rate.)
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My luggage rides piggyback on top of my trade show booth, making it essentially free and much more convenient than dragging it through the airport.
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Cheapest Way to Ship Luggage to avoid Delta Baggage
thanks for all the help. i just shipped a piece of luggage at a fed-ex kinko's. it weighed 37 lbs. and will arrive in two days and it only cost me $28. two people in my traveling party already checked two bags each and the third would have cost over $100, so i think this is a convenient way to avoid paying that fee.
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As this topic is not particularly Delta-specific, I am moving the thread to TravelBuzz for continued discussion.
Obscure2k
Delta Moderator
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Quote:
Sticking to the FedEx boxes keeps the price down. (As does using my company's negotiated rate.)
Hi CJKatl and everyone,

I was wondering, are hotels typically ok with getting FedEx boxes for guests? Are luggage deliveries better received? Do you need to do any special coordinating either way to make sure that your stuff gets accepted and that you can find it when you arrive?

Thanks so much for your additional guidance.
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Here's a comparison of the prices shipping vs. checking-in
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Interesting chart but there is all the hassle of getting it to the shipper, the need to do it ahead of time, etc. I have trouble imaging this really being workable for most folks. But if it works for you, go for it. I won't be doing it.
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