Cheapest Way to Ship Luggage to avoid Airline Baggage Fees
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta PM/CRC/AMEX
Posts: 133
Cheapest Way to Ship Luggage to avoid Airline Baggage Fees
some people in my traveling party don't have status with delta- wondering what luck people have had with shipping luggage.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: The best state in the USA - Florida!
Programs: Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, AS MVP75K, AA PlatPro, UA Premier, Disney AP
Posts: 14,497
$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.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Rural TN (but WAS native)
Programs: National Executive Elite, none of the others matter
Posts: 23,823
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.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Programs: DL PM, HH Diamond, Fairmont Prem, SPG Gold, Priority Club Plat/IC Amb, AmEx Plat
Posts: 10,839
#9
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
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.)
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.)
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta PM/CRC/AMEX
Posts: 133
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.
#13
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: EWR
Programs: CO Platinum--Not a COol aid drinker, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 50
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.
#15
Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: AA Gold, Hyatt Plat, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Carlson Gold
Posts: 246
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.