kenn0223

Shrink wrapping of baggage is fairly common outside of the US, I don't think it would be that suspicisious.

StingWest

They are (well used) ice skates, so I have a clear conscience!

Thanks for all the comments and info!

goalie

Apologies but I searched and couldn't find a home for this so please move if needed...
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Backstory
goalie-parents are flying for their annual SFO-PBI January-April tomorrow (Jan, 8)
goalie-dad ships 3-4 boxes (USPS small/medium flat rate boxes) of papers, files and etc via the USPS before they leave and before they return
Cost for shipping the boxes for the outbound portion of the trip was approximately $100

I suggested to goalie-dad that for the return trip in April, he consolidate everything into 3 boxes (the size of a box of 10 reams of paper) and check the boxes when they return

My logic:
goalie-dad is UA Gold (my MM Companion) and with goalie-mom on the same PNR, they each get 2 free checked bags weighing up to 70 pounds so with only their one piece of regular checked luggage, they still have 3 free checked bags

Is my logic correct and would they receive any pushback from UA when checking their luggage as if they do, that will phugly things as they won't have time to go to the post office to mail them
(and fwiw, the last time I flew with a cardboard box as checked luggage was 4 1/2 years ago DCA-SFO with my sister's cat* and the box was full of all the cat stuff [scratching post, cat-condo, toys and etc] and I didn't have an issue)

*no, the cat was not in the box but in cabin with me

Old Gold

Cardboard boxes are okay for checked baggage as long as they meet the size and weight limits. The printed tags will stick to he surface of the boxes.

rob_flies_ua

It's not a problem, I've taken a bunch of cardboard boxes starting in SFO and received zero pushback. The one warning I would give is be prepared for them to get wet/damp, and put all the papers (or anything else you don't want to get wet) inside a plastic bag inside the box in as water-resistant a fashion as they can manage.

pushmyredbutton

I do this all the time at SFO. I usually use Home Depot double-walled moving boxes to consolidate multiple items in. Never had any pushback from UA; even at 70lbs. It's quite the efficient way of moving personal items without displaced suitcases.

Be prepared for some odd looks from travelers at the baggage carousel, though.

prestonh

We just checked in some signs wrapped in moving boxes bubble wrap and tape.

Xyzzy

I've never had any problems when checking boxes. ften, though, agents will make me sign the "improperly packed" baggage waiver.

joejones

If you feel weird checking in a cardboard box, fly to Asia sometime and half of your fellow passengers will be checking in cardboard boxes.

USA_flyer

Recommend putting anything you don't want to get wet in a ziploc or line the boxes with plastic sheeting.

goalie

Thank you ^ and you must be reading goalie-dad's mind as he places everything inside plastic bags when shipping the boxes via the USPS for the exact reason you mention-and yes, I've given dad the size limits (weight won't be a problem as we're talking about at most 15 pounds per box)

Thank you ^ and w/r/t "odd looks", goalie-mom will just give them a "mom-look"

An "improperly packed waiver" is a first for me and all I see in the CoC is this-which is about as vague as vague can be as how can a box of papers be "improperly packed"

FTLexMUC

flash1129

Overall, I shipped probably 25 - 30 boxes filled with paper back in my days of frequent travel. (They were conference folders packed with papers and materials, and they weighed 60 lbs each.) This was over the span of 3 years, not all in one trip

Concur that it's generally not an issue upon check in, but in the beginning I found that my box, as heavy duty as it was, would "burst" open at the corners and edges when it arrived at the carousel. To help prevent this, I used strapping tape along every inside and outside corner so that every edge was reinforced. That prevented the boxes and materials from bursting open. I'd recommend reinforcing the corners like I did as well.

This is the tape I used: https://www.staples.com/Scotch-Heavy...product_824250

Xyzzy

United generally claims that cardboard boxes of stuff are improperly packed based on this rule: That made for some funny discussion with the agent once when flying FLL-EWR after having just come from the TravelPro warehouse sale. We were checking a bunch of new in-the-box TravelPr luggage.

tarheelnj

+1 on this advice. Assume your box will sit in a puddle and get exposure to rain. It may also be thrown underhanded between ground crew agents, who may grab it on the first bounce. Write your destination address on the side of the box, in case the luggage tag comes off/gets ripped off, so they don't have to open the box to find an address. You'll be told you need have the address on the outside of the box anyway, and most people just tape a luggage address tag to the side, but those can get ripped off, too. And finally, go straight to baggage claim on landing, so you can grab the boxes as they come off the conveyor belt, to avoid the "thud" when they land on the moving carousel (if applicable) and getting banged by other luggage. (I'm thinking of Newark where gravity is a significant factor in luggage settling in on the moving carousel.)