Travelling

Hello. I have to travel to Seattle from New York and will have to have at least two checked bags. These will incur a total of $100 in baggage fees. ($25 per bag each way.) Has anyone shipped their luggage before? Or maybe packed in a box and shipped that? Is this a cheaper alternative?

Thanks.

Iowa_Redhead

http://www.seatguru.com/articles/lug...g_services.php

From the looks of the chart on that website, you'd pay the same or more to ship luggage. Use that chart as a guide and look up the costs using your exact details (locations, bag sizes and weights, etc).

Travelling

So much for that idea!

Iowa_Redhead

I assume that you're doing something special that you actually need that much luggage, otherwise for a "normal" sightseeing type vacation or cruise you could definitely cut that down to just one bag.

Depending on what you're doing, could you cut it down to one bag for one direction? Often when I see people taking two large bags, they're either moving or helping someone who has moved. They need two big bags going one direction but can nest the two together going the other way.

Depending on your airline, can you join a members club? For some airlines you can pay an annual fee and up to two bags fly free for the year. That might work out to be cheaper than paying by the bag. Some airlines give free baggage benefits as part of their frequent flier club.

leelaurino

i have shipped ground with UPS from Atl to NJ at great rates.

when in Italy i use mail box etc and ship the computer and business clothes home so i can begin the fun part of the trips.

i also bring "throw away or leave behind clothes" things i would donate or give away. i leave them for the maid if they are in good condition OR drop them at the charity box.

suze

$100 total to get 100 pounds (assuming 2 suitcases at the max. 50 lbs weight) to Seattle and back to New York is a good deal imho. Not to mention the convenience.

Travelling

Alas, yes I do need all of that luggage. It's one of those trips where I need everything from casual to business suit to formal wear.

janisj

It takes a WHOLE slew of business/casual/formal wear to fill 100 lbs of checked luggage plus a carry on. A 21 inch rollaboard carry-on and one large checked bag should be more than enough.

visualize it -- the casual wardrobe fills the rollaboard and the dressy things in the checked bag. Do you really need 50lbs of dressy clothing?

(I've done 3 weeks including full blown formal -- long white gloves and the whole nine yards -- w/ just a carry-on. I'm not saying you could manage that. But - I can't think of a trip of any length that requires 125lbs of "stuff")

Travelling

Actually, I had thought about checking one bag and taking a suitcase as a carry-on rather than just the briefcase. I suppose I'll try a "dry-run" of packing this weekend.

suze

Sure, Most definitely max. out your carry-on allowance to help make this work!

Iowa_Redhead

Do you have one of those folding garment suitcases? You'd be amazed at how much you can fit into one of those and have it come out still looking nice. You could put your formals and business suits in there and pack your casual stuff in the carryon size. Otherwise folding long dresses or outfits around something (think a piece of cardboard, or around your other items) can really help keep them nice. Dresses can pack in their plastic bags from the store or drycleaner. It helps keep them clean, snag-free and less wrinkled.

You'd be amazed at how much you can lighten up luggage by packing things that can be used multiple times. Often black slacks or a skirt can do double duty as business during the day and casual in the evening. Do you have any outfits that can be changed by changing jewelry, hair or a scarf? Cutting down on shoes is a MAJOR help in cutting down on space and weight. For $50 it's really worth cutting down on a few items if you're even close to making it to a suitcase and a carryon.

One trick I've learned is to lay things out on the guest room bed and see what I can eliminate once I'm looking at all of it. Also, as a loose guideline, a normal size laundry basket full of stuff is about how much you can put into a rolling 25" suitcase and have it about the weight limit. It also helps me to use a list. If I just start grabbing stuff out of the closet, I forget things and add too many of other things. With a list, I can really narrow it down to what I want/need.

Good luck with the "dry run" packing!

MissGreen

I organised the shipment of my boss's clothes from Australia to the USA so she didn't have to carry much luggage as she was going to be away for a while. It was a nightmare to organise with FEDEX... and very dear. I am sure there are better alternatives then FEDEX. I had to list on a customs form all the items in the case and what they were made of. A nightmare. The cost? It cost me just slightly less than if I had taken the bag myself on a return ticket!

pdhealey

UPS is now catering to this idea, and might be competitive:

http://www.theupsstore.com/luggage/Pages/index.html

susansothermail

my motto for packing: "less is more". having said that, here are a few things i try to focus on:

1. include whatever you are wearing for travel in your list of needs for this journey. for example, wear layers on flights. that means i can count on bringing one extra 'look' by choosing the most useful items to wear while flying.

2. if at all possible, wear your heaviest pair of shoes on the flight.

3. bring one business suit (or send it in advance) that can be accessorized with different ties and shirts (for men) or blouses and scarves (for women). most hotels offer next-day dry cleaning service for business wear.

4. most important, have fun!

markeugene

If it's a domestic U.S flight and you don't need it overnight or 2nd Day, FedEx Ground is less than UPS or USPS. While it won't meet every traveler's need, if you can ship your bag(s) in advance or don't need it immediately upon arrival, this is a more economical way to go.