STLDon

We are leaving on Thursday to join our daughter in Galway who has been there for a semester in school and now has 3 bags to get back to the US--I understand that the airline will only let her check 2. What is the best way to get that other bag back? Don't say "her parents" because we are headed to London and have enough bags to lug around. Thanks.

suze

If you don't care about getting the bag itself home, your can box and mail or ship stuff easy enough.

sunny16

When I did my spring semester in London, all of us shipped home things we wouldn't need immediately, like books and winter clothes. I think I had 2 large boxes. I shipped them both via boat and the book box got shipped at the book rate. It was cheap and they arrived home in three weeks.

esm

I need to look into this for my son who'll also have an extra piece. I haven't had a chance to call American Airlines to find out how much they charge for the 3rd piece but their website mentions $80. This is the additional charge for flights within US. They suggest contacting via phone to ask about rates for other destinations. In my case, I still have a couple of months to investigate alternatives and prices. I know it is less expensive to ship books and printed matter so you could ship those and see if everything else fits in the 2 bags she'll check.

LoveItaly

Hi STLDon, I did not have a suitcase and it was Italy rather then Ireland, but I shipped a big box of clothes etc. home one time via the post office. I think I paid about $60.00 Land not air. Received it about 90 days later. The idea about checking with your airline to see what there charge would be for an extra bag is excellent. I didn't think of that, so another good point learned on Fodors.

rex

You don't say how big these bags are. There are some really, very large canvas duffel bags that will sometimes hold the contents of two good size bags (even put the bag and all right in there). The airlines sometimes charge less for over-weight, then for an extra (third) bag.

Best wishes,

Rex

lincasanova

rexs idea about large duffle is right on, plus, if flying an american airlines directly back to the US it should cost about 80 dollars for the extra bag, which is a bargain .

we have paid that between spain and U.S when hauling extra luggage.

.the departing airlines can tell you exact amount.

hopscotch

Consolidating according to Rex is probably your best approach, as long as the weight and dimensions come in under the trans-Atlantic limits.

I've also done the mail thing for books. Cheap.

I've also used air freight, from Amsterdam to Los Angeles. It is much cheaper than the fee for extra bags but it takes a couple of days. KLM had an air freight office close to the check-in positions but I don't know if it is still there.

esm

The maximum weight for checked bags decreased to 50 lbs beginning in March of this year for travel everywhere except Japan (don't know the reason for this exception). We found out at the airport when our son went to check his bags and the larger one was 70 lbs. That was the first time we heard about the change which was later mentioned in newspapers. American didn't charge him because the ticket had been purchased prior to rule change. He was also told he should be OK for the return (date of purchase rule) but I'm not sure if it'll work. I'll call American to find out. I think the agent told us there'll be a $25 charge for bags over 50 lbs.