Hi everyone,

I am flying to NY from Vancouver, BC and spending a few days in the Big Apple before flying to Cairo and embarking on an Egyptian adventure for a couple of weeks. Since there will be a temperature difference between New York and Cairo, I don't want to bring my heavy coat and winter clothes to Egypt with me. I will be flying home via JFK so should I store my heavy coat at JFK or should I ship it home? Or does anyone else have a better idea?

Many thanks in advance for your help!

If you won't need it again, I'd ship it home. Drop it at a FedEx or UPS Store just before you're on your way to the airport.

When will you be in NYC? Are you sure "heavy winter clothes" will be needed?

I'll be in NYC in mid November. I assume it will be cold then?

Average daytime temperatures in NYC during November range from low 40's to mid-50's F.

Depending on size of luggage it will cost you between $4 and $16 per day to store your bags at the airport (http://www.jfk-airport.net/luggage-storage.html)

Ship the unwanted clothes home using US Postal Service, Fed-Ex Ground or UPS. If you are going away for "a couple of weeks" the cost to ship will be much less than the cost to store. That way you won't have to be bothered with claiming and re-checking the "extra" luggage on your return. The concierge at the hotel where you are staying in NYC can assist you with sending out the package or you can do it yourself at any one of hundreds of "shipping stores" located in and around NYC.

I will be flying home via JFK so should I store my heavy coat at JFK or should I ship it home?

Are you stopping in NYC for any period of time on your return? Or are you just flying from Egypt to JFK and JFK to Vancouver right away?

If you're only going to be at the JFK airport, I don't think you'll need any heavy coat at all.

Of course, if you're gonna stay in NYC for a few days after you come back from Egypt, then you'll definitely need some coat.

So I suggest mailing your stuff home if you're only connecting in JFK. BUT, since you live in Vancouver, won't you need some coat/jacket when you arrive at the airport? Or will someone come pick you up with a coat for you?

Unless something freakish happens, mid-November shouldn't require heavy coats, just a jacket.

Thanks for all the responses!! I will be exploring New York for three days before heading to Cairo via JFK. Someone will be picking me up at the Vancouver airport I don't have to worry about being cold then.

I have called Fedex and UPS and they have quoted me about $25 for international ground for a 10 pound box. That sounds pretty reasonable. However, I am leaving NY on a Sunday and there aren't many Fedex or UPS offices open on Sunday.

Should I mail it out by regular post from JFK? Or from my hotel?

Thanks!

Once you box up your goods you can ask the staff at your hotel to have Fed-EX or UPS pick up the box there. Don't worry, unless you are staying at some "flea bag" hotel they probably have have deliveries/pick-ups from Fed-EX or UPS on a regular basis, if not daily!

You then proceed to the airport.

You have received some great suggestions. I just want to say enjoy Egypt - we were there 7 years ago and it was our best trip ever. Make sure you go inside a pyramid (have to get there early to gedt a ticket to do so)

Not that you want to spend your Sunf\day in NYC this way, but the Main Post office, Farley Station at 421 8th Avenue at 32nd St is open for service every day, 24 hours. (800) ASK-USPS or (212) 330-3296

I'd ask your hotel to ship it for you.

Thank you to everyone who responded!! I will check with my hotel to see if they do Fedex or UPS pick ups. I didn't even think of that!

All the hotel has to do is call Fed-Ex or UPS and they will send a driver/van to pick up the package - the hotel does not need to be on a "special pick-up/delivery route".

If the hotel won't make the call on your behalf you can call either Fed-Ex or UPS directly and tell them where to make the pick-up. Go to the respective websites for the "800" number.

Just a caveat about asking your hotel to ship something. They will certainly do it, but they will probably charge you more than the cost of the UPS package. If it were me, I'd ship from the Main Post Office on Sunday morning before heading out to the airport (that actually puts you conveniently across the street from Penn Station, where you can pick up the Long Island Railroad to connect to the Air Train if you don't have a lot of luggage).

Oh ... how stupid of me. FedEx now owns Kinko's and some Kinko's outlets are open on Sunday, so you can probably drop off a box at one of those storefronts as well. Though I still think the post office might be the most convenient option.

Perhaps a bit unorthodox, but why not just pick up an inexpensive coat at your local thrift shop, use it in NY, give it to someone homeless on the way to the airport when you leave for Egypt?

That would save you $20 plus in shipping (and no, I wouldn't ship FedEx or UPS -- beware of customs broker charges to Canada). Not to mention hassles in trying to find a location to ship, filling out customs forms, finding a box, etc.

Great suggestions here. Just to add a bit of info.

There's luggage storage at JFK in terminal 1 & 4, but probably too expensive for your purposes @ $4-$16/day. http://www.jfk-airport.net/luggage-storage.html

In Manhattan, schwartztravel.com also offers storage but again pricey for "a couple of weeks" even at a monthly rate of $3/day.

You will not need HEAVY winter clothes in NYC in mid Nov. I would bring layers and and ship the heaviest things home if you must. Probably the warmest clothes you'll need are for your return to Vancouver.

I have a favorite black jacket I had to buy in Rome one year when I was ill prepared for the weather. It is so warm and yet incredibly light. It adds no weight at all and is a great travel garment. You might look into finding something like that that will suffice for NY in Nov and can double as an airplane cushion/pillow and add almost no weight. I find I need something warm even for the plane flight because it can get too chilly for me with air conditioning.

I'm sorry to disagree with an editor, but we have done this in several cities and countries and no hotel has ever charged us extra for it.

All have actually provided the packing materials and tape.

We have left them our credit card details and trust them to weigh and ship...no extra charge.