Out of the many complaints that travelers have about the flying experience, costs and problems surrounding checking bags come up very consistently.
At the start of 2024, JetBlue (JBLU) , American Airlines (AAL) and Alaska Airlines (ALK) have all raised what they charge for checking a suitcase in a domino effect that angered some travelers. The latter airline now has some of the highest baggage fees in the industry with up to $45 for the first bag and between $50 to $60 for subsequent ones depending on how early one adds it to the ticket (do not wait until the airport.)
Related: Domino effect: Another airline just made checking a bag more expensive
While shipping luggage to one's destination independently of the carrier getting you there predates flying, it has formerly been associated primarily with moving or at least a very extended trip.
This company has been offering luggage shipping services since 2009
Audrey Kohout, a co-CEO of the luggage shipping company LugLess, said that post-pandemic there has been an uptick in demand for the service for shorter holidays unseen since the company was founded in 2009.
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"Family travel is one of the areas where we're seeing the most interest in shipping luggage," Kohout said. "As airlines increased a lot of their second and third bag prices last spring, everything it takes to travel with children got more expensive."
The company has an online calculator in which one can enter what one wants to ship (the options are carry-on bags of up to 25 pounds, what airlines would classify as checked luggage of up to 50 pounds and oversized luggage of no more than 70 pounds) to airports, hotels and private addresses anywhere in the U.S.
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Traveling with golf clubs, surfboards or other sports equipment? There's an option for that too
When scheduled at least a week ahead of time, shipping a checked bag of up to 50 pounds from New York to California will cost $52.99 in each direction.
While one will get a checked bag with the airline for free or for a similar price depending on one's airline status or ticket fare, the $52.99x5 it will cost to ship five bags will be cheaper than doing it through the airline that will increase prices for each additional checked bag beyond the first two into the triple-digits.
For shorter flights like New York to Chicago, the price will be significantly lower at $34.99 per bag.
Luggage shipping is also a popular option for those going on trips in which they are participating in certain sports or outdoor leisure activities. Companies like Ship Sticks and SendMyBag specialize in sports equipment in particular — the latter is based in the UK and is a good option for international travel as some shipping companies operate exclusively in the U.S.
"While shipping has always existed, we don't believe that many people were trying to take things into a FedEx (FEDEX) or a UPS to ship for travel," Kohout said of the niche as a business opportunity. "We and our competitors have really grown the market for it over the last two decades and while [travelers won't do it for] every trip every time, it makes sense when you're talking about golf clubs or skis or managing four bags through an airport."
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