Few moments are extra irritating throughout journey than when the luggage carousel stops and also you notice your bag didn’t make it. Whereas cell monitoring helps airways guarantee your checked baggage arrives at your vacation spot safely and on time, it’s a far-from-perfect system. In 2023, 6.9 luggage had been mishandled per 1,000 passengers, based on SITA, an IT supplier for the air transport trade. That’s about 7.6 out of each 1,000 passengers who’ve mishandled luggage (“mishandled” which means delayed, broken, misplaced, or stolen). And whereas some airways will compensate passengers with miles if their luggage are delayed (or reimburse them for journey necessities whereas they wait for his or her bag’s return), the determine is excessive sufficient that some vacationers may surprise if there’s one other—and higher—possibility.
Enter: baggage transport providers.
In recent times, quite a few baggage transport firms have appeared. They provide a probably engaging different to checked luggage, particularly for individuals who don’t relish the effort of lugging luggage via busy airports. Some even price lower than baggage charges for checked luggage on airways, specifically when you’re transport a number of luggage. Whereas most U.S.-based airways cost between $30 and $45 to your first bag, the costs enhance considerably with extra items of bags. For instance, on United, the primary bag per buyer is $35, then $45 for a second, $150 for a 3rd, and past. Particular objects, reminiscent of bikes, skis, and golf golf equipment, are sometimes topic to oversize baggage surcharges. Transport firms, nevertheless, provide the identical worth per bag, regardless of what number of you ship.
Baggage transport firms additionally provide extra providers like at-home pickup and drop-off, along with transport bulkier objects like golf golf equipment, ski tools, or bicycles. Listed below are 11 helpful baggage transport providers, in alphabetical order.
1. Baggage Ahead: the corporate that focuses on cruise ships
Price: $99 for a 25 lb. bag; $134 for a 50 lb. bag; $154 for a 75 lb. bag. Additionally, $114 for traditional skis or snowboards; $124 for a small golf bag; $219 for a bicycle case for 5 enterprise days of transport.
Boston-based Baggage Ahead ships baggage domestically and in additional than 200 international locations worldwide. Nevertheless it makes a speciality of transport to cruise ships—which means the bag will probably be within the passenger’s stateroom on embarkation. Baggage Ahead’s costs embody doorstep pickup and supply, 24-hour cellphone help, insurance coverage that covers misplaced and broken objects, transport labels which are mailed to shoppers, and an on-time supply assure that guarantees a full refund and as much as $500 in extra expense reimbursement if the luggage don’t make it by the quoted date.
2. Baggage Free: the white-glove firm that does all of it
Price: Costs differ relying on the providers chosen. Some examples embody $95 for a 50 lb. bag shipped from New York Metropolis to Los Angeles, $265 for a bag shipped from the USA to Hong Kong, $564 for a bag shipped from the USA to South Africa.
Should you’re searching for white-glove service and are keen to pay a premium for it, New York Metropolis–based mostly Baggage Free is an effective possibility. All you do is pack your bag, and the service will handle pickup and drop-off, transport labels, and customs kinds.
Baggage Free ships between 150 international locations and has assured on-time supply. If, for some motive, your bag doesn’t make it on the designated day, the corporate will waive the payment (as much as $500). There’s additionally a complimentary insurance coverage coverage on each cargo, as much as $500 for loss or injury.
3. Baggage To Ship: the low-cost firm that additionally shops baggage
Price: Costs begin at roughly $30 and enhance based mostly on how far your baggage will probably be touring and the general weight.
This New York Metropolis–based mostly, budget-friendly service ships all over the world. The corporate is ready to ship every little thing from suitcases to packing containers to sporting tools. What makes Baggage To Ship distinctive is that it affords free storage: It can hold onto any merchandise for as much as six months. After six months, the fee is $10 per package deal, per 30 days. The service is handy for individuals who don’t have further house round their residence for giant objects like ski gear or who wish to settle into a brand new location earlier than all their belongings arrive.
4. LugLess: the corporate that scales price based mostly on timing
Price: Costs begin as little as $15 however enhance based mostly on bag dimension and weight, distance traveled, and non-compulsory extras.
This baggage transport service, based mostly in Boston, affords some charges which are akin to what the airways cost for checked luggage if vacationers are keen to ship their suitcases off 5 or 6 days prematurely of their departure and obtain them 5 or 6 days after their return.
Costs for LugLess are calculated based mostly on the scale of the bag, how far it’s going, and how briskly you need it. With that in thoughts, sending one 50 lb. bag utilizing the corporate’s slowest service prices between $15 and $50 (inside the continental United States). The faster you need the luggage despatched and the extra service you need with these luggage—reminiscent of non-compulsory doorstep pickup and drop-off (versus dropping the baggage off at a UPS location), insurance coverage, buyer help, and refundability—the extra the worth rises. Be aware that LugLess doesn’t provide worldwide transport.
5. My Baggage: the corporate that focuses on customs
Price: Costs begin at £30 for suitcases as much as 20 kg (44 lb.) and enhance based mostly on extra weight, distance touring, and the way rapidly you want packages to reach.
Should you’re transferring overseas, My Baggage, a U.Okay.-based firm, makes transport your packing containers and suitcases simple. When you begin your order, you’ll be prompted to reply a handful of questions concerning the objects you’re sending, and My Baggage will direct you to the suitable customs kinds for that nation. After you’ve stuffed out the kinds, My Baggage will submit them in your behalf.
6. SendMyBag: the corporate that focuses on journey in Europe
Price: Costs are the most cost effective inside Europe, beginning at $43, for luggage as much as 30 kg (66 lb.). From the US to Europe, count on costs to start at $173, relying on the vacation spot.
SendMyBag, a U.Okay.-based transport service, is a stable alternative for these touring inside Europe. In lots of instances, its charges are cheaper than airways. (Transport from the UK to Spain, for instance, is US$43, for a 20 kg—or 44 lb.—bag).
The corporate can also be a very good possibility for these transferring to a brand new nation, both long-term or to work overseas, as SendMyBag offers customers with all the data and kinds they want for the luggage to breeze via customs. Past suitcases, SendMyBag may ship packing containers, bicycles, ski luggage, and golf luggage.
Vacationers simply have to print their labels and schedule a day for pickup, both from their residence, dorm, or workplace. From there, SendMyBag collects the luggage and will get them to the opposite handle. Most luggage are delivered inside 4 or 5 enterprise days, and for an extra payment you should utilize “Categorical” transport, with luggage arriving in two to 3 working days.
7. Ship&Play: the corporate that may ship most something
Price: Costs begin at $60 and differ from there based mostly on the burden and dimension of your cargo, how far it will likely be touring, and the way rapidly you want it to be delivered.
Ship&Play, a Florida-based firm, makes it simple to ship a big selection of packing containers and luggage, together with suitcases, duffles, golf luggage, ski or snowboarding luggage (together with boot luggage), packing containers, trunks, and bikes. It can ship you your transport label in an e mail, which you’ll simply have to affix your cargo. Then, on the scheduled day, drivers will decide up the objects at your lodge, home, or cruise ship and whisk them to your subsequent cease. The corporate providers 180 international locations and territories, and in case your bag doesn’t arrive on time, you’ll get your a reimbursement.
8. ShipGo: the corporate that delivers to distant areas
Price: Begins at $35 and will enhance based mostly on how far your baggage will probably be touring and the general weight.
ShipGo, headquartered in West Palm Seashore, Florida, will decide up luggage from your property, enterprise, or lodge and have them delivered to a vacation spot of your selecting in additional than 180 international locations, together with some pretty distant locales, like Fiji, Bangladesh, and Seychelles. Vacationers can schedule the cargo date on-line after which connect the supplied transport labels. ShipGo affords an on-time supply assure, free insurance coverage that covers loss or injury on each cargo, and real-time monitoring.
9–11. UPS, FedEx, and DHL: the standard suspects—and for good motive
Price: $50–$75 for suitcases beneath 50 kilos; $100 for a 70 lb. bag, all with four-day floor transport.
In fact, conventional transport firms, like UPS, FedEx, and DHL, can get your bag to your vacation spot, too. Simply don’t count on the identical facilities as boutique operators specializing in sending baggage. You’ll nonetheless need to drop your suitcase (both as is or boxed) at one of many firms’ transport facilities or schedule a one-time pickup a number of days earlier than you allow. No less than you’ll obtain a monitoring quantity so you’ll be able to observe your objects alongside of their journey.
This text was initially printed on August 8, 2023, and was up to date on December 16, 2024.