Issue Date: November 2, 2008
TravelSmart |
EVERETT POTTER |
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How to save on shipping luggage ahead
Save time at the airport by shipping your bags before you leave.
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Now that many airlines are charging $15 to $25 each way to check bags, does it make sense to ship your bags ahead? After all, a shipping company will pick up your luggage and have it waiting at your destination. But most companies will send it via air, and the cost can be steep.
Say you want to send a 40-pound, 30-by-23-by-11-inch suitcase from New York to Denver. Sports Express, for example, charges $147.98 one way and gets it there in three business days. A cheaper alternative is to use FedEx Ground. That same bag would cost around $30 each way, plus $12 per pickup, and take four business days to arrive. Of course, it's cheaper to drop it off yourself and avoid pickup charges.
That's pretty competitive with the airlines, and it means you can bypass baggage check-in and skip the wait at the baggage carousel.
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