If you’re going on a vacation this summer, you might be considering shipping your luggage internationally via a courier. It’s not uncommon for people to ship excess luggage ahead if they’re taking an extended trip or travelling with bulky sports equipment, but is it worth it?
If you’re imagining yourself gliding through customs baggage-free, then keep reading. We’ll talk you through the pros and cons of sending luggage ahead, help you work out if it’s cheaper to ship your luggage by courier and tell you what to watch out for when shipping unaccompanied baggage.
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Should you send your luggage ahead?
If you’re going on an extended trip overseas, you’re moving abroad, or you’re travelling with sports equipment, shipping some of your baggage ahead may be the best solution. However, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of shipping luggage internationally before you do it.
Pros of sending luggage ahead
- Less time spent checking in baggage and collecting it at the other end.
- It may be cheaper than the additional fees airlines charge for excess or oversize baggage.
- Easier than negotiating an airport and transfers with large heavy bags or sports equipment (golf clubs, skis, fishing rods)
- Save money on taxi fees to and from the airport by sending large bags ahead so you can use public transport. A courier will collect your luggage right from your door and deliver it to your destination.
Cons of sending luggage ahead
- Awkward packaging - many couriers require suitcases to be packaged in an outer box
- Potential customs delays - some countries have specific rules and restrictions on personal effects
- Customs documents (more information required for unaccompanied baggage)
- There must be someone in the destination country who can receive your luggage and complete the customs process.
Aside from the potential cost savings (we’ll touch on that later), the convenience of travelling baggage-free is the greatest driver for shipping your luggage ahead. But you need to balance that against the additional preparation time it takes to ship luggage internationally and what can happen if things don’t go to plan.
Is it cheaper to ship luggage by courier?
With excess baggage fees of $150+ on many US airlines, shipping luggage ahead could be the answer to reducing your travel costs, but how much does it cost to ship a suitcase via a courier compared to airline baggage fees?
Baggage fees vary depending on the airline, the origin and destination, what class you’re flying (Business, First, Economy) and whether you’re a regular flyer or not. To compare costs, we looked at the excess baggage fees when travelling economy from the US to Europe with Delta and American Airlines. You can see from the table below, that there's more than one fee your luggage could be subject to.
Airline baggage fees
| Delta | American Airlines |
|---|---|
|
Excess baggage fees* Standard size/weight limit Oversized baggage fees* Overweight baggage fees* |
Excess baggage fees* Standard size/weight limit Oversized baggage fees* Overweight baggage fees* |
*All fees apply each way
It’s important to remember that baggage fees are charged both ways, so if you’re sending a medium-sized suitcase (L 24inch, W 17inch, H 10.5) that’s outside the complimentary baggage allowance, but doesn’t exceed weight or size limits, you could pay an extra $150-$200 for the round trip (depending on which airline you fly with).
This price might not seem too bad and there’s a good chance you won’t find a courier that can ship your suitcase any cheaper, however, the story changes significantly once you start sending excess baggage that also exceeds the weight and/or size limits.
If you're sending excess baggage, that’s oversize and overweight, your bag will have three different fees applied to it - the excess baggage fee, the oversize fee and the overweight fee.
Example
1 x Extra large suitcase (L32 inch, W 22 inch, H 14 inch)
Excess baggage fee ($100) + oversize fee ($100) + overweight fee ($100)
Total = $300
Now double this because fees apply both ways and suddenly you’re looking at a $600 baggage fee. Or more if this bag is your second checked bag outside the complimentary baggage allowance.
How much does it cost to ship a suitcase?
The cost of shipping a suitcase by courier will vary depending on the size, weight and destination. However, using our free shipping calculator, you can calculate the cost of shipping your suitcase quickly and easily.
We’ve put together some approximate costs based on shipping a large suitcase to the UK from the US and compared them to Delta’s excess baggage fees. Please note that Delta charges $300 for oversize baggage travelling to Europe.
| Suitcase size/weight | Delta fee (USD) | Parcel Monkey price* (one way) |
|---|---|---|
|
Large suitcase: L27 inch, W 18.5 inch, H 14 inch |
First extra bag, not overweight |
$198 |
|
Large suitcase: L27 inch, W 18.5 inch, H 14 inch |
First extra bag, overweight |
$204 |
|
Large suitcase: L27 inch, W 18.5 inch, H 14 inch |
Second extra bag, overweight |
$253 |
|
Extra large suitcase: L32 inch, W 22 inch, H 14 inch |
First extra bag, oversize & overweight |
$204 |
|
Extra large suitcase: L32 inch, W 22 inch, H 14 inch |
Second extra bag, oversize & overweight |
$253 |
*Prices are accurate as of July 2022 and based on shipping a suitcase of the specified weight and size from the US to the UK. Prices are subject to change and do not include packaging or customs fees.
Top monkey tip
To get an accurate price, the dimensions and weight you put into our shipping calculator must include any packaging you intend to use.
From the prices shown in the table above, you can see that when it comes to shipping luggage internationally by courier, the real savings are made if you need to send excess baggage that’s also overweight and oversize.
The cost of sending one extra bag, that's overweight is comparable to the courier cost, but the baggage fees start to mount up when you add oversize fees as well. Add a second extra bag into the equation, that’s also oversize and overweight, and things start to get really costly. Under these circumstances, shipping your luggage by courier is likely to be the cheaper option.
It’s also worth noting that most airlines won’t carry bags over 70lbs so if you’re shipping something heavier than that, you'll need a courier that ships large and heavy items.
Best couriers for shipping luggage
If you’re looking for a courier to ship your suitcase to an international destination then we’d recommend UPS, FedEx or DHL. Any of these shipping companies will be able to ship your luggage internationally from the US and have specific services for shipping large items.
You can also use the USPS for shipping suitcases internationally, as long as they are boxed and don’t exceed USPS size and weight limits.
Prices will vary by courier but you can compare luggage shipping quotes from multiple couriers at once with our handy shipping calculator.
Shipping unaccompanied baggage - things to be aware of
If you’ve decided to send your luggage by courier, there are a few things you need to know about shipping unaccompanied baggage.
-
Country restrictions on personal effects
Some countries have varying rules around the import of personal effects, so it’s always best to research this thoroughly before you ship. Mexico for example, has strict rules on the import of used clothing that’s not part of your personal luggage and India and Japan have specific processes for importing personal effects. -
Recipient contact information
To ship any item internationally you need to provide local contact details for the person who will be receiving it. This is because the customs clearance process needs to be completed by the recipient. Do not use your US phone number as the recipient contact number on the customs declaration, as customs will rarely make international calls to clear shipments. -
Customs declarations
When you send an unaccompanied bag you’ll need to provide a full itinerary of the items you’re sending. This is an important part of the customs declaration and needs to include a detailed description, value and use for each item. If you're shipping to Europe you'll need to provide an HS code for each item. -
Packaging
Some couriers will only accept suitcases that are in an outer box. This is because the wheels and handles can cause damage to the conveyors/sorting systems. UPS will accept unboxed suitcases but often add an additional fee. -
Insurance
If your suitcase is not in an outer box, the suitcase is considered to be the packaging and in which case, only the contents will be insured. That means if your favourite MontBlanc gets damaged in transit, it won’t be covered.
Top monkey tip
If your suitcase is not in an outer box, make sure wheels, straps and handles are secured in place before shipping (ideally wrapped with plastic). Don’t stick shipping labels or customs documents to fabric suitcases as they often come off during transit.
So, should you ship luggage internationally by courier? If you’re taking an extended trip and you know you’ll be travelling with large bags that are likely to be over the standard size and weight limit, then shipping those bags with a reputable courier company could save you time and money.
Check the baggage fees applied by your airline for excess, overweight and oversize bags (remember fees are applied both ways), then get a quick quote through our shipping calculator to compare the cost of shipping your luggage by courier. We’ll help you find the cheapest rates with a range of couriers so you can make the best choice for you.
Shipping luggage internationally - final tips
- Box your suitcase before you ship - it may be tempting not to bother with an outer box but your belongings will be better protected if you do.
- Choose a courier that is experienced in shipping personal effects
- Pick a courier service with full online tracking
- Shop around for the best rates - you can save time using our shipping calculator
- Make sure you have someone at the destination to receive your luggage and complete any customs requirements.
