Savvy Travelers Are Skipping Baggage Fees And Airport Hassles With A Game-Changing Luggage Service

Traveling with luggage is a headache for many travelers. Airlines are not only getting more strict about enforcing carry-on baggage restrictions, but airlines in the U.S. may also be shrinking the size of an allowed carry-on item. Moreover, checking in online and following the snaking line to check bags through the departures area can be a nuisance, and finding out at the airport that your United basic economy ticket doesn't include a carry-on can be an unpleasant surprise — speaking from personal experience. But if you're all packed and ready a few days before your trip, you can skip the headache with a game-changing luggage forwarding service and meet your bag at your hotel or vacation home, even halfway around the world, leaving you hands-free at the airport.

Whether you're afraid of making a rookie mistake or you're flying to this U.S. airport that's notorious for lost luggage, packing and shipping your bag(s) ahead of time can save you from a lot of stress. In the past few years, services such as LuggageFree, Ship&Play, andShipGo (three distinct brands under the same company), LugLess, and Luggage Forward have made traveling easier by removing checked luggage from the airport experience. You'll first have to make a reservation for your bag, sports gear, or bulky item in advance. Then, choose your level of convenience: Lugless requires users to drop off their luggage at a FedEx or UPS store, Luggage Forward and Luggage Free pick up your bag, and ShipGo/Ship&Play leave the choice up to you as you make your reservation. No matter which service you use, pack your bag like normal, then pass it off and relax.

Based on my research, checking a standard checked bag (under 50 lbs.) at the airport is generally the cheapest option, even though bag fees have risen this year. Most major airlines, including Delta, United, American, and Alaska, now charge $35-$40 to check a bag. At the time of writing, Southwest still includes two free checked bags, however, this policy will change with flights booked after May 28, 2025.

For a test case, I tested a passenger sending one regular checked suitcase (up to 50 lbs.) from Washington, D.C. to Las Vegas in early July. Lugless came out the cheapest at $57.99, followed by Ship&Play/ShipGo at $79.99. For these prices, a passenger who used either service would have to drop off their luggage nearly a week in advance at a local shipment center. Lugless provides the courier name during the booking process however, it does not include insurance or reimbursement if the item arrives late. Ship&Play/ShipGo includes $500 of insurance with each shipment and guarantees the bag's on-time arrival, but provides the courier after the booking is finished.

As for the pickup services, Ship&Play/ShipGo start at $84.98, whereas the other two pickup services, Luggage Free and Luggage Forward, start at $118.98 and $134, respectively. For all services at these price points, a user would have to pack and have their bag ready for shipment nearly a week in advance of their arrival date. Nonetheless, you can't put a specific dollar value on convenience and peace of mind, and avoiding some of the biggest causes of stress at the airport.

According to Marketwatch, U.S. airlines earned over $33 billion in revenue from bag fees, with this total likely to rise in the future. Bag fees have risen this year by at least $5 per bag at American, JetBlue, and Alaska Airlines, though they are normally free for most airline credit card holders to encourage customer loyalty. Once Southwest ends its universal, free checked baggage allowance policy at the end of May, all major airlines in the U.S. will charge for checked bags larger than a carry-on.

If you've flown recently, you might note that planes are fuller than in the past. This is true as more passengers than ever are flying on planes with more seats, leaving less room in the overhead bins, and a higher chance your bag will be gate checked. Some travelers may think they can dodge bag fees with a basic economy ticket by bringing a bag through and gate checking it; however, if you have multiple hops or a short connection, your bag may miss the connection flight, even if you make it.

If you are planning a trip, plan like a travel guru. One top travel tip from Rick Steves is to pack only what you'll need for your trip and bring layers rather than bulky clothing items. Using the small space of your carry-on efficiently is one tried-and-true method to not pay a cent for luggage, especially if you use space-saving and game-changing packing hacks.