Particularly with airlines charging for checked (and perhaps
even carry-on) luggage, you may want to consider other options for getting your
luggage to your destination (and back). One
such option is a service called Luggage Concierge (see entry below in this box),
but if its fees are over your budget, you may want to consider shipping to your
destination hotel via UPS and FedEx.
This is perhaps more feasible (and within budget) if you are traveling
domestically - and if you can plan ahead and use ground service if shipping UPS
or the equivalent if shipping FedEx. Be
sure to call ahead to your destination hotel to find out if they can receive
you shipments (and whether or not you can ship back home from your hotel … or
if there is a very nearby UPS or FedEx location), and any special instructions they
may have for addressing your shipments (usually just your name and arrival
date). Your hotel may charge a fee for
receiving your shipments and/or handling their return home, so ask about this. The convenience of not having to wait at
baggage claim (where inevitably it seems your bags are the last unloaded) or
having to worry about your luggage ending up in a destination other than where
you end up, may be worth the cost of shipping ahead.
