By Franki Hanke

As a team of frequent travelers, we’re often comparing our preferred methods to saving money on our luggage when we travel. You could pack light and use just a carry-on suitcase or you could ship luggage ahead with ShipGo. 

“ShipGo is incredibly easy! I had to ship a lot of clothing to a location we were staying for six months.  Five, large Samsonite suitcases were around $59 each to ship compared to a $500 estimate just walking into UPS,” said our founder, Paula. 

She’s not the only one to enjoy the simplicity of shipping bags ahead of the airport rush. Reviewers on Trustpilot have given ShipGo a collective 4.7 stars. 

“This is our second time using ShipGo and we love its seamless service. We tell all our friends that ShipGo is the way to upgrade your vacation experience at a reasonable cost,” said reviewer Sarah Bracey White. 

More encouraging than the many positive reviews are how many of the negative reviews include follow-ups from ShipGo representatives problem-solving existing issues. 

Compared to baggage fees, shipping your suitcases can be cheaper and save you time at check-in and baggage claim for a simpler travel experience end to end. 

How does ShipGo work? 

The process is simple and just like shipping other items with a service like USPS click-and-ship. 

1. Schedule your shipment around your travel dates. You should have your items arrive one day ahead to your hotel, lodge, or resort. During scheduling, you’ll entire all the relevant information including contact information, shipping addresses, and bag details. 

2. Print your shipping labels and attach one to your bag (and put the other inside the bag as a backup. To ensure your tag stays securely attached to your bag, it’s best to use a durable luggage tag with a label window like this one. 

3. ShipGo will pick up bags from your preferred location (whether you’re at home, the office, or another travel destination). You don’t have to take them to a post office or shipping center. White-glove service picks up and drops off your bags door to door. 

4. During shipping, you’ll get real-time notifications based on the tracking information (like any package you ship), but you don’t have to do anything until you get to your lodging where your bags will be waiting. 

In the case of any issues, ShipGo guarantees complimentary insurance (“value protection” as they call it) on every bag you ship with them. If your bag arrives late to your final destination, the on-time delivery guarantee will pay out up to $200 reimbursement for your late items. For handling any issues, they have a dedicated customer service team via phone, chat, or email. 

In the event of an issue, other customers have found the customer service team to be helpful: “FedX had a bit of trouble picking up our luggage in Miami. Shipgo customer service was absolutely awesome! Easy to contact, talk to, clear and descriptive, pleasant and funny!” said Trustpilot reviewer George Ellis. 

To know the cost of your luggage, use their site for a free quote. 

If you’d prefer to use your phone, download the ShipGo iPhone mobile app instead. 

What can you ship besides luggage? 

Oversized baggage is an extra hassle to get through the airline check-in process and even worse to find in your destination: where is the oversized bag area? 

Instead, ShipGo will handle many of the typical oversized items including,

-Golf Clubs (and other sporting equipment)

-Skis

-Snowboards 

Why wouldn’t I just check my bags?

Depending on your suitcase, it can be cheaper to use a shipping luggage service like ShipGo, especially for many suitcases. Airlines are often cheaper for the first checked bag, but consecutive bags on the same ticket increase the cost. In comparison, the cost to ship is always the same for comparable bags. 

If you’re not trying to save money on luggage, why consider shipping your bags, well, there are many reasons beyond the potential savings. 

Avoid Lost Luggage

As lost luggage becomes increasingly frequent, shipping service is often an issue of peace of mind (rather than cost alone). 

April last year, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported 220,000 bags were mishandled by airlines in the United States meaning they were lost, damaged, delayed, or stolen which is double that of the prior year (2021). 

Delayed bags are increasingly problematic with the increase of canceled flights. In an attempt to get back on track and reunite bags with the owner, Delta had to fly a flight from London to Detroit full of only luggage, no passengers. 

Why is this happening? Well, it’s more than bad luck. There’s a shortage of staff in comparison with high demand for travel. In instances with short lay-overs, transferring bags to the correct flight can be increasingly difficult for airline and airport staff. 

Instead of dealing with lost luggage, shipping your bag can be less stressful. 

Travel Lighter

In the airport, you’re already juggling a passport, phone, and purse full of entertainment, if you’re juggling a carry-on suitcase to shove into the overhead bin, it’s a whole extra task. 

By comparison, traveling bag-free is easy. Avoiding bag check-in is one less step of the way until you’re comfy in an airport lounge with a cold bevvie. 

When it’s your vacation, that extra simplicity can be a big deal. 

Of all our travel tips, this one is a unique way for stress-free travel, which we all deserve, don’t we? 

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