Last Updated: January 12, 2022
Best Luggage Delivery Services: Top Six Options
Luggage delivery is getting more and more popular every day. Don’t want to wait in line at the airport? You can just ship your bags from your home to the hotel in any place in the world!
Luggage delivery services have become very popular because of their convenience. It’s easier and quicker than checking your bag at the airport, and it gives you peace of mind. You can track your shipment and see exactly where your luggage is, as opposed to just praying that it will show up on the carousel in one piece.
Read on to see the top six luggage delivery services, as rated by satisfied travelers from all over the world!
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Luggage Forward
Luggage Forward started out as a small luggage delivery company and now they’re the leader in the market. The brand was founded about a decade after the first luggage delivery company, and now they’re the owner of the initial company behind the service!
This is one of the most versatile luggage shipping services out there and they’re perfect if you need to ship some unconventional luggage. They do bikes, sports gear, and they will even ship luggage to a cruiser!
Another thing that makes this service popular is its money-back guarantee. If your luggage is delayed, they will pay you back. Plus, the brand offers to reimburse you up to $500 (per bag) for any related expenses. That just goes to show how confident they are in the punctuality of the service and makes it easier for travelers to trust them!
But promises and guarantees mean nothing without evidence to back them up. With services like these, it’s always smart to check out what other people are saying. Luggage Forward has a rating of 4.9 on Trustpilot, with more than 7,100 different reviews. Out of those 7,000+, 89% are five-star reviews from happy travelers. On top of that, even the bad reviews are generally because of things that Luggage Forward can’t control – delays due to customs, traffic, and shipping partners removing certain items from the bags.
Another one of those bad reviews was because one traveler had perfume taken out of their luggage. This only happened because the traveler in question didn’t bother to read the rules and restrictions – Luggage Forward clearly states that they’re not allowed to ship perfume because of the high alcohol content. So, if you don’t want to end up like the said traveler, just get familiar with all the different rules and restrictions before you pack your bags.
SendMyBag
SendMyBag is an affordable luggage delivery service that’s considered to be one of the best options on the market. They’re based in the UK, so they’re a great service for travel around Europe.
In case you’re just traveling around the UK, this is by far the best and cheapest luggage shipping service to use. They also have great rates for other European countries, but the further you are from the UK, the more it will cost to ship the luggage. It’s worth noting that SendMyBag ships luggage internationally and they have a user-friendly map on the site that lets you quickly check their rates.
One thing to know is that there’s a long list of items that can’t be shipped from the UK to the EU and you should read it before you pack anything. The list only got longer after Brexit and they will remove any prohibited items from your luggage without offering you a refund.
Additionally, SendMyBag has a score of 4.7 on Trustpilot, and that’s across more than 7,500 reviews. There are less than 4% negative reviews, which makes them one of the most reliable luggage shipping services in terms of customer satisfaction. The negative reviews are mostly complaining about damaged luggage, but that can happen with any luggage shipping service.
Luggage Free
Luggage Free is a US-based luggage shipping service that operates internationally. You can arrange the service online or by phone if you prefer speaking to an actual human being. They can pick up your luggage within six hours of your order if you’re in a major US city, and they take up to 48 hours to pick up luggage for international orders.
The company offers door-to-door pickup and delivery and allows you to track your luggage with an app. The entire process is streamlined and simple – all you need to do is pack and make a reservation. Luggage Free takes care of everything else.
You can use this company to ship luggage, boxes, and any sports gear. Naturally, the service is most affordable if you’re traveling within the continental US. But it’s more than $250 to ship a carry-on from Canada to Germany. I wouldn’t recommend Luggage Free for overseas travel, simply because many other services are just as reliable but much more affordable.
Luggage Free has a great rating on Trustpilot – 4.8 stars across more than 2,800 reviews. It’s safe to say they’re reliable, especially since most negative reviews complain about damaged luggage and shipping delays. This isn’t something Luggage Free has control over, and it can happen with any item that you’re shipping with a courier service.
LugLess
LugLess is a domestic luggage delivery service that operates within the United States. They don’t do international shipping, so they’re only a valid option if you’re traveling from one US city to another. LugLess uses UPS and FedEx to ship luggage all over the country and they ship anything from cardboard boxes to skis.
Also, LugLess isn’t just for shipping luggage to your vacation destination. You can use them to ship boxes if you’re moving, send stuff to your kid at camp, and you can even ship luggage to schools across the US.
You can choose whether you want to ship your luggage with UPS or FedEx, and you also get to choose between several different support plans. The Minimal one is free and it includes no insurance, refunds, or guarantees. The Basic support plan that offers up to $200 of insurance value, partial refunds, and email support is only $7 (each way).
LugLess has an overage rating of 4.6 across more than 4,200 reviews on Trustpilot, which is pretty good. More than 80% are five-star reviews and only 5% are poor one-star reviews. The service is very reliable and most issues that arise are because of the shipping partners and accidents that LugLess has no control over.
One thing to note about the bad reviews is that most people complained about surcharges a few weeks after the original shipping date. This is due to FedEx – it takes them up to three weeks to send billing adjustments to the company. If your bag was bigger than you stated, you could get an extra charge a few weeks later.
The other major reason for bad reviews was damaged luggage. This something that LugLess doesn’t directly control, and their shipping partners are at fault. After all, if you’ve had packages delivered by FedEx and UPS before, you know what to expect.
Also, there were a lot of negative reviews from people who failed to read the fine print. They complained about their damaged electronics although LugLess clearly states that their insurance doesn’t cover them, or they were outraged that LugLess wouldn’t refund them even though they opted for the free plan that doesn’t allow for refunds.
LuggageToShip
LuggageToShip is one of the most affordable luggage shipping services. They operate domestically in the US and internationally. You can ship items to 220 different countries all over the world, and you can ship anything from suitcases to snowboards.
They also offer a storage service. They will store any bag or box you want – the first six months are free and after that, it’s $10 per month. This is super convenient if you know you’ll be using the service often, especially if it’s for bulky stuff that you have no use for around the house.
LuggageToShip provides a detailed list of items that are prohibited in certain countries, as well as items that are not covered by insurance. If you ship something that’s not covered by insurance, you’re assuming all the risk and you don’t really have a right to complain if it comes out damaged. Also, if your package contains any items that are prohibited in the country you’re traveling to, they will be taken out of your bags.
Their average rating on Trustpilot is 4.2 stars over 200 reviews. It’s worth noting that the negative reviews are mostly people complaining about lost valuables and electronics, even though the company clearly states that they take zero responsibility for such issues.
DUFL
DUFL is a great service for business travelers. Luggage delivery is just one of the many things they offer – DUFL also offers to store the clothes you bring on your business trips, eliminating the need to ever pack or wash anything. You just ship them your clothes and you get access to a virtual closet. When it’s time to travel, select the items from the closet you will need, and DUFL will clean, pack, and ship them to your destination.
This is an excellent service if you don’t want to waste any time packing and handling luggage. But it’s also pricier than other luggage delivery services – the subscription to the virtual closet is around $10 per month, and then it’s about $99 per round trip to have your clothes cleaned and shipped to your destination.
The standard subscription includes three-day shipping to and from your destination, so you will need to arrange the luggage delivery a few days in advance. They can also do overnight shipping, but that’s another $100 for a round trip. DUFL also ships luggage to certain international destinations, but that service requires a 10-day notice and the pricing depends on the location.
In addition to that, you can also use DUFL to store and ship sports gear and other equipment. You’ll get rid of the clutter around the house, and you won’t have to worry about packing and traveling with your snowboard again.
Unfortunately, the company never claimed their Trustpilot profile so I can’t tell you that much about customer reviews. What I can tell you is that they’ve been featured in The New York Times, they’ve been voted the best travel app in 2015, and they have a decent Instagram following.
Tips For Shipping Luggage
Why Use A Luggage Delivery Service?
Why should you use a delivery service when you can just check your bag at the airport?
Reliability is the main reason why people opt to ship their luggage instead of checking it. Airlines are just notorious for mishandling baggage, losing it, and damaging it. There’s also the issue of crowds, queues, and the sheer stress of running around the airport searching for your bag.
Shipping your luggage to your destination eliminates all of that. It also lets you arrive at the airport a little later since you don’t have to worry about checking your bags. You’re traveling light, you don’t need to stand in queues, and you certainly won’t have to deal with a destroyed suitcase on the carousel.
Also, shipping your luggage is actually cheaper than checking it in some cases. If your ticket doesn’t allow for a checked bag, it’s certainly cheaper to use a delivery service than to pay the fee. Especially if you’re transporting bulkier items like sports gear or musical instruments.
Before You Ship Your Luggage…
Before you ship your suitcase halfway across the planet, be sure to get as much information about the rules of the delivery service you are using. If you can’t find information relevant to you, just contact customer service and ask. This is the best thing to do if you want to avoid any nasty surprises once your luggage arrives.
The most important thing to ask is what items are not allowed in your bag. Some services don’t allow you to ship alcohol, and this includes everything from a bottle of beer to perfume. Also, check which items are insured – most of these services don’t cover items that are extremely valuable or fragile, and it’s up to you whether you want to risk shipping them.
It’s also smart to check if the company has any suggestions on how you should pack your luggage. Some services suggest that you pack everything (including suitcases) into cardboard boxes, while others even take care of packing instead of you. In any case, if you follow all their instructions, you’re reducing the risk of something happening to your luggage to a minimum.
About the Author Anna Timbrook
Anna is the co-owner of expert world travel and can't wait to share her travel experience with the world. With over 54 countries under her belt she has a lot to write about! Including those insane encounters with black bears in Canada.
