01
Schedule
Book your luggage shipment online or by phone. Tell us when you want your bags delivered and we’ll give you several pickup date and pricing options.
Pack your luggage, gear, and bags for shipment. Read more about preparing your luggage .
DOORSTEP TO DESTINATION™
How to Ship a Suitcase
Door-to-door suitcase shipping to more than 200 countries and territories, with your customs paperwork prepared for you.
How do I ship a suitcase?
To ship a suitcase, book online or by phone with Luggage Forward and pack it as you would for a flight, with no box needed. We schedule pickup at your home, office or hotel, prepare the customs forms for international trips, and track your suitcase door to door to your hotel, home or cruise ship.
How suitcase shipping works
Book, we pick up, and your suitcase is delivered. Read the full guide to how Luggage Forward works.
02
Ship
You tell us where and when you want your luggage picked up. We’ll pick up from your home, office, hotel, cruise ship, golf course and more.
We have many luggage pickup options to fit your busy schedule. Read more about luggage pickup .
03
Go
Head to the airport hands-free! Your luggage will be monitored closely by our team of shipping experts as well as by our predictive tracking technology to ensure on-time delivery. Learn more about how your luggage is transported .
Upon delivery, you’ll be notified via email, text or phone that your bags are awaiting your arrival. Read more about luggage delivery .
Shipping a suitcase internationally
International trips are where shipping a suitcase saves the most effort: no bag check, no carousel and no customs forms to fill in yourself. For destinations, transit times and what can ship abroad, see our guide to international luggage shipping.
Door to door, worldwide
Luggage Forward ships suitcases to more than 200 countries and territories with door-to-door pickup and delivery and full tracking. We collect your suitcase at your home, office or hotel and deliver it to your hotel, residence or cruise ship abroad, so you can fly with only a carry-on.
Customs basics
Our international shipping specialists complete and submit every customs form on your behalf. Your suitcase travels under personal-effects classification, the correct designation for traveler-owned luggage. Duties, VAT and import taxes are set by the destination country and are not included; used personal belongings are typically duty-free, though rules vary by country. Leave the bag unlocked, because customs may open it.
Shipping a suitcase within the US
Shipping a suitcase within the US works the same way: book, we pick up at your door, and your bag is delivered to your hotel, home or cruise ship. Bags traveling within a single country must be locked.
Boxed vs unboxed suitcases
Parcel carriers expect a suitcase to travel in a box. Luggage Forward ships it as it is.
Unboxed with Luggage Forward
Your soft or hard-sided suitcase ships as is. Pack it as you normally would for airline travel and attach the luggage tag we send you; no additional packaging is necessary. Every bag includes $500 of complimentary value protection for loss or damage beyond normal wear and tear.
Boxed with a parcel carrier
Booking a traditional carrier directly, the bag and its contents generally need to be packed in a box or corrugated container to be covered for loss or damage, and an unboxed bag attracts an additional handling charge. If you don’t have a box that fits, The UPS Store or FedEx Office will package a suitcase for a fee.
Packing tips for shipping a suitcase
- Pack as you would for a flight. Soft and hard-sided suitcases ship as they are, with no extra packaging.
- Leave out items that cannot ship. These include medication, food, alcohol (including perfume and hand sanitizer), tobacco, pressurized containers (including sunscreen), valuables or currency, electronics (cables and converters are fine) and lithium or alkaline batteries. See what you can and cannot ship.
- Lock it for domestic trips, unlock it for international ones. Bags traveling within a single country must be locked. Bags shipped between two countries must be unlocked, because they may be opened during customs screening.
- Attach your luggage tags. We mail your Forwarding Packet, with your itinerary, luggage tags and packing instructions, up to one week before pickup. For a last-minute booking, print your tags and documents from your account.
- You don’t need to be home. We can collect your suitcase from a doorman, concierge or front-desk staff. Add pickup instructions when you book.
For step-by-step instructions, read our packing guide or how to prepare luggage for shipping.
Luggage Forward vs UPS, FedEx and DHL
Luggage Forward works in partnership with carrier networks including UPS, FedEx and DHL, and manages the steps you would otherwise handle yourself. Compare each in detail: shipping luggage with UPS, FedEx luggage shipping and DHL luggage shipping. For prices, see what it costs to ship a suitcase.
| Step | Luggage Forward | UPS, FedEx or DHL directly |
|---|---|---|
| Packaging | No box. Your suitcase ships as it is. | A box or corrugated container is generally needed for the contents to be covered |
| Booking | Online or by phone in about three minutes | Weigh and measure the bag, then buy the label |
| Pickup | Scheduled at your home, office or hotel | Drop the parcel off or arrange a collection |
| Customs paperwork | Prepared and submitted for you | You classify the contents and complete the forms |
| Price | One all-inclusive quote | Base rate, with surcharges such as fuel and residential delivery added |
Suitcase shipping reviews
We have the best clients in the world. Using an independent third-party review site, we gather feedback to see how we’re doing. Read what real users have to say about their experience shipping bags with Luggage Forward.
Shipping a Suitcase: Common Questions
Yes. Luggage Forward ships suitcases door to door within the US and to more than 200 countries and territories. Pack your soft or hard-sided case as you would for a flight, with no box needed. We schedule pickup at your home, office or hotel and track your suitcase to your destination.
Yes. UPS will carry a suitcase, but it moves through the network as a parcel rather than as luggage. The bag generally needs to be packed inside a box for its contents to be covered, the price is calculated from weight, dimensions and distance, and on an international trip you complete the customs paperwork yourself.
Luggage Forward has worked in partnership with UPS since 2004 and removes those steps. Your suitcase ships as it is, with no box, and our specialists prepare every customs document on your behalf. See shipping luggage with UPS.
We offer same-day bookings in many areas, and we accept bookings up to 180 days before pickup. Most international shipments arrive in 7 to 11 business days with standard service. [CONFIRM WITH SCOTT: standard transit time for a suitcase shipped within the US, and how many days ahead of travel we recommend booking a domestic shipment.]
For a last-minute booking, you can print your luggage tags and documents from your account.
No. Your suitcase does not have to be boxed. Pack it as you normally would for airline travel; no additional packaging is necessary. Soft and hard-sided luggage ships as is.
Every bag includes $500 of complimentary value protection for loss or damage beyond normal wear and tear. See our packing guide.
Yes. Luggage Forward ships suitcases overseas to more than 200 countries and territories, door to door and fully tracked. Our international shipping specialists complete and submit every customs form on your behalf, and your suitcase travels under personal-effects classification. Leave it unlocked, because customs may open it.
Read more about shipping luggage internationally.
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