Facing fees of up to $50 to check in a piece of luggage when flying, some travelers have turned to shipping services to get their bags to their destination.

In her seven years at the UPS store in Hinsdale, co-owner Kathy Pitelka has never seen a higher demand for shipping than now.

“The July and August months used to be totally dead for us but it’s really built up over the last couple of years,” said Pitelka, a La Grange resident.

Whether shipping for back-to-school or vacation purposes, some travelers are finding it quicker and cheaper to use alternative shipping methods.

“A lot of people want to ship their packages beforehand so they can just bring a carry on,” Pitelka said. “Business is increasing because people don’t have to worry about paying that extra airline fee.”

With business picking up beginning the second week of August, Pitelka said the back-to-school season brings in a rush on parents and students preparing for the move.

Hinsdale mom Mary Jo DeMaio is one of those parents, who throughout the years has made numerous trips to the UPS store. Her daughter, Allison, 21, is packing up for her senior year at Boston College. DeMaio had used the Hinsdale UPS store previously while her older son attended St. Louis University.

With Allison and her brother Brian, 19, a sophomore at Boston College, both flying to Massachusetts, the best option of transportation is with UPS, said DeMaio.

“We’ve got to get their stuff there somehow and I’m not driving,” she said.
With Allison’s suitcases already packed, UPS will be used to ship all her things that she didn’t store at college.

Opting for ground delivery, Allison’s packages, which include clothes, shoes, glassware and a hard drive, are expected to arrive in about a week. The ground method is a popular choice for travelers, Pitelka said.

“With back to school, people usually use ground delivery but we get parents in here year round because their kids forgot something like a text book or power cord and those things go air for next-day arrival,” she said.

While FedEx offers overnight and two-day shipping, FedEx spokeswoman Janella Loaiza said many may prefer using the company’s ground service as well.

“A lot of people choose to do ground, which is more economical,” she said. “(Delivery) takes one to five business days, based on weight and distance of the destination.”

Loaiza said the company has heard of the phenomena of shipping bags but has little data on it.

“You can definitely ship your luggage using FedEx,” she said. “There is no way for FedEx to verify the numbers of people doing so.”

Though UPS incorporates the back-to-school message into advertising, Pitelka said she has not seen anything directly marketing against airline fees.

“We get some inquiries but a lot of people come in here knowing what they want already,” she said.

UPS store employee Helen Daly has also seen the new concept of shipping luggage trickle steadily into the Willowbrook store.

“Shipping is a little slower than it usually is this time of year but we do have people coming in our store to ship because of the airline fees,” she said.

Many travelers research the flying fees as each airline charges different rates per bag. American Airlines charges $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second, and $100 for the third to fifth, according to a survey by ask.com. Northwest Airlines allows one free checked bag, the second is $25, and each additional one costs $100. Continental has a similar system.

Bags that weigh more than 50 pounds incur large penalties, typically $100 or more.

Travelers must think ahead to make use of shipping. Beginning the shipping process early can ensure packages are delivered on time at a reasonable rate. The shipping costs for a 40-pound package in a 2-foot-by-2-foot box sent from Chicago to New York City ranges from $386 for next-day early morning delivery to $43 for ground delivery, which would arrive within a week.

That same package, sent to San Diego, would cost approximately $430 for morning delivery and $62 for ground service, according to the UPS Web site, upsstore.com. Both UPS and FedEx Web sites feature an estimated cost calculator to approximate the cost of shipping a package.

The advantages of shipping, said Pitelka, usually outweigh traveling with packages.

“People don’t want to carry large bags through an airport and people don’t have to worry about security going through or unwrapping their packages,” she said.

Using UPS, items automatically are insured for $100, but additional coverage is optional, said Pitelka.

Loaiza recommends customers contact their hotel or final destination to make sure they accept luggage in advance and have secure locations to store that luggage until they arrive.

Charlie Breitrose of Gatehouse Media contributed to this report.