Lucy in Spokane: I’m flying for the first time in 18 years. How do I ship a bag to my destination so that it won’t have to be checked?

This is one of my favorite topics, Lucy. I haven’t checked a bag in 9 years domestically. I do have to check internationally since international shipping is exorbitantly expensive and you run the risk of customs holding up your bag. Domestically, I FedEx my bag. I can also UPS my bag with a 3-day advance discount. Or send your bags FedEx Ground and you will only spend $20 to $25 more than what the airline wants to charge you to lose your bags. Plus, you get door-to-door service.

Now most people think you have to put your bag in a box. You don’t. Both UPS and FedEx have special luggage wrappers that carries the waybill. You fill out the form and can pay by credit card or set up an account with FedEx. Whenever you ship a bag, you need to make two phones calls. First call to FedEx to make sure that they’re tracking the package with the waybill number that you have on the receipt. Then call your hotel to give them the same tracking number so that they know to send your bag to you room when it gets there.

In my experience, shipping my bag saves about 2 hours because I’m not schlepping it into the airport, I’m not waiting in line to check it in at the counter, and I’m not in baggage claim. When you don’t check bags you get to reverse your process. You actually can get to the airport and go to arrivals first and not get stuck in departure traffic. When you land have your friends and family pick you up at the departure level because. By switching around the route you save time, money and stress. and in some cases you actually save therapy bills. So there’s your answer.

Want to shave more time out from your trip to the airport, check out Peter’s CBS News report on How to Cut 90 Minutes Off Your Time at the Airport.

By Peter Greenberg for Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio