United Airlines offers Door-to-door luggage

Further to my previous threat to resort to dressing in layers as a human equivalent of a Russian stacking doll, due to the trend towards charging for bags, I won’t have to. `Thanks to a new partnerships with Luggage Forward service, Marriott and The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts have a Signature Travel Service. Global Guests of the Luxury Collection will now enjoy luggage Free Travel for a fee. A medium sized bag would cost 94 USA from TX to CA on their 5 day service and $245.00 for overnight. - Steep, but you can get points for it. Luggage Forward's door-to-door luggage delivery service is easier than traveling with luggage, safe and guaranteed to arrive on time. Marriott has an elite special through October 31, 2008 to receive a $50 gift card to use toward delivery service when you register as a new member with The Luggage Club.

They will give a first time user 5% discount to you even if you are not a Starwood or Marriott Rewards member.

United Airlines, today becomes the first U.S. airline to offer overnight baggage shipping service via an overnight courier that will provide customers with a more convenient and easy way to travel -- without their luggage. United's new service, Door-to-Door Baggage, enables customers in the continental U.S. to conveniently ship their suitcases, or other travel items like skis or golf clubs, overnight from a home or office directly to their destination within the 48 contiguous United States. At $149 one way for flights less than 1,000 miles, or $179 for longer flights. Door-to-Door Baggage may be purchased on united.com and shipments can be easily tracked online. The Bags are picked up at a home or office. It also provides United with a new revenue stream that, when combined with other ancillary revenue and fee initiatives, is expected to generate more than one billion dollars in 2009." United has lots more revenue creating fees up their sleeves, for example, starting at $14 one way, customers may sit in United's Economy Plus seating section that has up to five more inches of legroom (for elite customers, access to Economy Plus is complimentary). Also, with United's Award Accelerator offering, starting at $9, customers may earn travel awards faster on UAUA.

Continental has reduced the size of carry-on luggage we suspect to increase the checked bags - now that they charge for them. I wonder if United will think of a way to force people to use their new Door-to-Door service.?