Shipping luggage / packages to Taiwan?

Hi,

I am currently looking into options on how to bring some luggage to Taiwan from Europe.

According to my information, China Airlines allows a maximum of 35kg of luggage in the most expensive economy booking class.

Is there a cheap alternative if I want to bring another suitcase or package?

Looked at DHL prices, they charge almost €200 to ship a single package with up to 20kg which seems rather excessive :roll_eyes:

Also, additional luggage on China Airlines seems to be priced by kg at over €100 per additional kg :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

Any cheaper alternative or tricks to ship packages cheaper? Or maybe get additional luggage with China Airlines through some rewards program without needing to fulfill any preconditions?

Not looking to bring much - so hiring a moving company or renting a container would be an overkill and much to expensive.

Any ideas?

Paying to bring an additional bag is usually cheaper than paying for bags that are overweight. See if that’s an option.

If I understand the table at Excess Baggage | China Airlines correctly, for connections between Europe and Taiwan the „weight system“ applies where checked bags are priced according to weight and not according to their number. Each additional kg costs USD 60 (so not €100 as I mentioned earlier) - but still - $1,200 for an additional bag seems kinda „steep“ :astonished:

Obtain an credit card affiliated with an airline in SkyTeam that grants status which includes extra baggage?

Try giving them a call directly, there’s always things they can do.

Well that’s ridiculous.

I’ve used Skyteam’s air miles to get an extra bag once on a flight from Europe to Taiwan - see if that’s an option.

What’s the bag allowance? Are you allowed one or two bags?

I know when I used to fly with KLM to Europe they only allowed 1 piece, but for an additional 35 euros you get another bag. I don’t know about China airlines…

Airline costs are so complicated that there are full time jobs whose job is to determine how much things should cost… They basically make zero profit on operating an airline so saving an additional dollar per passenger (or upselling an additional dollar) makes a huge difference.

Unfortunately, no such credit card seems to be available here in Germany…

Yeah, that’s basically the last resort if I don’t find any solution and have booked the ticket already. Last time I called an airline before booking (KLM), they couldn’t even tell me how much a single bag would cost - they just gave out the information that it „should be less than €120, but could also be €150“. So I really don’t feel comfortable trusting some information by an airline callcenter before booking…

Mhh, not a frequent flyer unfortunately. I do have some Delta miles which I could try (don’t know how much they‘re worth and basically stuck with them as there doesn’t seem a good way to redeem them outside the US).

I think allowance should be between 20kg and 35kg depending on the booking class under a „weight system“ (so number of pieces shouldn’t matter - only their combined weight).

Yeah, flew KLM the last time I visited Taiwan, but now with the current situation would prefer a direct flight which only China Airlines offers without having to drive for hours…

I get that - and in that case I would be more than willing to pay maybe €50 to €100 for bringing an additional bag. But seems like the airline doesn’t really want my money…

Is this their normal pricing or is it pricing as a result of COVID?

Remember how I said airlines make basically zero profit? This is pre COVID.

Now they are losing billions a day. Airlines are such a razor thin operation that any disaster and they’re basically dead in the water. And this is not just one airline, this is ALL airlines. Expect a lot of airlines to go out of business.

That and I think passenger aircraft also carries airmail, and with much less flights you can bet the cargo space is real expensive.

You can buy airmiles - it might work out cheaper. And the Delta ones should transfer with a bit of luck.

Looks like normal pricing from their website. But not sure - looks like they really want to discourage people from bringing additional luggage.

What kind of miles would I need?
The miles from China Airlines, right?

Just looked up if I might be able to use the miles on the flight: Delta would charge 50,000 miles + $100 for the flight - I have 20,000 miles with them. So doesn’t seem possible in that way.

And didn’t find a way to transfer Delta miles to anything else. So probably not a feasible way either unfortunately…

Just because you say airlines make no profit does not make it true.

And loosing billions a day … not even in TN$

They do. They want $60 per kg.

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There are excess luggage companies in most airports, or online https://www.sendmybag.com

The two cheapest solutions are…
1 post/mail your stuff in boxes
2 unaccompanied luggage with airlines

They charge €159,- for a bag up to 15kg and €283,- for one up to 30kg…

You mean sending a package? Or any other way of shipping these?

Like sending the luggage on a different flight basically? Any idea on how to book something like that?

It’s like airfreight. Probably door-to-door.

At Schiphol KLM has these automated check-in booths, if your luggage is over 23 kg you can’t put it on it, you have to go to a counter.

Post boxes at a post office for slow or fast delivery depending on what service fee you can afford or wish to pay.

Shipping companies can be expensive. There are some cheaper ones available such as Swiftrelo. Google it.

Contact airlines to obtain quotes on unaccompanied luggage.

Send it via post office.

Due to COVID-19, only priority shipping is offered unfortunately

Just asked them for a quote (they don’t have a price list online unfortunately).

DHL = Post office in Germany. So the €200 are the price at the post office.