Get a quick quote for sending your luggage, suitcases and other baggage overseas from the UK.

Get a quote in 60 seconds

If you are moving abroad or travelling overseas from the UK then you will no doubt be looking for a cost effective way to ship your bags, boxes and other personal effects around the world. If so our international luggage shipping service is exactly what you need.

PSS has been the UK’s first choice for sending suitcases and excess baggage internationally for over 40 years, thanks to our ability to provide swift and economical luggage shipping solutions to clients worldwide.

There are two transit methods available for shipping your luggage and excess baggage abroad from the UK, each with its own advantages:

  • Sea Freight is the slowest of the two transport methods to the final destination, although it provides a reliable and cheap excess baggage service .
  • Standard Air Freight is the advised transit mode if you require your luggage promptly. It is more expensive to send baggage via air freight; however, your goods will reach you within a matter of days.
  • Express Air Freight is our premium service if you need your belongings to arrive in the fastest time possible.

Due to our many years in the industry, we are well acquainted with sending baggage overseas in all load sizes, meaning we are qualified to recommend the method of transport best suited to your requirements. Some of the most popular destinations for excess luggage shipping to Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UAE, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Europe and many more.

Our standing as a leading baggage shipping company is reinforced by our accreditations from FAIM Quality Standard and the FIDI Global Alliance. What’s more, clients can have full confidence and reassurance when employing us to ship excess baggage from the UK, due to our backing from the British Association of Removers and the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee Scheme.

For a fast excess baggage quote, please fill in the enquiry form below. Alternatively, you can reach us on 0800 998 3711 and we will be happy to assist with your luggage shipping service.

Shipping your luggage and baggage is easy with PSS


STEP 1
Get a quote online

Choose the size and quantity of cartons required & get an online quote in 60 seconds.

STEP 2
We deliver cartons and packing materials

We deliver export-strength cartons & packing materials to your home.

STEP 3
We collect packed boxes/bags from your home


When you’re ready, we collect your packed boxes or bags and any unused cartons.


STEP 4
We ship and deliver to your new home, handling all customs clearance


Our door-to-door service takes care of everything for you.

Helping people ship their belongings across the world including to:

International

Europe

Door to Door luggage shipping service

We want your overseas baggage shipping service to be hassle free. When you put our reliable staff in charge of shipping your bags or boxes from the United Kingdom, we take care of everything from providing you with boxes, to door-to-door delivery.

We provide packaging materials, cartons and you can send your personal effects in secure tea cartons, ensuring safe delivery. When you select PSS to ship boxes and suitcases, we will handle custom clearance agreements and we will personally deliver your removals to the required home address.

Should I send my items in bags/suitcases or do you provide boxes?

You are free to choose whether to send your belongings in your own suitcases or bags, but we highly recommend you pack your items in the specially designed shipping boxes we provide.

This has a number of advantages – they are double-walled for extra strength and durability when being transported overseas. They are also less likely to be damaged and take up less space and are less heavy than your own luggage which can make your quote cheaper.

Not only that, we provide them and other packing materials such as bubble wrap for free!

“Why choose PSS International in 2024?”

  • Free home survey
  • Family run business for over 40 years
  • We only handle Overseas Removals
  • Members of BAR Overseas Group
  • BAR Advance Payment Guarantee Scheme
  • FIDI Global Alliance (Worldwide Moving Association)
  • FAIM Accredited (Removal Quality Assurance Standard)

Luggage Shipping Reviews

Baggage shipping cost calculator

Want to know how it will cost to send luggage and boxes abroad? Our free online Cost Calculator will help you estimate the cost.

International Shipping cost calculator

How much are you shipping?

Suitcase Carton
46 x 46 x 46 cm Quantity
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Tea Carton
46 x 46 x 51cm Quantity
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Book Carton
46 x 46 x 31 cm Quantity
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Large Suitcase
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Medium Suitcase
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Small Suitcase
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Bike Carton
148 x 22 x 96 cm Quantity
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Popular Items

Guitar
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Skis
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Snowboard
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Monitor
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Surfboard
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Golf Clubs
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Tool Box
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Picture / Mirrors
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Customised Package(s)

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How to ship luggage, excess baggage and boxes overseas from the UK – our FAQ Guide

What is the best way to ship luggage internationally?

The best way to send your suitcases overseas is via a Personal Shipping Service like that provided by PSS.

With the help of our experienced team, shipping your luggage abroad is a straightforward process.

It all starts with a quote. We assess your consignment and determine what items you would like to ship. We recommend our cartons/boxes but you can use your own bags and suitcases.

After this, you choose which luggage shipping method will work best for you, your time-scale and your budget; air freight or sea freight. Air freight shipping will get your baggage there faster, but at a bigger price. Sea freight is the cheaper bag shipping method, but it will take much longer to arrive.

There are three shipping options for your luggage. The method you choose depends on costs and urgency.

  1. Sea Freight: your possessions are sent in a shared shipping container with other peoples boxes and belongings moving to the same country. This is the cheapest, but the slowest method.
  2. Standard Air Freight: If you need your luggage to arrive sooner then air freight can be a good option.
  3. Express Air Freight: If your shipment is needed very urgently then express air freight is the best option, however, this will be more expensive.

Thanks to over three decades in the industry, we know how to ship baggage overseas from the UK with ease. This means we can handle everything from packing, handling customs, shipping and delivering, all on a door-to-door basis. Our experts will instruct you on what customs forms and documentation needs to be completed when sending luggage abroad and we will handle the rest upon arrival.

The whole process is very easy!

How is your luggage delivery service different to airline excess baggage services?

Airlines charge very high excess baggage fees when you go over your baggage allowance for your luggage.

Our baggage service has a number of advantages:

  • Firstly it is a lot cheaper than sending as excess baggage or unaccompanied luggage. We also offer different options – the cheapest is to send your luggage by sea freight. We also offer express air freight which is still cheaper than using airline unaccompanied baggage services.
  • Also, you can send more volume and weight of personal belongings for less. With PSS your boxes or bags can weigh up to 25kg where excess baggage is often limited to just 23kg.
  • We offer volume discounts where the more you send, the less per kg / cubic foot you pay.
  • We also provide export quality boxes and packing materials to keep your belongings safe.
  • Some items that can’t be sent by air can be shipped by sea.
  • Best of all it’s a door to door luggage delivery service – we pick up from your door in the UK and deliver to your overseas address!

How much does it cost to ship luggage overseas from the UK?

Baggage shipping doesn’t have to break the bank. Sending bags with PSS means you get a quality shipping service at an affordable price. How high your luggage shipping rates are will depend on a couple of variables.

The cost will depend on the volume of boxes/bags you are shipping and whether you are using sea or air freight.

To get an initial price we recommend using our free online cost calculator available on this page. Our Move Managers will also be able to tailor your quote to meet your personal requirements.

But you can be assured that PSS is widely regarded as the cheapest and best company for shipping your items abroad. We are confident that we can give you a very good quote without compromising on service.

Please note that sea freight costs are based on volume whereas air freight rates are calculated by volumetric weight – a combination of weight and volume.

What is the cheapest way to ship luggage internationally?

The cheapest way to send your items is by sea freight using our personal shipping service.

We transport your possessions in a shared shipping container together with other customers belongings bound for overseas countries so that everyone saves money. This is known as a ‘groupage service’ and is much cheaper than excess baggage and courier services.

As PSS are one of the leading UK luggage shipping companies, we can get the best sea freight rates due to the high volumes we ship and so are able to offer cheap prices to our customers.

However, if you need your suitcases and other luggage to arrive sooner, then our air freight options are a cost effective alternative to expensive airline excess baggage fees.

Are there any additional charges e.g. customs fees?

Our quote is for a full door to door collection and delivery service to your address overseas.

There may, however, be additional customs charges e.g. customs duty, GST, inspection and quarantine fees.

These will need to be paid when your shipment arrives in your destination country.

NB: Customs Duty and GST are not usually charged for returning citizens and migrants with permanent resident visas who have been away for over 12 months.

However, different rules apply in different countries.

Check out our Customs Information page for more details on customs charges and what you can/can’t take to your country.

How to send your suitcases and luggage via Air Freight or by our Express Service?

The fastest way to send your boxes to overseas is to fly them by air freight or our express courier service.

This is more expensive than our sea freight service, but still much cheaper than airline excess baggage rates.

Air freight prices are calculated by volumetric weight – a combination of volume and weight in kilograms.

Many customers choose to send the bulk of their goods by sea and then ask us to fly the possessions they need more urgently.

We offer two options to fly your luggage internationally – Standard Air Freight and Express Air Freight which is a fastrack courier service.

What size suitcases and bags can you send overseas?

You can ship any size of suitcase or bag with our luggage shipping service, but it should weigh less than 25kg for health and safety reasons.

Also, luggage that is overfilled and too heavy is more liable to split which is why we recommend our heavy duty shipping boxes.

When calculating the size of your suitcases you may need to convert their volume in litres to cubic feet which is the measure used by international shipping companies.

1 litre is about 0.035 cubic feet – but you will need to allow extra if the size in litres is for the internal capacity rather than the size of the suitcase. The table below is a rough guide:

Luggage Size Litres Cubic Feet
Small (S) 20 – 49 1 – 1.7
Medium (M) 50 – 69 1.7 – 2.5
Large (L) 70 – 89 2.5 – 3.2
Extra Large (XL) 90 – 120 3.2 – 4.2
Extra Extra Large (XXL) 120+ 4.2+

What size of boxes do you provide for international shipping?

If possible we recommend sending your personal possessions in boxes rather than bags or suitcases.

We provide a variety of different cartons, including small and large boxes, as part of your quote. All our cartons are of high quality and designed specifically for international box shipping.

Economy Carton

Size:       46 x 46 x 46cm

Description: Standard size box that is suitable for most items.

Tea Carton (Tea Chest)

Size:       46 x 46 x 51cm

Description: Large box that is suitable for bigger and bulkier items such as clothes and bedding. This is about the size and volume of the traditional tea chest.

Book Carton

Size:       46 x 46 x 31cm

Description: Smaller box that is suitable for books, paperwork and heavier items.

Bike Carton

Size:       148 x 22 x 96cm

Description: Specialist box specifically designed for transporting cycles/bicycles.

Custom Packages

You can also enter the dimensions and weight of customs packages on our cost calculator to get a price estimate.

Can I ship oversized luggage?

If you have an oversized suitcase that is very large or weighs over 25kg, we can help you ship it using our oversized baggage service. Please speak to our team for more details.

For large items such as furniture which require more than one person to lift, we provide an international removal service.

What items can I ship overseas?

Our luggage / box shipping service is suitable for sending all manner of household items and personal effects overseas.

This can include clothing, shoes, books, souvenirs, toys, small items of furniture

In fact, any of your personal possessions and goods can be boxed and shipped abroad as long as they meet customs requirements.

Our shipping company is used by thousands of migrants, families, expats, students and also people returning home from the UK to ship all their luggage.

Popular items that can be shipped via our box/baggage shipping service include:

  • Suitcases and luggage
  • Guitars (use a hard case)
  • TVs
  • Computers & monitors
  • Golf clubs and bags
  • Skis and ski bags
  • Surfboards
  • Snowboards
  • Other sports gear and equipment
  • Tool boxes / tool bags
  • Pictures/mirrors
  • Vinyl Records / LPs

For larger items and furniture you will likely need to use our international removals service.

What can’t I ship overseas?

Most countries have a list of restricted or prohibited items that you cannot take with you when entering or relocating. It is important therefore that you make sure you check the listings for prohibited or restricted items and take action accordingly.

Many are items you might expect but some countries have more unusual restrictions.

Please see our FIDI Customs Information Guides for more details.

You may also wish to check the local government website for the latest information on importing goods.
Examples of restricted imports that require pre-approval are:
  • Antibiotics, medicines & therapeutic drugs
  • Erasers (novelty) resembling food in scent or appearance
  • Some types of cosmetics
  • Endangered animal fur, skins, tusks, ivory etc. (With CITES certificate)
  • Firearms, ammunition and accessories
  • Knives and daggers (even for sport)
  • Martial art swords or weapons
  • Bamboo, wicker or cane items
Examples of prohibited import are:
  • Seeds, plants and dried floral arrangements
  • Original pine cones or any plant matter used for Christmas decorations or wreaths.
  • Raw untreated wood or bark
  • Food and meats
  • Endangered animal fur, skins, tusks or ivory (Without CITES certificate)

Air Freight Prohibited and Restricted Items

In addition, if you shipping your luggage, boxes and other belongings by air, you need to comply by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Failure to comply can lead to your shipment being rejected by the airline. For more details please check our guide Air Freight Prohibited Items.

Prohibited items when sending luggage via air freight include:

  • Fireworks, ammunition, firearms or explosives
  • Cylinders of compressed air, oxygen or liquid petroleum gas (LPG)
  • Any type of aerosol can (e.g. deodorant, shaving cream, hair spray, paint etc
  • Camping stoves, cigarette/pipe lighters or cigarette lighter refills
  • Cosmetics (e.g. nail polish, colognes, perfumes, nail polish remover)
  • Paint, fuel or paint thinners
  • Matches
  • Dry Ice, specimens or samples
  • Detergents, bleaches, drain or oven cleaners
  • Fibreglass repair kits, adhesives and puncture repair kits
  • Medicines of any type
  • Any type of chemical, pesticides, herbicides etc
  • Camping equipment (e.g. gas stoves, gas cylinders)
  • Diving equipment (e.g. air tanks)
  • Batteries of any type
  • Machinery with internal combustion engines such as chainsaws, lawnmowers or garden trimmers
  • Printer ink cartridges of any type
  • Food of any type

NB: The above is not intended as a comprehensive list, but as examples of the kind of items that are prohibited/restricted. If you are at all unsure please check with your Move Manager.

Can I post or mail luggage from the United Kingdom?

Sending bags and suitcases overseas via post or Royal Mail is not a viable as they are too heavy. Normal courier services are prohibitively expensive if you have large suitcases to send.

This is why luggage shipping services offered by companies such as PSS offer both the fastest and most economical way to ship your excess baggage.

Do I need marine insurance or shipment protection cover for my belongings?

At PSS we do our very best to take great care of your belongings, so whilst we are confident that your goods are in safe hands, unfortunately, accidents do happen that are beyond our control.

So, in the same way, you have car insurance, travel insurance and home contents insurance to protect you as well as your belongings in the unlikely event that you should need to claim, we recommend for peace of mind, that you take out shipment protection cover.

We offer a flexible and independent shipment protection cover through Basil Fry & Company – the UK’s leading insurance broker for international removals and shipping.

The most popular comprehensive cover (Standard Liability including damage) is calculated at 5% of the total value you declare.

For more details ask you Move Manager at the time of booking.

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