Suitcase to the Philippines instead of paying excess?

Yes: if you are flying to the Philippines and have a suitcase too many, it can travel separately, from Barcelona to the address you give us there, without going through the airline's check-in desk. Whether it is cheaper than excess baggage depends on your ticket: you give us weight and dimensions, we give you a fixed price on WhatsApp before we collect it, and you compare it with what your airline charges in your booking.

You ask for the price at luggage shipping. And if what you are sending is not a suitcase but a lot of things for the family, the balikbayan box is usually the other option.

How to compare with excess baggage

Two numbers, both before you go to the airport:

1. Your airline's. In your booking, add the bag or the extra weight and note the price without paying it. On long-haul flights excess is usually expensive, but every ticket is different.

2. Ours. From the weight and dimensions. With courier shipping you pay the higher of the real weight and the volumetric weight (length × width × height in cm, divided by 5000), so a 75 × 50 × 30 cm suitcase counts as 22.5 kg even if it weighs 15.

If excess works out better, pay it: we will tell you so anyway. There is more detail in is shipping your suitcase cheaper than excess baggage?.

Suitcase or balikbayan: it depends how much you send

• The suitcase is one piece that goes door to door with its own tracking. It fits when it is your luggage or one person's: clothes, shoes, personal effects.
• The balikbayan box flies from Barcelona to the Philippines, 7 to 15 days in transit, and has its own regime at Philippine customs: ₱150,000 of value per year per sender, over a maximum of 3 shipments, not per box. It fits when you send a lot for the family: clothes for several people, packaged food, presents.

Neither has a published price: both are agreed on WhatsApp. Ask for both if you are unsure. If a table helps, there is the envelope, box or suitcase comparison.

What Philippine customs checks in a suitcase of personal effects

Two things: that what is inside is consistent with "personal effects" (twenty used T-shirts, yes; twenty sealed phones, no) and that the declaration tells the truth. That is why we ask what is inside when we quote, and why it is worth answering in detail.

What can complicate the crossing: new electronics in the box, quantities that look like they are for sale, and fresh food or meat. If any of that is going inside, tell us first: sometimes the answer is "yes, declaring it" and sometimes "better take it out". If it attracts duties at destination, we explain it before sending. Before you fill it, check what can go in a suitcase sent by courier.

How it is sent

1. You message us with weight, dimensions, contents and the city in the Philippines.

2. We give you the fixed price on WhatsApp.

3. You bring it or we collect it. We are at Carrer de Camprodon 21 (Metro Verdaguer), Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00. In Barcelona city we collect on route days; if you are elsewhere, tell us where and we will tell you whether we can reach you.

4. It travels sealed and tracked to the delivery address in the Philippines.

We give you the suitcase's transit time with the price: we don't publish a fixed one.

Frequently asked questions

Got the weight and dimensions? Message us on WhatsApp at +34 626 78 54 28.