Say you’re flying from New York to Chicago, and you want to pack a lot, but don’t want to bother with shepherding a big bag through the airport – would you pay $149 to have that bag shipped overnight so it would be there waiting for you at your Chicago hotel when you arrive? How about if this was “door to door” service? United is betting some people will do just that. So they started “Door to Door” baggage service – it cost $149 – that’s one-way — for trips under 1,000 miles – the charge is $179 for longer trips – only within the 48-contiguous states. Keep reading, for more details — is it really WORTH it? (Skiers, pay attention!)…

Now for a suitcase, it might not be worth it – at the moment, United charges $15 one-way for a first checked bag, and $50 one-way for a second. Still, it’s a bargain, compared to shipping a package yourself with Federal Express: I did a “quick estimate” on the FedEx website and the estimated cost of over-nighting a 50-pound package from NY to Chicago (50-pounds is United’s normal weight limit) is over $200.

Something else to consider about United’s door to door service: it allows you to ship packages as big as 119 inches in length – which is nearly 10 feet tall. So, say you want to bring skis, or golf clubs: right now, United charges $175 for “oversized” bags. That door to door price is looking pretty good, isn’t it?

See all the details on United’s new baggage service right here.