Never check bags again

(Fortune Magazine) -- Baggage hassles can be the cherry on a sundae of a bad business trip. So why not skip them? For those who don't mind paying for the convenience, a handful of companies will pick up and deliver your bags to domestic and international destinations. A last-minute trip to Las Vegas seemed the perfect opportunity to test two of them. Luggage Free (luggagefree.com) sent a messenger to my office and picked up my 40-pound bag on time for $135. (It shipped it DHL.)

Sports Express (sportsexpress.com), just sent a FedEx pickup guy, e-mailed me an airbill, and charged me 17% more than if I had done it myself ($197, vs. $168). Where it made a difference was on my return, because arranging for the hotel to ship my bags or even leave them for FedEx (Charts) proved a headache. Luggage Free simply picked them up right from the bell desk.