Flying with Wine

[Redwinger]

I'm planning a little Oregon gataway next month. July pretty much precludes shipping except for ultra-$$$ next day air, I was curious about any recent experiences out there shipping via checked baggage. Yeah, I know I'll get whacked with a surcharge.
Is it still allowed?
Would you recommend it?
Other alternatives I'm overlooking?

Danke,
'Winger

[Howie Hart]

Last year I flew to DC with a case of wine. I packed each of the bottles in those inflatable things and then packed them all in a large cooler, which I secured with a heavy strap. All went well.

[Mike Filigenzi]

I shipped some back with me when I went to visit my parents last January. I used a styrofoam shipper and didn't have any problems. (Of course, things change quickly and generally for the worse with air travel these days, so that info may be obsolete by now.)

[Mark Lipton]

I'm planning a little Oregon gataway next month. July pretty much precludes shipping except for ultra-$$$ next day air, I was curious about any recent experiences out there shipping via checked baggage. Yeah, I know I'll get whacked with a surcharge.
Is it still allowed?
Would you recommend it?
Other alternatives I'm overlooking?

Bill, I flew back from CA last month with a 12-bottle styrofoam shipper as checked baggage. No problems, and it got all my ESJ goodies back for no extra charge.

Mark Lipton

[Richard Fadeley]

Just about everywhere I travel I take an empty 12 bottle carrier (checked as luggage), and fill it up at my destination. So far I've been successful. Recent trips include Philly; NY; San Jose, CA; Sonoma, CA; Paris; Florence, IT; etc.
Just pace yourself because it doesn't take long to fill 'er up. But you can always stuff one or two bottles into your other luggage. Additional charges now apply, but they are not too unreasonable. Have fun.

[Robert Reynolds]

where can one buy the styrofoam shipping box?

[Carl Eppig]

where can one buy the styrofoam shipping box?

At most winery tasting rooms.

[Cynthia Wenslow]

where can one buy the styrofoam shipping box?

Most UPS Stores have them too. Well, at least in normal states.

[Mark Lipton]

where can one buy the styrofoam shipping box?

Most UPS Stores have them too. Well, at least in normal states.

That's ironic, since UPS is well-known to confiscate wine shipped by individuals using their service. I wonder what their stated use for those styrofoam shippers would be?

Mark Lipton

[Keith M]

where can one buy the styrofoam shipping box?

Most UPS Stores have them too. Well, at least in normal states.

That's ironic, since UPS is well-known to confiscate wine shipped by individuals using their service. I wonder what their stated use for those styrofoam shippers would be?

Mark Lipton

Computer parts?

[Redwinger]

where can one buy the styrofoam shipping box?

Most UPS Stores have them too. Well, at least in normal states.

That's ironic, since UPS is well-known to confiscate wine shipped by individuals using their service. I wonder what their stated use for those styrofoam shippers would be?

Mark Lipton

Equine urine samples?

[JC (NC)]

I've pretty much concluded I won't try to bring wine back from Southern France this summer. My most recent visit to California was last October when the weather was more reasonable. I shipped two packages of wine from a facility in Monterey. I forget if UPS turned me down and the FedEx across the street agreed to ship them or if it was the reverse. They were all purchased at wineries but in one to three bottles per winery so I didn't want to have the wineries each doing a shipment. I've also transported wine in the cargo hold of the airplane in styrofoam shippers but had four bottles of wine cooked during a four-hour delay on the tarmac at LaGuardia.

[Paul Winalski]

Fed Ex and DHL both ship wine. California wineries use them for direct shipping.

I've packed wine in styrofoam containers in my checked-in baggage. Be prepared to have TSA open the packages for inspection, though (at least they don't open the bottles, or they haven't so far anyway).

-Paul W.

[Mark Willstatter]

Fed Ex and DHL both ship wine. California wineries use them for direct shipping.

Many California wineries use UPS for direct shipping, too. It's only for individuals that they are reluctant to ship wine. It partly depends on where you live, though. The list of states to which UPS is willing to ship wine even for wineries has typically been shorter then FedEx's.

[Mark Lipton]

Fed Ex and DHL both ship wine. California wineries use them for direct shipping.

Many California wineries use UPS for direct shipping, too. It's only for individuals that they are reluctant to ship wine. It partly depends on where you live, though. The list of states to which UPS is willing to ship wine even for wineries has typically been shorter then FedEx's.

FedEx officially won't ship wine for individuals, either, but I find more of a "don't ask, don't tell" attitude there. For security, though, I double box my wine shipments. So far, no troubles.

Mark Lipton

[JC (NC)]

Reading the other responses, I'm pretty sure it was FedEx that allowed me to ship the packages.