How To Fly Cheap As A Courier

If you want to fly to exotic locales for a fraction of the standard fare and you don't mind packing lightly, a courier flight may be just the ticket.

Companies use couriers to transport goods overnight. A New York architectural firm could be sending drawings to London; a Los Angeles publisher could be sending magazines to Tokyo. Shipping the goods as luggage, not cargo, can ensure it gets through customs quickly.

Managing Your Money

The companies will sell you a very cheap plane ticket in exchange for use of your luggage space. You agree to carry the shipping documents, known as the "manifest," and hand them over to a courier representative in the destination city.

Byron Lutz, editor of The Shoestring Traveler, says most courier flights leave from six U.S. cities: New York, Washington, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. The destination cities are far more numerous, from Toronto to Taipei, Rome to Rio de Janeiro.

Now, how cheap is cheap? The first week of November, you could have flown from New York to Frankfurt, Germany, and back for $100 as a courier. Had you booked your flight by contacting Delta Airlines at the last minute, you would have paid $1,991, leaving fewer Deutsche marks in your wallet.

It's tough to find a courier flight with more than two weeks' notice; generally, companies work just a few days ahead. Truly last-minute travelers can often find the best bargains, as companies push their fares lower and lower as departure time nears.

You can find courier companies listed in the phone book of any major city, or you can register with one of several umbrella organizations, like the International Association of Air Travel Couriers or the Worldwide Courier Association. These groups post lists of available flights, and they make sure member companies X-ray shipments and follow standard customs procedures.

Eric Hormell, an art historian from Woodland Hills, Calif., got a round-trip Northwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Seoul, South Korea, this summer for $300. He dropped off his documents, made one phone call to the courier company's Korean affiliate, then was on his own for vacation.

"You need some sense of adventure," he says, "but I would definitely recommend it."

Courier travel isn't for everyone. "It's not for Mom and Pop on their first trip to Europe," Lutz notes. Also, most flights only have one courier on board, so traveling with a friend or family member can be tough. Some people choose to book one regular fare and split thcost; others book separate courier assignments and meet in the destination city.

Written By Eileen Glanton, AP Business Writer