# Is It Cheaper to Ship or Pay Excess Baggage? Vietnam Edition

> Compare airline excess baggage fees vs courier shipping costs from Vietnam. Find out when shipping saves you money and when it's better to check a bag.

Canonical: https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/articles/ship-or-pay-excess-baggage-vietnam/
Last updated: 2026-09-04

You're at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, staring at two overflowing suitcases and a bag of souvenirs. Your flight is tomorrow. You already know you're over the luggage limit. The question is: should you pay the airline's excess baggage fee, or ship the extra stuff home?

Let's break down the numbers.

## What airlines charge

Excess baggage fees on flights from Vietnam vary wildly by airline and route, but here's what you can generally expect:

- **Overweight bag (5-10kg extra)**: $50-150 per bag
- **Extra checked bag**: $100-200 per bag
- **Oversized or bulky items**: $200-400+
- **Sports equipment or art**: $150-350

These fees can spike on budget airlines. Vietnam Airlines is more generous with luggage, but budget carriers like VietJet or AirAsia charge premium rates for extra weight.

## What shipping costs

Shipping via DHL, FedEx, or UPS from Vietnam typically costs:

- **To Asia (Japan, Korea, China)**: from $20-25/kg
- **To Australia/NZ**: from $30/kg
- **To USA/Canada**: from $35/kg
- **To Europe/UK**: from $35/kg

So a 5kg package to the US costs roughly $175 via express courier – which is comparable to or cheaper than one extra checked bag on many airlines.

## When shipping wins

**Shipping is usually cheaper when:**

- You have **heavy or bulky items** (ceramics, marble, large art pieces) that would cost $200+ as excess baggage
- You're flying a **budget airline** with expensive baggage add-ons
- You have **fragile items** that need professional packing (airline baggage handling is rough)
- You want to **travel light** for the rest of your trip – ship early and enjoy without heavy bags
- You're heading to **multiple destinations** after Vietnam and don't want to carry extra luggage

**Bonus:** when you ship with us, we provide professional packing. Your ceramics and art arrive intact – something airline baggage handlers can't guarantee.

## When paying the airline wins

**Airline fees make more sense when:**

- You only have a **small amount of extra weight** (2-3kg)
- You're flying a **full-service airline** with reasonable baggage policies
- Everything fits in a **standard suitcase** (no fragile items)
- You need items **immediately on arrival** (shipping takes 2-5 days)

## The hidden advantage of shipping

Beyond cost, shipping has a convenience factor that's hard to beat:

1. **Free hotel pickup** – we come to you. No dragging bags to a post office.
2. **Professional packing** – ceramics, art, and fragile items are wrapped properly.
3. **Travel light** – ship your souvenirs early in the trip and enjoy the rest bag-free.
4. **No airport stress** – no weighing, no repacking at the check-in counter, no arguments with airline staff.

## Our recommendation

If you're over by more than 5kg or have fragile items, shipping almost always wins on both cost and convenience. For a small overweight penalty on a full-service airline, just pay the fee.

The sweet spot: **ship your souvenirs and fragile purchases, fly with your clothes and essentials.**

Ready to compare? [Get a free quote](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/) – we'll tell you exactly what shipping costs for your items, so you can decide which option makes sense.

Still weighing your options? Check our [excess baggage guide](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/excess-baggage-vietnam/) for more details on how our pickup and shipping service works.

One case this comparison doesn't cover: leaving Vietnam for good rather than flying home from a holiday. When you're emptying an apartment and moving 20–200 kg of used belongings to your next country, excess baggage stops being the real alternative – the choice is between a courier shipment and a moving company, and everything has to be declared as used personal effects instead of souvenirs. If that's your situation, start with our guide to [shipping personal effects out of Vietnam](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/personal-effects-shipping-from-vietnam/).

> **Know what you want to ship?** Our dedicated guides cover the most common souvenirs:
> [Coffee →](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-vietnamese-coffee-home/) · [Ceramics →](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-ceramics-pottery-from-vietnam/) · [Áo dài & silk →](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-ao-dai-silk-clothing-vietnam/) · [Sơn mài lacquerware →](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-lacquerware-son-mai-from-vietnam/)