A boxed carry-on ran $29.63 to $49.38 and a boxed large checked suitcase ran $77.59 to $103.93, both from Berkeley Heights, NJ to Denver, CO, quoted live against production on 2026-08-18. FedEx also publishes a specific rule for luggage that its general packing pages do not: the bag has to go in a box, and a handful of ordinary travel items are not allowed inside it.
FedEx's own luggage page calls for a sturdy box and 2-3 inches of cushioning, not a bare bag with a label stuck to it.
Both boxes left Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 for Denver, CO 80202 in the same capture run on 2026-08-18, so the only thing changing between rows is the size of the case.
| Box | FedEx Ground Economy | FedEx Ground |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on, boxed 22 × 14 × 9 in, 11 lb | $29.63 6-7 business days | $49.38 6-7 business days |
| Large checked suitcase, boxed 30 × 20 × 12 in, 17 lb | $77.59 6-7 business days | $103.93 6-7 business days |
Ground Economy beat FedEx's own Ground tier on both boxes, and both boxes returned the identical 6-7 business day window on this lane. For reference, the cheapest option on the same day was UPS Ground Saver on the carry-on at $29.15, a few cents under FedEx Ground Economy, and UPS Ground on the large suitcase at $65.38, well under FedEx Ground Economy's $77.59. This page states what FedEx charges; it is not a claim that FedEx wins the lane.
The large checked suitcase ran again in the same capture, this time to a Boston ZIP instead of Denver. Shortening the lane compressed the whole board and flipped the fastest option to a one-day service.
| Service | Price | Transit returned with the quote |
|---|---|---|
| FedEx Ground Economy | $45.34 | 2-3 business days |
| FedEx Ground | $53.01 | 1 business day |
| UPS Ground, for scale | $32.05 | 1 business day |
On the short lane, FedEx Ground closed most of the gap to Ground Economy — the two landed much closer together here than they did to Denver in the table above — while also coming back a day or two quicker, which flips the value call from that longer lane. UPS Ground still came in lowest of the three at $32.05, comfortably under FedEx Ground Economy's $45.34. Distance is doing more of the work here than the box is.
FedEx publishes packing rules for luggage specifically, separate from its general box-and-tape guidance, on a page read 2026-08-18.
The page calls for a sturdy box with 2-3 inches of cushioning space, packing material such as loosefill peanuts, bubble wrap or air-cellular cushion in the bottom, and every seam taped in the H pattern. A bag handed over bare with a label stuck to the shell is not what is described.
The page states FedEx cannot ship any package, including luggage, that contains Dangerous Goods, and names cigarette lighters or matches, nail polish remover, and lithium or spare batteries as items travelers pack out of habit that still count. Empty those pockets before taping the box shut.
FedEx recommends shipping domestic luggage 2-3 business days before the trip and allowing 5-7 business days for an international shipment to clear customs. Our own captured Ground Economy windows ran 6-7 business days on the Denver lane, so plan around the longer figure.
FedEx also states it does not accept liability for damage to luggage in transit, and that international shipments need a customs declaration listing contents and values. Neither changes the price on this page, but both are worth reading before a valuable case goes in the box.
FedEx revises its packing pages without notice. Treat the rule above as what it published on the date shown and check the current page before shipping something irreplaceable.
On our 2026-08-18 captures, a boxed carry-on ran $29.63 to $49.38 and a boxed large checked suitcase ran $77.59 to $103.93, both Berkeley Heights, NJ to Denver, CO. FedEx Ground Economy (branded Smart Post in the rate feed) undercut FedEx Ground on every box we quoted.
FedEx's own how-to-ship-luggage page says to use a sturdy box with 2 to 3 inches of cushioning, pack the bottom with loosefill peanuts, bubble wrap or air-cellular cushion, and tape every seam with the H method. A bag handed over loose is not what the page describes.
No. FedEx's luggage page states it cannot ship any package, including luggage, that contains Dangerous Goods, and lists cigarette lighters or matches, nail polish remover, and lithium or spare batteries as examples of items that still count even though travelers pack them out of habit.
FedEx's page recommends sending domestic luggage 2 to 3 business days ahead and allowing 5 to 7 business days for an international shipment to clear customs and arrive. Our own captured Ground Economy windows ran 6 to 7 business days to Denver and 2 to 3 to Boston, so build the plan around the lane you are actually shipping rather than a single figure.
Not on the lanes we quoted. UPS Ground Saver undercut FedEx Ground Economy by forty-eight cents on the boxed carry-on, and UPS Ground undercut it by twelve to thirteen dollars on the large suitcase on both the Denver and Boston lanes. This page reports what FedEx charges; run your own route in the calculator to see the full board.