Q. I read today that US Air is charging a $25 fee for the second bag if it's under 50 lbs. How much will I pay if the second bag is over 50 lbs, and would I be better off shipping that bag by UPS ground to my hotel on an upcoming trip?

A. Let's see. A 72lb bag shipped via UPS ground from Atlanta to Los Angeles takes about 4 days and will cost you $77. Checking that same bag as your second piece of luggage with US Airways will cost $125. Have a third bag over 50lbs? That's another $150. Over 71lbs? $200.

So, shipping those extra bags will save you a little cash, not to mention hard work. Who wants to schlep around a bunch of heavy bags anyway?