Travel Startup LugLess Buckles Down and Accelerates Growth in the Age of COVID-19

In early April, demand for air travel essentially came to a virtual halt as TSA passenger screenings dropped by 95%. Given the unprecedented situation, Boston-based luggage shipping service LugLess began to question the survival of their business.

LugLess offers a more convenient and cheaper alternative to checking bags the traditional way (via airlines), by enabling travelers to send their luggage to their final destination in advance. The company takes pride in a booking and shipping process that is is remarkably simple:

1. Book — Input trip details, choose bag types (LugLess offers a calculator to determine each bag category). LugLess finds the absolute lowest UPS and FedEx rates for you.
2. Print — Print a shipping label and attach it to each of your bags.
3. Ship — Drop off your items to a local UPS or FedEx location, or pay a small extra fee to have your bags picked up from your home or office directly.
4. Fly — Head to the airport bag free, skip the check-in line, bypass the crowded baggage claim and meet your bags at your destination.

But back in March, as fear of Covid-19 took hold and passengers opted to avoid airline travel,, business began to suffer. While the entire American…