Unaccompanied baggage or freight shipping or Checking extra airline luggage for families in Bali — which is better?

Unaccompanied baggage or freight shipping vs Checking…

	Unaccompanied baggage or freight shipping	Checking extra airline luggage
When things arrive	Sea freight often takes several weeks, and air freight still lags your flight by days.	Extra bags come off the same flight, and you collect them at Ngurah Rai the day you land.
What you can send	Clothes and household goods fill cartons, and bikes fit sea freight.	Clothes and a folded stroller fit extra bags, but airlines cap size and weight.
Cost level	Lower per volume once you fill several cartons. A small shipment can cost more than extra bags.	Higher per kilo than sea freight. Extra bags add up if you check many of them.
Customs	You file a declaration and may attend inspection. Personal effects still need a packing list.	Extra bags clear with you at the airport. Keep receipts for new electronics because officers sometimes ask.
First weeks with kids	Until the shipment lands, you live out of what you flew with. You can buy basics in Bali for the gap.	Kids have their own clothes and a familiar toy from day one. You buy the rest locally or wait.
Risk	Port delays happen, and goods can be damaged in a container. Insurance is a separate choice.	Extra bags go missing or arrive on a later flight, and airlines usually deliver them within a few days.

Choose Unaccompanied baggage or freight shipping if you are moving clothes and kids' gear for a long stay and can wait weeks for the shipment.

Choose Checking extra airline luggage if you need clothes and sleep gear the day you land and can buy the rest in Bali.

Still weighing it up for your family?