When is the cheapest time to ship a car?
Car shipping prices follow the seasons and the direction of travel. When demand is lowest, how flexibility saves money, and which months to avoid.
Car shipping is priced by supply and demand. The same trip can cost noticeably more in a busy month, or in the busy direction, than in a quiet one.
Busy seasons
- Summer (June to August): the peak moving season. Families relocate, students move and demand rises across the country.
- Snowbird season: cars heading south to Florida, Arizona and Texas from October to December, and back north from March to May. See our snowbird guide.
- Holidays: fewer drivers on the road can slow pickups around major holidays.
Quieter times
Late fall outside the snowbird routes, and January and February in most of the country, tend to be calmer. Northern winter weather can slow trucks, though, so allow extra time.
Direction matters
On snowbird routes, the busy direction costs more because trucks fill up. The opposite direction can be cheaper because carriers need cars to avoid driving back empty.
The biggest saving: flexibility
Being flexible by a few days on pickup often saves more than choosing the "right" month. It lets a carrier fit your car into a route that's already planned.
Other ways to keep the price down
- Open transport instead of enclosed. See open vs enclosed.
- Meet the driver near a main road if you live somewhere hard to reach.
- Book ahead instead of paying for an expedited pickup.
- Compare quotes, but avoid prices far below the rest. See why quotes change.
See what others paid on your route on our shipping cost page.