How snowbird shipping works
A snowbird shipment is an ordinary door-to-door car shipment timed to a seasonal move: south in October or November, north in April or May. The lanes are well established, from the Northeast and Midwest to Florida, and from the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West and Canada border states to Arizona, Southern California and Texas. Carriers run them so regularly that pickup windows are predictable, as long as you book ahead of the peak weeks.
Why book both legs at once
- Locked dates. The spring return is reserved before everyone else calls in March.
- Round-trip pricing. Booking both directions with the same coordinator often earns a better combined rate.
- One point of contact. The same desk handles both moves and already knows your addresses, your car and your preferences.
- Less to remember. You get a reminder before each leg instead of starting from scratch.
Timing the season
The southbound rush peaks from mid-October through early December; northbound from late March through mid-May. Rates rise and windows stretch in those weeks because demand outruns carrier capacity on the snowbird lanes. Shipping a week or two before the peak, or being flexible by a few days inside it, keeps the price down and the schedule tight. If you leave before the car does, a neighbor, property manager or family member can hand it to the driver; if you arrive after it, the same at the other end.
Popular snowbird lanes
New York, New Jersey, Boston and Philadelphia to Florida's west and east coasts; Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis and Cleveland to Florida and Arizona; Seattle, Portland and Denver to Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson and Palm Springs; and the Northeast to the Carolinas and Texas. Most run four to seven days in transit once the car is loaded. Get an exact price for your addresses with the quote tool above.
Preparing a car for a seasonal move
Wash it, keep fuel to a quarter tank, remove toll transponders and anything loose, and photograph each side. If the car has been sitting all summer in a hot climate, check the battery, tire pressure and fluids a few days before pickup; a car that won't start on pickup day needs a different truck. Leave the garage opener and parking passes at the destination home rather than in the car. And if you are shipping two vehicles, say so: carriers can often load both on the same truck for a lower combined rate.
Open or enclosed for the season
Most snowbird cars ship open, and for a sedan or SUV that is sensible. Collectors who summer in the north and winter in the Sun Belt tend to ship their special car enclosed and the daily driver open, which is a reasonable way to split the budget.