Snowbird car shipping, scheduled and on time.
Northeast and Midwest to Florida and Arizona. October and November southbound peak, April and May northbound peak. Scheduled pickup, book 30 days out.
Snowbird season is real. We book it like it.
October and November pull tens of thousands of cars south. Northeast and Midwest residents drive their winter home, but their car, their second car, or their spouse's car needs to come down to Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa, Boca, Sun City, Mesa, or Tucson without anyone driving it. April and May reverse the flow.
Whipshipper books snowbird season as its own program. Scheduled pickup windows, locked rates in summer for fall pickup, locked rates in winter for spring pickup. Direct lanes between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and Milwaukee on the north end. Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa, West Palm, Boca, Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas on the south end.
Open transport is the call for most snowbirds. Enclosed available for luxury, classic, and high value cars wintering in the south.
Why snowbirds use Whipshipper
We treat the season like the season it is.
Scheduled pickup windows
Book 30 days out, lock a specific 3 day window. No open ended dispatch in season.
Seasonal contracts
Round trip seasonal contracts available. Southbound in October, northbound in May, locked rates both ways.
Direct lanes north and south
Standing capacity from Northeast and Midwest to Florida and Arizona. Same lanes every year, same carriers.
Multiple cars per household
Two car households save 10 percent or more if both cars ship the same lane and same window.
RV snowbird support
Same season for RVs. Driveaway or tow for snowbirds bringing motorhomes south.
Live GPS
Track the truck on the map. Driver calls 2 hours before pickup and 2 hours before delivery.
Snowbird volume
Real volume on real seasonal lanes.
How snowbird shipping works
Four steps from booking to driveway delivery in the south or north.
Book 30 days out
Lock your rate for southbound or northbound. Specific 3 day window scheduled.
$99 deposit locks the rate
Lock the carrier rate. Balance on delivery, card, cash, or wire.
Scheduled pickup
Carrier picks up in the 3 day window. Driver calls 2 hours out, walks the car, signs the BOL.
Driveway delivery south or north
Driver calls 2 hours out. Walk the car with you, sign the BOL, balance paid, done.
Snowbird seasonal contract vs one off
Two ways to book. Here is when each makes sense.
Seasonal round trip contract
- Lock both southbound and northbound rates in summer
- Saves 10 to 15% versus two separate bookings
- Priority pickup windows
- Same carrier network both directions
- Recommended for repeat snowbirds
- Single contact for both moves
One off booking
- Book each direction separately
- Standard rates and windows
- Standard pickup window flexibility
- Carrier varies by lane and availability
- Recommended for first time snowbirds
- Different bookings for each leg
Snowbird auto transport prep
Quick prep before the carrier arrives.
- 1Quarter tank of fuel, less leak risk
- 2Cabin clean, no loose items, no personal property
- 3Photograph every panel, the interior, the wheels, timestamp
- 4Disable any toll tags from the wrong region
- 5Confirm your destination address has truck access
- 6Have a spare key ready, keep your main on you
- 7Note any leaks, dings, or scratches on the BOL
- 8Plan a contact at the destination if you fly down ahead
Snowbird seasonal rates
Locked rates for booked windows. Off season runs at standard rates with more flexibility.
| Distance | Open Transport | Enclosed Transport | Transit Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 500 mi | $450 to $700 | $800 to $1,200 | 2 to 4 days |
| 500 to 1,000 mi | $700 to $1,000 | $1,100 to $1,500 | 3 to 5 days |
| 1,000 to 2,000 mi | $900 to $1,400 | $1,500 to $2,200 | 5 to 7 days |
| 2,000+ mi | $1,100 to $1,800 | $2,000 to $2,900 | 7 to 10 days |
Estimates only, your exact rate comes from the live carrier load board. Get an instant quote at the top of the page for real numbers.
Frequently asked questions
When do I need to book southbound?
When do I need to book northbound?
Can I book round trip?
What are the main snowbird lanes?
Do I have to be there for pickup or delivery?
Can I bundle two cars?
What about an RV for snowbird?
Open or enclosed?
Can I leave items in the car?
What if my pickup or delivery date shifts?
Ready to ship?
Pick the path that fits how you want to move.
Every auto transport service we run
Auto transport is not one product. A dealer moving forty units off an auction lane, a collector shipping a numbers matching car across the country, and a family sending one sedan ahead of a move are three different jobs that happen to use the same highways. They need different trailers, different insurance limits, different loading equipment, and different scheduling. Quoting all three the same way is how customers end up with a truck that cannot legally carry their vehicle. Pick the line below that matches what you are actually moving, and the quote comes back against the right equipment the first time.
By transport type
Open Car TransportThe standard multi car carrier and the cheapest way to move a daily driver. Same trailers that deliver new inventory to dealers.Learn more →
Enclosed Auto TransportA sealed trailer, soft tie downs, and no road spray for classics, exotics, and anything you would not park outside.Learn more →
Door to Door TransportPickup and delivery at the addresses you give us. No terminal drop offs and no driving across town to meet a truck.Learn more →
Expedited Car ShippingNext day or two day pickup when the closing date moved or the buyer will not wait. Priority position in the dispatch queue.Learn more →- Budget Car ShippingFlexible dates and a wider pickup window traded for a lower rate. The honest version of a cheap quote.Learn more →
State to State ShippingInterstate moves with one carrier from origin to destination, no reloading and no handoffs between trucks.Learn more →
Cross Country ShippingCoast to coast runs past two thousand miles, priced on lane density rather than a flat per mile guess.Learn more →- International ShippingOcean freight by container or roll on roll off, with the port paperwork and customs filing handled for you.Learn more →
Online Purchase DeliveryBought from a marketplace, an out of state dealer, or a private seller. We collect it and bring it to your driveway.Learn more →- Auto Train AlternativeA door to door option for the Virginia to Florida run when the train is sold out or the schedule does not fit.Learn more →
- Inoperable Vehicle TransportWinch equipped carriers for cars that will not start, will not steer, or will not roll. Project cars included.Learn more →
Oversized TransportLifted trucks, duallies, and anything over standard deck height on trailers built for the clearance.Learn more →
By vehicle
Motorcycle ShippingCruisers, sport bikes, touring rigs, and trikes on soft straps and wheel chocks rather than a bare ratchet.Learn more →
Truck ShippingHalf tons through duallies, with the bed and tow package measured before we quote so the deck actually fits.Learn more →
RV and Motorhome TransportTowed, hauled, or driven by a bonded CDL driver depending on length, height, and whether it is roadworthy.Learn more →
Luxury Car ShippingEnclosed by default, lift gate loading, and a driver who has moved this class of car before.Learn more →
Classic Car ShippingVintage and restoration cars handled with soft ties, no wheel straps on original chrome, and full photo documentation.Learn more →
By who is shipping
Dealer ShippingAuction runs, dealer trades, and port to lot moves on volume pricing with one invoice across every unit.Learn more →- Fleet ShippingMulti unit relocations and seasonal rebalancing with contracted rates that hold through surge weeks.Learn more →
- For Online BuyersIndependent condition photos at pickup so you see the car before it leaves the seller, not after it arrives.Learn more →
- Auction ShippingPickup coordinated against auction release, gate pass, and storage deadlines so you are not paying late fees.Learn more →
- OEM LogisticsPlant to dealer and plant to port movement with reporting that matches manufacturer compliance requirements.Learn more →
- Rental Fleet RelocationSeasonal fleet balancing between markets, priced by the batch rather than one unit at a time.Learn more →
- Military Car ShippingPCS moves timed to report dates, with pickup that works around base access and a deploying schedule.Learn more →
- Student Car ShippingMove in and move out windows around the academic calendar, when every family in town needs the same week.Learn more →
Snowbird ShippingNorth in spring, south in fall, booked both directions at once so the return leg is locked before rates climb.Learn more →- Corporate RelocationEmployee moves billed to the company with the documentation a relocation package and an expense team need.Learn more →
Not sure which one fits? Call (888) 780-6207 and describe the vehicle and the route. A dispatcher will tell you which equipment it needs and what the lane is running, or start with an instant quote and adjust from there.
Auto transport coast to coast, state to state
We move vehicles in all fifty states, and the network is deepest where the freight already runs. Each state page below carries its own lane table, transit windows, and the local conditions that actually change a rate.
Northeast
Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
South
Midwest
Mountain
Read before you book
Most complaints in this industry trace back to something the customer was never told: that the first quote was a placeholder, that the broker on the phone is not the company driving the truck, or that personal items in the trunk are not covered by cargo insurance. None of that is complicated once somebody explains it. These are the explainers we send customers before they book, written to be useful whether or not you ship with us.
- How to Ship a CarThe whole process from first quote to signed delivery receipt, in the order it actually happens.Read the guide →
- How Auto Transport WorksWhat happens between your booking and a truck showing up, including who dispatches the load and why timing moves.Read the guide →
- Brokers vs CarriersThe difference nobody explains, why it changes who is liable for your car, and which one you are actually talking to.Read the guide →
- Spotting Transport FraudHow to check authority and insurance yourself, and the quote patterns that mean a company is about to raise the price.Read the guide →
- TruePrice GuaranteeWhy our quote is the price, and what the industry practice of quoting low and renegotiating at pickup costs you.Read the guide →
- Pre Shipping ChecklistWhat to clean, remove, photograph, and document before the driver arrives so a damage claim never becomes your word against theirs.Read the guide →
- Cheapest Ways to ShipThe levers that genuinely lower a rate, and the ones that only look cheap until pickup day.Read the guide →
- Hawaii Car ShippingPort schedules, island by island delivery, and what the ocean leg adds to a mainland quote.Read the guide →
- Alaska Car ShippingBarge versus the Alaska Highway, seasonal closures, and why a winter quote is not a summer quote.Read the guide →
- Why WhipshipperWhat we do differently on carrier vetting, rate locking, and tracking, stated plainly enough to check.Read the guide →
- Full FAQEvery question we get on pricing, timing, insurance, and paperwork, answered in one place.Read the guide →
- Customer ReviewsHow we handle feedback, what we do when a shipment goes sideways, and how to read transport reviews generally.Read the guide →
Lock your rate today.
$99 deposit holds the carrier, balance on delivery.