Cheapest Way to Ship a Car (and the Cheapest Time to Book)
You can't change the distance, but most of what makes shipping expensive is within your control. The cheapest combination is open transport, terminal-to-terminal delivery, an off-peak month, and flexible dates. Here's how each one works and how much it typically saves.
The Short Answer
Choose open transport, drop the car off and pick it up at a terminal where that works for you, ship in January or February, and give the carrier a flexible pickup window. Together, those four choices account for most of the savings available on a standard shipment.
Seven Practical Ways to Lower Your Cost
1. Choose Open Transport
Open transport on a multi-car trailer is typically 30% to 50% cheaper than enclosed, and it's the standard method for everyday cars. Enclosed transport is worth the premium for luxury, classic, and exotic vehicles, but not for a daily driver.See how open car transport works.See how enclosed car transport works.
2. Ship Terminal to Terminal
Dropping the car off and collecting it at a central terminal avoids the extra cost of door-to-door delivery, which typically saves $50 to $150. The trade-off is convenience, since you handle the first and last leg yourself.See how door-to-door car shipping works.
3. Ship in the Off-Peak Months
Rates drop in winter, especially January and February, when seasonal moving demand is lowest. Mid-fall, October and November, can also be cheap on routes that aren't snowbird lanes. Summer, June through August, is peak season and typically runs 10% to 30% higher, and May marks the start of the heavy moving season.
The exception is snowbird routes. Heading south to Florida or Arizona in the fall surges prices on those specific lanes from October through December, so for them the cheapest time is late spring and summer instead. Leaving Florida has its own calendar: northbound to New York peaks from March through May, and out to Texas peaks from January through April.See typical costs and busy seasons by route.
4. Keep Your Dates Flexible
Giving the carrier a pickup window of 2 to 3 days lets it combine your car with other loads, and a window of 3 to 5 days can lower the price by 10% to 20%. A rigid date is one of the most expensive things you can ask for.
5. Ship Between Major Metro Areas
Routes between large metro areas and along major interstates cost less than pickups in remote or rural areas, which can add $100 to $300. If you live far from a main highway, meeting the carrier at a larger town nearby can help.
6. Book Early Enough
Booking 2 to 4 weeks ahead gives providers time to match your car with a truck already on the route, and peak seasons call for more lead time. Last-minute and expedited bookings cost more.
7. Compare Quotes on What They Include
Compare at least three estimates, and compare them on the same terms: open or enclosed, pickup window, door-to-door or terminal, and what's included in the total. A quote that looks far lower than the rest of the market deserves a second look at what it leaves out.
The Cheapest Way for Island Routes
The rules differ when ocean freight is involved. For Hawaii, the cheapest approach is port-to-port shipping from a West Coast port on standard RoRo, and avoiding May through September, when military relocations and family moves drive demand. For Alaska, summer, May through September, is also the most expensive stretch, and delivering the car to the Tacoma, Washington port yourself instead of paying a carrier to haul it across the country can save hundreds of dollars. For Puerto Rico, departing from Florida is the cheapest and fastest route.
Typical Savings at a Glance
| What you do | Typical effect |
|---|---|
| Open instead of enclosed | 30% to 50% less |
| Terminal instead of door-to-door | $50 to $150 less |
| A 3 to 5 day pickup window | 10% to 20% less |
| Avoid summer | Avoids a 10% to 30% increase |
| Avoid rural pickup or delivery | Avoids $100 to $300 extra |
Not sure shipping is the right choice at all?See whether car shipping is worth it. And once you've booked,here's how to prepare your car.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to ship a car?
Open transport, terminal-to-terminal delivery, a flexible pickup window, and shipping in an off-peak month, with January and February generally the cheapest.
What time of year is cheapest to ship a car?
Late winter, January and February, and mid-fall on routes that aren't snowbird lanes. Avoid shipping into Florida or Arizona from October through December.
Is open transport really that much cheaper?
Typically 30% to 50% less than enclosed, which is why most standard shipments use it.
How much does a flexible pickup date save?
A window of 3 to 5 days can lower the price by 10% to 20%.
What's the cheapest way to ship a car to Hawaii or Alaska?
For Hawaii, standard RoRo from a West Coast port outside the May to September peak. For Alaska, avoiding summer and delivering the car to the Tacoma port yourself.
Is terminal-to-terminal worth it?
It typically saves $50 to $150, but you handle drop-off and pickup yourself.
Want to see what your route costs?
Request a quote with your vehicle details and pickup and delivery cities for real carrier pricing on your exact schedule.