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Every fall, hundreds of thousands of people trade cold northern winters for a few months of Florida sun. If you’re one of them, you’ve faced the question: drive for two or three days, or ship the car and fly? Here’s why so many snowbirds ship – and how to do it right.
Why ship instead of drive?
A drive from New York, New Jersey, or the Midwest to Florida is 1,000 to 1,500 miles. That’s two or three days on the road, hotel stays, gas, tolls, meals, and a thousand miles of wear on your car – all before your season even starts. Shipping usually costs less than people expect once you add up the real cost of driving, and you step off a plane rested instead of stiff from Interstate 95.
Book early – this is the busy season
Snowbird season is the single busiest stretch of the year on north-south routes. Trucks fill up fast from October through December, and prices rise with demand. Booking a few weeks ahead of your ideal pickup date gives you the best shot at a good price and your preferred timing. Waiting until the week you leave is the most expensive way to do it.
How it works
1. Get a quote with your pickup city, your Florida destination, and your rough dates.
2. Choose your dates. A typical pickup window is 3-5 days, so plan your flight around the window, not a single day.
3. The carrier picks up your car – usually right from your home – and delivers it to your Florida address.
4. Fly down on your own schedule and meet your car there.
A few tips from experience
- Clean out personal items. Carriers aren’t licensed to move household goods, and loose items aren’t covered if they shift in transit.
- Leave about a quarter tank of gas. Full tanks add weight; near-empty can be a problem at loading.
- Take photos of the car at pickup. The driver will do a condition report with you – your photos back it up.
- If someone else is handing over or receiving the car, let your broker know ahead of time.
The return trip
Don’t forget the spring leg. The flow reverses in March and April, and the same advice applies: book early. Many of our customers schedule both directions at once so the return is already handled before they even head south.
At HIYAAKS Inc, nothing is charged before pickup – a flat $150 deposit is collected by credit card once the carrier picks up your vehicle, and the balance is due at delivery. Get your free snowbird quote at hiyaaksincautoshipper.com.
