Every autumn, thousands of drivers from the Midwest and the Northeast move south for the winter, and a lot of them ship their cars instead of driving 1,200 miles. Brokers have always said this pushes Florida prices up in October. We have been recording the same 12 lanes every week since August in our Lane Report, so this year we can show it happening, week by week.
The short version: shipping a car from Chicago to Tampa now costs about 31% more than it did in August, and shipping one from Miami to Chicago costs about 18% less. The trip south is the shorter of the two, and it is now the more expensive one by a wide margin.
How much have Florida car shipping prices changed this fall?
Here are the two lanes side by side, every week since our first report. Each range is what the lane paid that week for a standard operable sedan on an open carrier.
| Week of | Chicago → Tampa (1,125 mi) | Miami → Chicago (1,323 mi) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 3 | $600–$700 | $800–$950 |
| Aug 10 | $750–$900 | $950–$1,100 |
| Aug 17 | $750–$900 | $950–$1,100 |
| Aug 24 | $750–$900 | $950–$1,100 |
| Aug 31 | $750–$900 | $900–$1,100 |
| Sep 7 | $700–$800 | $950–$1,100 |
| Sep 14 | $700–$800 | $950–$1,100 |
| Sep 21 | $750–$850 | $950–$1,100 |
| Sep 28 | $900–$1,050 | $850–$1,000 |
| Oct 5 | $900–$1,050 | $800–$950 |
| Oct 12 | $1,000–$1,100 | $750–$850 |
| Oct 19 | $1,000–$1,150 | $700–$800 |
Through August and most of September, the trip north was the expensive one. The turn came in the last week of September: Chicago to Tampa jumped to $900–$1,050 and Miami to Chicago started to slide. Since then the gap has only grown. Using the middle of each range, Chicago to Tampa averaged about $790 in August and about $1,030 so far in October. Miami to Chicago went the other way, from about $990 to about $810.
It isn't only Chicago. Boston to Miami started August at $800–$950 and is now at $1,400–$1,600, the highest it has printed in any of our reports. Its October average is about 27% above August.
Why does shipping a car south cost more in the fall?
Because a carrier prices the round trip, not just your part of it. A truck that hauls a load of cars from Chicago to Florida has to get back north again, and in October very few people are shipping cars out of Florida. The driver knows the return will be thin, so the trip south has to pay for part of the empty trip home. That is the whole effect in one sentence: lots of cars want to go south, few want to come back, and the price follows the cars.
You can see the other half of it on the northbound lane. Trucks finish their deliveries in Florida and compete for the few cars going north, so carriers accept less to avoid driving home empty. That's why Miami to Chicago, the longer trip, is now the cheaper one: about $0.57 per road mile against about $0.96 for Chicago to Tampa this week.
We expect the flow to reverse in spring, when snowbirds head home: northbound lanes should get busier and more expensive while southbound rates ease. We will measure it on the same lanes, and it will show up in the weekly report as it happens.
What does this mean if you're shipping a car to Florida this winter?
- Book whenever it suits you; the price is confirmed closer to pickup. You can put your move on the schedule weeks or months ahead. But carriers plan their routes only a few days out, so we confirm the final price about 3–5 days before pickup, when we can see what the lane is really paying that week and find you the best rate available. Booking months ahead doesn't lock in today's price, and booking a week ahead doesn't cost you more. Budget for the current Florida rate, not August's. And there is nothing to pay until then: the deposit is due when we confirm your price.
- Give the carrier a flexible pickup window. A few days of flexibility lets your car ride on a truck that is already going your way, which is the cheapest place for it to be.
- Pick one company and stay with it. In a busy season, the same car posted twice by two brokers at two prices tends to sit while carriers take clearer loads. We explain why in our Copart guide.
- Leave the car ready. Keys, about a quarter tank, and no personal items in the car. A smooth pickup is the easiest way to stay on the schedule you booked.
Is now a good time to ship a car north from Florida?
For the direction everyone else is not going, yes. Miami to Chicago is at its lowest price in any of our reports. If you're a dealer buying in Florida — at Manheim Fort Lauderdale or any of the other Florida auctions — and selling in the Midwest, autumn is when the trip home costs the least. The same logic works for a private buyer who found the right car in Florida: in October you are shipping against the flow, and the price shows it.
How sure are these numbers?
They are real weekly figures, but only 12 weeks of them, from one season. They show what happened this autumn. They can't yet tell you how big the swing will be next year. Each range is an estimate to plan against, not a quote: oversize, inoperable and enclosed shipments price above it, and a real quote depends on the exact pickup and delivery addresses and the date. For a price on your own car, a free quote takes about two minutes.
Frequently asked questions
When does snowbird season start raising car shipping prices to Florida?
This year the turn came in the last week of September. On our Chicago to Tampa lane the weekly range jumped from $750–$850 to $900–$1,050 that week, and it has risen or held every week since, reaching $1,000–$1,150 on October 19.
Why is shipping a car from Florida cheaper in the fall?
Because most cars are moving the other way. Trucks that deliver cars to Florida need loads for the trip back, and in autumn there are few of them, so carriers accept lower prices rather than drive home empty. On our Miami to Chicago lane, the October average is about 18% below August.
How far ahead should I book to ship a car to Florida for the winter?
Whenever you know your dates. Weeks or months ahead is fine, and we will put your move on the schedule. The final price is confirmed about 3 to 5 days before pickup, because that is when carriers plan their routes and we can see what the lane is really paying. That works in your favour: instead of guessing at a price months in advance, we find you the best rate available that week.