Seasonal lane
From $950 · 3–5 days · Door-to-door on I-65 and I-75
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Price by vehicle
Ranges come from carrier quotes received on the Illinois to Florida lane, last checked September 12, 2026. Your firm price depends on the exact addresses and dates.
No deposit until a carrier is assigned.
| Vehicle | Open carrier | Enclosed carrier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan / coupe | $950 – $1,350 | $1,350 – $1,950 |
| SUV / crossover | $1,075 – $1,500 | $1,500 – $2,175 |
| Pickup truck | $1,150 – $1,625 | $1,625 – $2,350 |
| Van / minivan | $1,200 – $1,700 | $1,700 – $2,450 |
| Motorcycle | $750 – $1,075 | $1,075 – $1,550 |
What moves the price: the season (peak months run 5–10% higher), whether the vehicle runs (winch loading adds about $150), how flexible your pickup window is (a 3–5 day window beats a fixed date), and modifications such as lift kits or oversized tires.
Every winter a sizable part of Chicagoland relocates to Naples, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Sarasota, and the car goes with them. Add the Orlando and Tampa relocations, the Big Ten alumni in South Florida and the cars bought at Illinois auctions for Florida buyers, and you have one of the most consistent lanes in the country. Carriers run it weekly year-round and daily from October to January.
The trucks leave from the Chicago suburbs, which is where most of the volume is, and run southeast through Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. At about 1,250 miles to the Gulf Coast, it is a three-to-five-day trip priced in the middle of the national ranges. The quote form above is set to the lane; add your vehicle and you will see the estimate before you enter a phone number.
Seasonality
Peak demand runs October–January. Booking ahead of the peak keeps your price at the lower end of the range.
Outlined bar is the current month. Amber months are when carrier space sells out first.
The season begins in the first week of October, a little earlier than the Northeast because the weather turns sooner, and peaks from early November through Christmas. A shipment booked with a week's notice in that window pays the top of the range, and a single fixed date costs more. Two to three weeks of lead time with a three-day pickup window is what keeps the price down.
Late February through April is the cheapest time southbound. Trucks are running down to collect the spring return and leave Illinois with space. Summer brings relocations and student moves at steady prices. Midwinter weather is the variable: a lake-effect band or a cold snap that drops the region below zero can hold a pickup by a day or two.
On the ground
Carriers pick up and deliver anywhere in these regions; addresses outside them are quoted on request.
The truck works a loop through the suburbs, often the western and southern ones in a morning and the North Shore in the afternoon, then takes I-65 south through Indianapolis and Louisville to Nashville. From there it is I-24 to Chattanooga, I-75 through Atlanta and on into Florida at the Georgia line. Some drivers prefer I-57 and I-24 through Paducah; the mileage is nearly identical. Drivers cover 450 to 550 miles a day and cross into Florida on the third day.
I-75 runs straight down the Gulf side to Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples, which is where most Illinois cars are going, so those are delivered first. Orlando is a short detour on I-4. Miami and Fort Lauderdale are reached by continuing across Alligator Alley, usually the last stop.
One key for the driver, a quarter tank, the I-PASS out of the windshield, belongings under about 100 pounds and uninsured. Photograph the car and the odometer before pickup. If it is January, start the car that morning; a car that will not start is a winch job and a surcharge.
Timeline
Most shipments on this lane are complete 4–8 days after booking. Expedited pickup shortens the front end.
Day 0
Confirm your route, vehicle and first available pickup date.
1–3 days
A licensed carrier accepts the load; you get the name, DOT number and insurance certificate.
Agreed window
Driver inspects the car with you and both of you sign the bill of lading.
3–5 days
About 1,250 miles at 400–500 miles per driving day, with stops for other customers.
Driver calls ahead
Inspect against the pickup report, sign, and pay the carrier the balance.
Open vs enclosed
Illinois roads are salted from December through March, and a car with paint you care about, a convertible or a classic making the trip then is the case for an enclosed trailer at 40 to 60 percent more. For a daily driver in any month, an open carrier is the sensible choice and a wash in Florida fixes the road dust.
Most popularSedan on this route · Baseline price
PremiumSedan on this route · 40–60% more than open
City pairs
The same lane priced to and from the individual metros. Each row links to the city guide with pickup notes for that area.
| City pair | Road miles | Open carrier | Enclosed | On the truck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago to Miami | 1,380 mi | $975 – $1,375 | $1,400 – $2,000 | 3–5 days |
| Chicago to Orlando | 1,203 mi | $925 – $1,300 | $1,325 – $1,900 | 3–5 days |
| Chicago to Tampa | 1,227 mi | $925 – $1,325 | $1,350 – $1,925 | 3–5 days |
| Chicago to Fort Lauderdale | 1,426 mi | $1,100 – $1,550 | $1,575 – $2,250 | 4–6 days |
| Chicago to Jacksonville | 1,054 mi | $800 – $1,150 | $1,150 – $1,675 | 3–5 days |
| Chicago to Naples | 1,387 mi | $1,075 – $1,500 | $1,525 – $2,200 | 3–5 days |
Running sedan on a flexible pickup window. City rows are priced from road miles on the same curve as the lane range above; SUVs add about 12%, pickups 20%.
The suburbs are direct to the door: Naperville, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Oak Brook, Orland Park, Joliet, Aurora, Elgin and the North Shore towns, anywhere a 75-foot truck can get in and out without reversing. In the city, the driver names a meeting point. Common ones are the big-box lots along the Kennedy and the Edens, off the Stevenson near Midway, and on Cicero Avenue. O'Hare and Midway are easy handovers for anyone flying the same day, using the hotel lots along Mannheim Road or Cicero.
Downstate, Rockford is collected off I-90, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal and Springfield off I-55 and I-74, and Champaign off I-57. Assignment can take a few extra days and a meeting point at an interstate exit shortens it.
In Florida, the Gulf Coast communities Illinoisans favor, Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, Sarasota and Venice, are largely gated and restrict commercial trucks. The driver meets you at the visitor gate or a plaza nearby and you drive the last half mile. The Villages and the larger Orlando developments are the same. None of it changes the price.
A key and a photo ID at pickup are all that is needed. No title, and no lender approval to ship a financed car domestically. If the car is coming from a dealer in Schaumburg or an auction lot in the western suburbs, tell your specialist so the pickup is timed to the seller.
After delivery
Shipping to Florida: the paperwork Florida asks of a new resident, so you can book the DMV visit for the week the car lands rather than discover it at the counter.
Register within 30 days of establishing residency, taking a job or enrolling children in school.
VIN and odometer verification is required for a vehicle titled out of state (form HSMV 82042), completed by a law-enforcement officer, a licensed Florida dealer or a notary; it can be done before the car ships or after it arrives.
No periodic safety or emissions inspection.
Proof of Florida insurance is required before the county tax collector will register the car. Bring the out-of-state title.
Source: Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) . Checked September 15, 2026. Deadlines and inspection rules change; confirm on the official page before you go.
Related
Pickup state
Chicago is the Midwest’s carrier crossroads: southbound to Florida on I-65, southwest to Arizona on I-55 and I-40.
State guideDelivery state
The busiest inbound car shipping state in the country, from October through January.
State guideQuestions
Not covered here? A specialist can answer route-specific questions in a couple of minutes.
888-706-8784$950–$1,350 for a running sedan on an open carrier and $1,350–$1,950 enclosed. Chicagoland pickups are the cheapest in the state because the lane starts there; Rockford, Peoria and Springfield add a little for the detour.
Three to five days on the truck. Chicago cars are usually across the Georgia line on day three and on the Gulf Coast or in South Florida on day four. Pickup is one to five days before that.
I-65 through Indianapolis and Louisville to Nashville, then I-24 and I-75 through Chattanooga and Atlanta into Florida. Some drivers take I-57 and I-24 through Paducah instead; it is about the same distance.
In the neighborhoods with wide streets, yes. The Loop, River North, Lincoln Park and the North Side lakefront mean a meeting point, usually a big-box lot off the Kennedy, the Stevenson or Cicero Avenue.
Late February through April, when southbound trucks run light on their way to collect the spring return. November and December cost the most.
Lake-effect snow and a polar cold snap can hold a pickup by a day or two. Carriers wait it out at no charge. Start the car the morning of pickup so it loads under its own power.
Yes. Naperville, Schaumburg, Joliet, Aurora and the suburbs are direct to the door. Rockford, Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign and Springfield are served regularly with a slightly longer assignment window.
Guides
10 min read
Book southbound shipments 2–3 weeks before you fly, ideally before mid-October. Expect $900–$1,450 open from the Northeast or Midwest to Florida and 3–6 days in transit. Reverse the plan in late March.
Read the guide
7 min read
Most shipments deliver 1–3 days after pickup for under 500 miles, 3–5 days for 1,000–1,500 miles and 7–10 days coast to coast. Add 1–5 days for the carrier to be assigned and reach you.
Read the guide
7 min read
Wash the car, photograph every panel, leave a quarter tank of fuel, remove personal items and toll tags, fold in mirrors, note existing damage on the Bill of Lading, and hand over one set of keys.
Read the guideCarriers on this lane are quoting $950–$1,350 for a running sedan. Lock in a pickup window in about a minute.
Average response time under 5 minutes during business hours (Mon–Sun 7am–9pm ET).
Last updated September 12, 2026 · Written by the AutoShippingUS Editorial Team · Reviewed by Christofer Whiteman, Editor · Industry review by Sarah Williams, Independent auto transport consultant, 20 years in the industry
