Snowbird Auto Transport, Fort Lauderdale

Every fall, Broward fills up. Winter residents come down I-95 from New York, New Jersey, Boston and Philadelphia, and down I-75 from Chicago, Detroit and Ohio. Every spring they head home again. A lot of them skip the two-day drive and ship the car instead. This page covers how snowbird car shipping works to and from Fort Lauderdale, all year round.

The snowbird calendar

• Southbound peak: October through December. Lanes into South Florida tighten early in October and stay busy through the holidays. Book two to four weeks ahead for the best choice of carriers.
• Mid-winter: January through March. Southbound is calmer, and it’s a good window for late arrivals or second cars.
• Northbound peak: April through May. Everyone heads home at once, and northbound trucks out of Fort Lauderdale fill fast. Book your spring trip early, even before you leave in the fall if your dates are set.
• Summer: June through September. Snowbird traffic is quiet. It’s a good time to ship a car you’re leaving in Florida for a repair or a sale.

For this specific season’s dates and tips, see our 2026–27 snowbird season guide.

Popular snowbird lanes into Fort Lauderdale

Here are starting estimates and typical transit windows from the live route pages. They’re ballpark starting estimates for open transport. They change with fuel, season and events, and peak weeks run higher. You get a firm price once a carrier commits to your dates.

From	Typical transit	Open, from	Route page
New York	3–5 days	$965	New York to Fort Lauderdale
Boston	4–6 days	$1,055	Boston to Fort Lauderdale
Philadelphia	3–5 days	$965	Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale
Washington DC	3–5 days	$825	Washington DC to Fort Lauderdale
Chicago	4–5 days	$1,020	Chicago to Fort Lauderdale
Detroit	3–5 days	$1,025	Detroit to Fort Lauderdale

Going home in spring? The return lanes run the other way, for example Fort Lauderdale to New York, Fort Lauderdale to Boston and Fort Lauderdale to Chicago. The wider network groups these lanes on the East Coast snowbird and Midwest snowbird region pages. If you’re coming from somewhere else, the Northeast transit guide and the Midwest guide cover more cities.

Round trips: book both legs early

Many snowbirds book the fall and spring legs together. You don’t need exact spring dates to start. Give us a rough week, and we’ll confirm closer to the time. Booking the return early mostly helps you get on a carrier’s list before the April rush.

Winter-home pickups and deliveries

Your winter home is probably a condo, a gated community or a 55+ community. Those all have rules for large trucks:

• Condo towers on A1A (Galt Ocean Mile, Pompano, Hollywood, Hallandale): the car comes out to the truck, usually at a nearby lot.
• Gated communities (Boca, Weston, Parkland, Coral Springs): get the driver on the gate list and check the HOA’s commercial vehicle rules.
• 55+ communities (Deerfield, Coconut Creek, Pembroke Pines): many don’t allow tractor-trailers inside, so plan to meet outside the main gate.

Our condo and HOA pickup guide has a full checklist, and the Areas We Serve page covers each city.

Leaving the car up north? Getting one down for the Keys?

If you winter in the Keys, we arrange the run down US-1 with In-N-Out Keys, our partner based in Marathon. Fort Lauderdale to Key West starts at $350 (a ballpark starting estimate). See Fort Lauderdale to Key West car shipping and the Upper and Middle Keys guide.

Prep checklist for snowbird shipping

• Clean the car so the inspection photos are clear.
• Leave about a quarter tank of fuel.
• Take out toll transponders, or plan for them. A SunPass or E-ZPass left on the windshield may keep reading tolls on the carrier.
• Remove personal items and anything loose in the trunk.
• Note existing scratches and take dated photos.
• Have a spare key handy and a backup contact at both ends.

Snowbird car shipping questions

When should I book a southbound run to Fort Lauderdale?

For October through December, two to four weeks ahead is comfortable. More lead time helps for enclosed transport and holiday weeks.

Is it cheaper to drive?

Once you count two days of fuel, hotels, meals, tolls and wear on the car, shipping is often close. And you can fly and skip the drive. Compare the route-page estimate with your own costs.

Can you ship two cars for one household?

Yes. Tell us both vehicles when you ask for a quote. They can often ride on the same carrier.

Can I ship my car to Fort Lauderdale and pick it up later?

Delivery needs someone to receive the car. If you won’t be there, name a neighbor, building manager or friend who can sign for it.

CTA: Tell us where the car spends the summer, where it winters, and your rough dates each way. We’ll come back with ballpark starting estimates for both legs.