Car Shipping From Chicago, IL to Phoenix, AZ
Shipping a car from Chicago, IL to Phoenix, AZ costs $890 to $1,140 on an open carrier and takes 4 to 6 days in transit. The route is about 1,750 driving miles.
Distance, vehicle size, and prevailing carrier rates on this corridor. An estimate, not a quote.
- Open
- $890 – $1,140
- Enclosed
- $1,250 – $1,590
- Distance
- 1,750 mi
- Transit
- 4–6 days
Timing and seasonality on this lane
A major Midwest-to-Southwest snowbird lane. Southbound capacity tightens from October through December and northbound from April through May. Chicago winters also compress the pickup window, since carriers avoid loading in active ice storms.
Pickup and delivery access
Chicago city pickups usually require a meeting point outside the dense North Side and Loop. Phoenix delivery is generally true door-to-door thanks to wide roads and large lots.
Chicago, IL to Phoenix, AZ questions
How long does Chicago to Phoenix car shipping take?
Typically 4 to 6 days in transit for the roughly 1,750-mile route.
Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago to Phoenix in summer?
Yes. Southbound snowbird demand peaks October through December. Summer southbound capacity is looser and rates are lower.
Transparent Pricing
What actually drives your price
Four things set the number: how far the vehicle is going, how big it is, whether it travels open or enclosed, and whether it runs. Everything else is noise.
- Distance
- Distance is the largest single factor. Longer moves cost more in total but less per mile — a 2,800-mile run prices near $0.50 per mile while a 200-mile run prices near $1.75, because loading, paperwork, and fuel stops cost the same either way.
- Vehicle size and weight
- A carrier has fixed deck space and a legal weight limit. A dually or lifted truck displaces what would otherwise be two sedans, so it prices roughly 30 percent above a sedan on the same lane.
- Open or enclosed
- Open transport is the standard and the cheapest. Enclosed runs 10 to 40 percent more and is worth it for classic, exotic, freshly painted, or low-clearance vehicles.
- Whether it runs
- A vehicle that rolls, steers, and brakes loads on its own power. One that does not needs a winch and a carrier equipped to use it, which narrows the pool and adds cost.