Car shipping from Seattle, WA to Phoenix, AZ
Every fall, snowbirds from Washington send their cars south for the winter, and Phoenix, AZ is a popular place to spend it. Post the trip once and verified carriers and brokers who run this lane answer in writing, so you can compare prices, pickup windows and insurance without a single sales call.
- Distance
- About 1,300 miles (2,100 km)
- Typical transit
- 3–5 days after pickup
- Usual route
- I-5 south to California, then I-10 east
- Border
- No border crossing
Distance is our estimate from the two city centres. Transit times are typical ranges, not promises; each company writes its own in its quote.
About this route
Once your car is on the truck, a trip of this length typically takes about 3–5 days. Before that comes the pickup window: carriers combine several cars into one load, so pickup is usually within a few days of your first available date, sooner if your dates are flexible. Every quote states the company's own pickup window and transit time, so you can compare them side by side.
Seattle, WA: Seattle and Tacoma move a lot of cars: the ports handle imports and the ocean link to Alaska and Hawaii, Joint Base Lewis-McChord brings military moves, and tech jobs draw people from California and Texas.
Phoenix, AZ: Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale and Tucson are the main winter homes for snowbirds from the Prairies, British Columbia, the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest, so southbound demand climbs from October and northbound demand from March.
Main highways in Arizona: I-10, I-17, I-8 and I-40. In busy downtown areas, carriers often ask to meet at a wide street or parking lot nearby, since a full car carrier is about 75 feet (23 m) long.
When to ship from Seattle, WA to Phoenix, AZ
Snowbird season
Southbound demand builds from late September and peaks from October to December, as snowbirds send their cars ahead of them. Trucks on this run fill up, so posting a few weeks ahead and giving a flexible pickup window usually gets you more quotes to compare.
Mountain passes
Routes through Washington can cross mountain passes where winter storms and chain laws slow trucks. Building a spare day or two into a winter pickup window takes the pressure off.
Summer heat
Summer in Arizona regularly passes 110°F (43°C). Early-morning pickups and drop-offs are easier on people and batteries.
Peak moving season
June to August is the busiest moving season in North America: school-year moves, new jobs and military transfers all land in summer. Posting early gives you more quotes and more choice of dates.
Open or enclosed on this route?
Most cars on this route travel on open carriers, the multi-car trucks you see on every highway. It's the most common choice and the one most carriers on this lane run.
Snowbirds often ship a convertible or a second car they want to keep nice; enclosed transport is worth comparing for anything you'd rather not expose to winter road spray.
Strong sun at the desert end of the trip is another reason owners of classic and dark-painted cars choose enclosed.
For classic, exotic, lowered or brand-new cars, ask for enclosed quotes too: you can say in your notes that you'd like both and compare them side by side.
How it works here
Same three steps on every route, and nobody gets your phone number unless you book them.
Post once
Vehicle, pickup and delivery cities, first available date, open or enclosed, and a few photos. About two minutes, free.
Verified companies quote in writing
Checked carriers and brokers (USDOT/MC or NSC/CVOR plus insurance) send a written price, pickup window and transit time to your private dashboard.
No spam calls
Message companies in-app. Your name, phone and street address go only to the company you book.
Questions about this route
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Ship your car from Seattle, WA to Phoenix, AZ
Post once in about two minutes. Verified companies answer in writing; your phone stays private.