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December is a very busy month of the year. Between end-of-year work projects, gift lists, and coordinating complex family gatherings, calendars are getting more and more packed, and vacation days are incredibly precious.
With all this energy already invested in those final tasks, the prospect of a 1,200-mile road trip can seem like a direct ticket to holiday burnout.
This is why many travelers are starting to look at auto transport not as a luxury, but as a necessity, as spending four days driving and eating gas station meals does not really look like the ideal holiday plan.
In this article, we will tell you all about how holiday car transport can be the best strategy this season, allowing you to bypass the long haul and simply enjoy the destination.
Hidden Costs of Driving Long Distance During Holidays
Some people have formed the erroneous idea that car shipping is an expensive service reserved only for moving luxury vehicles or corporate relocations. This is, of course, completely untrue.
In the last few years, especially with the introduction of AI in logistics, this service has become more and more common among customers who just desire comfort and, above all, peace of mind.
Real drivers on Reddit are also debating the same question: Is driving actually cheaper than shipping? This discussion highlights how fuel, winter conditions, and hotel stays make long-distance holiday driving more expensive than expected.
The reality is that setting out for a cross-country road trip can be equally as expensive, if not more, than just reliably shipping your car door-to-door.
To truly determine if holiday car shipping makes sense, you have to look beyond the shipping quote and take into account the following aspects:
Calculating the gas cost of a road trip is usually a simple procedure that should not imply surprise expenses. However, holiday driving is rarely efficient. Stop-and-go traffic in urban routes, keeping the heat on during rest stops, and winter tire resistance can lower your fuel economy significantly.
On a 1,500-mile round trip, fuel costs often end up being 15–20% higher than the original estimate. When shipping, the fuel cost is already taken into account in your rate.
Unless you are a solo driver willing to sleep at rest stops — which is dangerous in freezing temperatures — any drive over 10 hours usually requires an overnight stay.
If a round trip takes three days of driving each way, you are looking at four nights in hotels, which can mean $600–$800 just on accommodation, money that could have been better spent on a shipping fee.
Winter driving is particularly brutal in certain areas. A cross-country holiday trip exposes your vehicle to magnesium chloride and rock salt, which accelerate rust and corrosion. Even if you don’t pay these costs immediately, it doesn’t mean it’s free.
The weather can be unpredictable, especially during the cold winter months. A blizzard can leave you stranded in a roadside motel for two days, ruining your holiday schedule.
Experienced auto transport companies, on the contrary, are completely prepared for these kinds of unexpected events. With the help of AI, at Haulin, we are able to predict weather patterns, anticipate events, and even make changes according to real-time data, ensuring timely delivery and alerts even in the most chaotic of weather conditions.
This is often the deciding factor for professionals. If you have limited vacation time, spending four days of your break driving can be an immeasurable cost.
If you are taking unpaid leave, or even if you value your vacation days, shipping your car allows you to work until the last minute, fly out, and maximize your time with family.
When Shipping Makes More Sense
As we explained above, even though a road trip can be exciting and even invigorating at times, there are times when the road is outweighed by the cost and stress.
If your holiday plans fall into any of these four categories, shipping is likely the ideal choice:
Once you cross the 500–700 mile mark — approximately 8–10 hours of driving — the logistics change. Overnight accommodation, multiple fuel stops, and significantly more patience. At this distance, the cost gap between driving and shipping narrows, and the convenience of holiday auto transport becomes undeniable.
Long-distance travel with small children, especially during winter times, involves endless bathroom breaks, motion sickness, and the inevitable “Are we there yet?” questions.
With seniors, sitting in a car for two days can be physically taxing. Shipping the car allows your family to travel in comfort and arrive refreshed, rather than exhausted and irritable.
If you have seven days off, spending four of them on the highway means you are probably spending over half of your vacation on the road.
Shipping allows you to get those days back, allowing you to enjoy 100% of your holiday time.
Driving conditions vary greatly depending on where you are departing from and where you are going to. Some routes can be more complicated than others — sometimes even risky.
Professional car haulers are trained to handle weather conditions, providing peace of mind as you know your car will be delivered safely at your door, whether it rains or snows.
When you ship a car in December or January, there are many car shipping cost factors involved.
The most significant price factor in winter is direction. If you are shipping north to south, you are competing with thousands of retirees moving south for the winter.
Trucks that haul cars south often have to fill empty spots, so they usually offer discounts and more competitive prices.
The weather is another factor. Driving a 9-car truck through snow and ice is dangerous and slow, so it might take extra days to deliver the vehicle. That is instantly taken into account in the final fee.
If you need a car picked up specifically during Christmas week, you will likely have to pay expedited auto transport, which, provided you pay an extra amount, will deliver it faster at your door.
Customer Story – 1
Sarah is a marketing manager with only 6 days of PTO. She needs to go from Chicago to Denver (1,000 miles) to spend the holidays at her parents’ home.
The drive is 15 hours, and with the winter weather, this is a realistic 2-day drive each way, leaving her only 2 days to actually see her family.
However, she decides to take a convenient 2-hour flight and ship her car across state lines. The round-trip shipping is approximately $950, and when she arrive,s her vehicle is already waiting at the door.
Sarah is essentially paying for two extra days of vacation. For her, the time is worth more than the money.
Customer Story – 2
Robert and Linda are two retirees heading south for the winter. They are from Detroit, and they need to go to Fort Myers (1,400 miles), the place of their second home.
This route involves crossing the Appalachian Mountains in Tennessee and Kentucky, where December weather is notoriously unpredictable. Robert hates night driving, and the risk of black ice is high.
Instead of enduring 3 days of high-stress driving and spending 2 nights at costly hotels, they choose to spend $1,000 on round trip shipping and fly to their second home.
For Robert and Linda, the decision isn’t about saving money; it’s about eliminating winter travel risks. They fly down in 3 hours, and their car arrives safely on time, avoiding the dangerous trip entirely.
Customer Story – 2
The Miller Family is composed of 2 parents, 3 kids, and 1 dog. They need to go from Boston to Washington, D.C. (450 miles).
On paper, this is a 7-hour drive. However, during the holidays, it can easily turn into a 12-hour ordeal.
With three energetic kids and a dog in a vehicle for that long, this is a recipe for an uncomfortable start to the holidays.
For a fee of $600, the car arrives at their destination ready for local use, and the family arrives fresh and happy, rather than exhausted and arguing.
Conclusion
The holiday time can be an increasingly fulfilling, relaxing time when you know your family is safe from winter roads and your vehicle is being handled by professionals.
At Haulin, we can help you find the right carrier for your holiday trip, allowing you to get back time and, most importantly, peace of mind in this hectic time of year.
Get an instant quote now and start your holidays on the right foot.
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