Holiday Car Shipping Guide
How Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's affect auto transport — and how to navigate reduced carrier availability, price spikes, and blackout dates.
Shipping a Car During the Holidays
The holiday season — roughly late November through early January — is the most challenging time of year to ship a vehicle. Carrier availability drops as drivers take time off, demand spikes from families relocating or buying cars as gifts, and prices climb 15 to 25% above standard rates. Understanding how each major holiday affects the auto transport industry helps you plan ahead, avoid blackout dates, and save money by booking at the right time.
American Auto Shipping's marketplace connects you with carriers who are still operating during the holidays — giving you access to competitive bids even when capacity is tight. The key is booking early enough that carriers can plan your load into their holiday schedules before spots fill up.
15–25%
Holiday Price Increase
3–4 wks
Recommended Booking Lead
30%
Carrier Availability Drop
Holiday Impact Overview
How each major holiday period affects auto transport pricing and carrier availability.
| Holiday | Dates | Price Impact | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving | Nov 20 – Nov 30 | +15–20% | ~30% reduction |
| Christmas | Dec 15 – Jan 2 | +20–25% | Worst of the year |
| New Year's | Dec 28 – Jan 5 | +15–20% | Reduced capacity |
| Spring Break | Mar – Apr | +5–10% | Moderate impact |
| Memorial / Labor Day | Late May / Early Sep | +5% | Minor impact |
Holiday-by-Holiday Breakdown
Detailed impact analysis and planning tips for each major holiday period.
Thanksgiving
November 20 – November 30Carrier availability drops roughly 30%. Prices increase 15 to 20%. Many drivers take time off to spend the holiday with family, pulling capacity off the road during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.
Planning Tips:
- ✓Book by early November — at least 3 to 4 weeks ahead
- ✓Be flexible on pickup dates by 2 to 3 days in either direction
- ✓Avoid requesting pickup or delivery on Thanksgiving Day
- ✓Consider shipping the week before Thanksgiving to avoid the crunch
Christmas
December 15 – January 2The worst availability window of the year. Prices spike 20 to 25%. Some carriers shut down entirely from December 24 through 26. The combination of reduced workforce and high demand creates the tightest capacity of any holiday period.
Planning Tips:
- ✓Book by late November — 4 weeks minimum lead time
- ✓Ship before December 15 if possible to avoid the worst crunch
- ✓Do not expect pickup or delivery December 24 through 26
- ✓If shipping after Christmas, plan for continued delays through January 2
New Year's
December 28 – January 5Continued reduced capacity as many carriers extend their holiday break. Prices remain elevated at 15 to 20% above standard rates. Carriers typically resume normal operations by January 6 or 7.
Planning Tips:
- ✓Plan for January 1 as a blackout date — no operations
- ✓Expect slower carrier response times through January 3
- ✓Normal capacity and pricing usually return by mid-January
- ✓Use this window to book ahead for spring shipping needs
Spring Break
March – AprilModerate impact on availability and pricing. The snowbird return season overlaps with spring break relocations, creating a 5 to 10% price increase on popular north-south corridors.
Planning Tips:
- ✓Book 2 to 3 weeks ahead for the best carrier selection
- ✓Prices vary week to week — flexibility on dates helps
- ✓Florida-to-Northeast routes are especially busy during this window
- ✓Consider mid-week pickup to avoid weekend demand spikes
Memorial Day / Labor Day
Late May / Early September weekendsMinor impact overall. Prices may increase roughly 5% for long weekends. The main challenge is that pickup and delivery on the actual holiday date is unlikely since most carrier operations pause for the day.
Planning Tips:
- ✓Avoid scheduling pickup or delivery on the holiday itself
- ✓Book 2 weeks ahead to ensure availability around the long weekend
- ✓Carriers resume normal operations the day after the holiday
- ✓These are good times to ship — capacity is generally strong outside the holiday date
Holiday Blackout Dates
Days when most carriers are completely unavailable for pickup or delivery.
Certain dates are effectively non-operational across the auto transport industry. While your vehicle remains safe and secured on a carrier's trailer during these periods, no pickups or deliveries are scheduled. Plan your shipping timeline around these blackout dates:
Complete Blackout
- •December 24 (Christmas Eve)
- •December 25 (Christmas Day)
- •December 26 (many carriers extend the break)
- •January 1 (New Year's Day)
Limited Operations
- •Thanksgiving Day (most carriers off, resume Friday)
- •December 27 – 31 (skeleton crews, slow response)
- •January 2 – 3 (carriers gradually resume)
- •Memorial Day and Labor Day (single-day pause)
If your vehicle is already loaded on a trailer when a blackout date arrives, the driver will hold the vehicle securely and resume transit when operations restart. The carrier's insurance covers your vehicle for the entire transport period, including any holiday pauses.
How to Save During Holiday Season
Strategies to reduce your shipping costs when holiday demand drives prices up.
Holiday Shipping Timeline
When to book for each holiday to get the best rates and availability.
Thanksgiving
Book by: First week of November | Ship by: November 18 | Avoid: Nov 25 – Nov 29
Christmas
Book by: Late November | Ship by: December 14 | Avoid: Dec 24 – Dec 26
New Year's
Book by: Mid-December | Ship by: December 27 | Avoid: Jan 1
Spring Break
Book by: 2–3 weeks ahead | Ship by: Before peak week | Avoid: Easter weekend
Memorial / Labor
Book by: 2 weeks ahead | Ship by: Friday before holiday | Avoid: Holiday Monday
For a broader look at how seasons and weather patterns affect auto transport year-round, see our Seasonal Shipping Guide.
Holiday Car Shipping FAQ
For Thanksgiving, book by early November — at least 3 to 4 weeks ahead. For Christmas and New Year, book by late November or the first week of December. Last-minute holiday bookings often face 20 to 30 percent price premiums and limited carrier availability.
Yes. Most carriers observe blackout dates on December 24, 25, and 26, as well as January 1. Some independent owner-operators also take off the full week between Christmas and New Year. Thanksgiving Day itself is typically a non-operational day, but pickups and deliveries resume the following day.
Expect prices to increase 15 to 25 percent during major holiday periods compared to standard rates. Thanksgiving typically adds 15 to 20 percent, while the Christmas-to-New-Year window can spike 20 to 25 percent due to severe carrier shortages. Booking early and using a marketplace to compare carrier bids helps offset these increases.
Carriers secure vehicles on transport trailers with professional tie-down equipment. If your vehicle is in transit during a holiday pause — for example, loaded on December 23 but not delivered until December 27 — it remains secured on the trailer. The carrier's cargo insurance covers the vehicle throughout the entire transport period, including any holiday downtime.
It's possible but significantly harder and more expensive. Last-minute holiday bookings compete with a reduced carrier pool. Posting your shipment on a marketplace increases your chances because multiple carriers see your load — but you should expect to pay a premium of 20 to 30 percent above standard rates for the urgency.
Ship Your Car This Holiday Season
Don't wait until carrier spots are gone. Get a free quote now and lock in your holiday shipping before availability drops. Our marketplace connects you with carriers who are ready to move your vehicle — even during the busiest weeks of the year.