How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car With AmeriFreight?

Published on June 16, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 14 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

AmeriFreight Auto Transport sits in the broker side of US vehicle shipping, so the working pieces are carrier bids, open carrier slots, enclosed trailer capacity, pickup windows, delivery access, bill of lading checks, FMCSA broker authority, and the optional AFTA Total Assurance Plan. The company is not a tow yard or a single-hauler app. Its quote process links the customer’s route, vehicle condition, transport method, and timing to a carrier willing to take the load.

How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car With AmeriFreight?

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AmeriFreight car shipping can run from the high hundreds into the low thousands, with 2025 AmeriFreight quote data at about $900 (equivalent to 3.8 workdays at $30 per hour, or about $360 in 1990 dollars) to $1,500, a short open-carrier move near $600, and an enclosed cross-country move near $2,200 in 2025 quote data.

The final number is built from route distance, vehicle size, trailer type, pickup flexibility, carrier bids, broker coordination, and policy choices. Exact pricing stays quote-based because AmeriFreight has to find a carrier willing to accept the load on that lane and date, then confirm payment handling and any protection choice before dispatch.

For this brokered transport service, the useful unit is a per-shipment quote, not a flat per-mile menu. A sedan on open transport, a lifted truck, and an enclosed trailer for a collector car can land in different bands even on the same route.

Important numbers

• Mid-market AmeriFreight quote data: $900 (about $360 in 1990 dollars) to $1,500.
• Short open-carrier reference point: about $600.
• High-end enclosed cross-country reference point: about $2,200.
• Credit-card accommodation risk, if the whole shipment is charged through AmeriFreight: 8.75%.

What this is in plain terms

AmeriFreight is a broker in the car-shipping market. The company takes the shipment details, posts or works the load with carriers, then coordinates a pickup and delivery plan once a carrier accepts the job. AmeriFreight says directly that it is a broker in its brokerage role answer.

That broker role matters because the customer is not buying a truck seat the way someone buys a bus ticket. The customer is paying for carrier access, dispatch work, trailer space, route matching, paperwork, and handoff coordination. It differs from calling one direct carrier, and it differs from driving the car yourself.

AmeriFreight vs other shipping choices

AmeriFreight is not the same choice as hiring a single local hauler. The FMCSA snapshot for Amerifreight Inc listed the entity as a broker, active, and authorized for broker property as of April 12, 2026, through the federal broker record. That means the quote is tied to carrier assignment, not a company-owned truck fleet sitting at your address.

Driving can still be cheaper on a plain budget test. Kelley Blue Book put a 1,000-mile car shipment at an average of $1,020 (about $410 in 1990 dollars) and a sample drive at roughly $500, so shipping was about $520 higher in that 1,000-mile comparison. That gap buys less time behind the wheel, fewer miles added to the odometer, and less trip planning. For household goods, a rental truck budget belongs in a different line item.

Distance and vehicle type

Distance raises the invoice, but it does not raise each mile at the same pace. AmeriFreight’s 2026 calculator table lists a sedan at $500 for the short band and $1,180 for the extended band, so the long-route spread is $680 because $1,180 minus $500 equals $680 in the vehicle distance table. That is why a cross-country shipment can look expensive in total dollars yet less severe on a per-mile basis than a short haul.

Vehicle type shifts the bid because a truck, SUV, motorcycle, or luxury vehicle uses trailer space differently. The table gives a quick planning view before a real quote is placed with carriers.

Vehicle	Short route	Medium route	Long route	Extended route
Sedan	$500	$680	$910	$1,180
SUV	$575	$780	$1,045	$1,360
Truck	$625	$850	$1,140	$1,475
Motorcycle	$400	$545	$730	$945

Open carrier, enclosed carrier, and protection

Open transport is the lower-cost lane for a standard daily driver because more vehicles can ride on one trailer. Enclosed transport is priced higher because it uses covered, lower-capacity equipment for vehicles that need reduced exposure. AmeriFreight describes open transport as budget-friendly and enclosed transport as covered and private in its covered-trailer service notes.

A collector car, fresh restoration, or high-value build changes the decision. Owners who just paid for a custom car build may accept the enclosed premium because road debris exposure matters more than the lower open-carrier quote. AmeriFreight’s AFTA page says the plan requires personal vehicle insurance and can cover a deductible up to $2,000 through its deductible coverage wording. That is gap protection, not a reason to skip pickup photos or delivery inspection.

Three shipment cases

These cases are planning scenarios built from published quote examples, not private customer files. A budget case is a standard running sedan on open transport with flexible pickup. A mid-range case is a long interstate lane where the broker has to find a carrier with room on a route already moving traffic. A high case is an enclosed or special-handling shipment where trailer capacity and protection change the bid.

Moving.com listed AmeriFreight route examples such as Los Angeles to Miami at $900, Newark to Seattle at $1,150, and Houston to Spokane at $1,250 in its route-price examples. A project car after engine swap work belongs in the higher-risk bucket if it cannot roll, steer, brake, or load without equipment. Tell the broker that before dispatch. Surprises cost money.

• Budget case Running sedan, open carrier, flexible pickup, no rush.
• Middle case Interstate SUV shipment, open carrier, named pickup window.
• High case Enclosed trailer, luxury or non-running vehicle, tighter timing.

Fees, timing, and route items

The quote can move after the first estimate if the job becomes harder to place. Tight pickup timing, a non-running vehicle, a rural handoff, or a vehicle that takes more trailer room can push the broker toward a higher carrier offer. Dense city pickup can also require a nearby meeting point if a large carrier cannot reach the exact address.

Route demand matters as much as mileage. A common interstate lane may attract more carrier interest than a shorter job that ends far from the next paying load. Flexibility has cash value. A buyer who can give AmeriFreight a wider pickup window gives the broker more room to match a carrier without paying for urgency.

Worked total for a sedan

Use this as a math model, not a guaranteed quote. AmeriFreight’s Florida page lists Florida to California open auto transport at $1,197, and that gives a clean base for a coast-to-coast sedan example in the Florida route figures.

• Open carrier base for Florida to California: $1,197.
• Optional full shipment credit-card accommodation through AmeriFreight: 8.75%.
• Accommodation fee math: $1,197 times 8.75% equals $104.74.
• Card-paid model total: $1,197 plus $104.74 equals $1,301.74.

The credit-card line only applies in the situation described by AmeriFreight, where the total shipment is charged by card through the broker, and the terms describe an 8.75% customer accommodation fee in the payment method terms. Paying the carrier another approved way can change that line.

Who this cost makes sense for

AmeriFreight fits buyers who want broker-managed carrier access rather than calling haulers one by one. It is strongest when the car is moving between states, the pickup window has some room, and the buyer wants open or enclosed quotes reviewed before accepting a carrier offer.

Makes sense if

• You are moving a running car, SUV, truck, motorcycle, or luxury vehicle across state lines.
• You can choose open transport for a daily driver and save enclosed transport for higher-value vehicles.
• You want a broker to handle carrier offers, dispatch contact, and handoff timing.
• You can inspect the vehicle at pickup and delivery with photos and paperwork.

Doesn’t make sense if

• You only need a very short local tow.
• You need exact pickup and delivery times rather than windows.
• You refuse brokered carrier assignment and want the hauler contract only.
• Your vehicle cannot load under its own power and you do not want to pay for that handling.

What we verified

• Checked cancellation and no-upfront dispute wording in the complaint record.
• Confirmed AFTA recipients have 48 hours to report damage under that plan in AmeriFreight’s damage reporting guide.
• Cross-referenced active military and first responder discounts of $35 each on the discount eligibility page.

The safer reading is simple. Treat the first number as an estimate until a carrier offer is accepted, then review the payment method, protection choice, pickup access, and vehicle condition before signing.

Answers to Common Questions

Is AmeriFreight cheaper than driving?

Driving can be cheaper in direct cash outlay, but it adds mileage, food, lodging, time away, and road risk. Shipping becomes easier to justify when the trip is long, the car is valuable, or the driver cannot spare the travel days.

Does AmeriFreight own the truck that carries my car?

No. AmeriFreight is a broker. The carrier assigned to the job handles the physical transport, and AmeriFreight coordinates the quote, carrier offer, dispatch details, and customer communication.

Is enclosed shipping necessary?

For a normal commuter car, open transport is often the practical choice. Enclosed shipping fits cars where exposure to weather, road debris, and public trailer access would create a bigger financial concern than the higher quote.

Can the quote change after I request it?

Yes. A quote can change if the pickup window tightens, the vehicle condition is different than stated, the address is hard for a truck to reach, or carriers on that route ask for more money.