How Far in Advance Should I Book Car Shipping?
Booking earlier buys a wider pickup window: expedited pickup runs 1-2 days, regular runs 3-5 days, and flexible runs 6-15 days, and booking further ahead of the move date gives a dispatcher more carriers to choose from. A guaranteed pickup window can be purchased at a premium. Wave does not sell a guaranteed delivery date.
| Tier | Pickup window | What it buys |
|---|---|---|
| Expedited | 1-2 days | The fastest pickup, priced above the standard tiers. Best for a move that can't wait |
| Regular | 3-5 days | The standard balance of cost and speed for most bookings |
| Flexible | 6-15 days | The widest window and the most room for a dispatcher to match the shipment to a carrier already running that route |
What are Wave's pickup-window options?
Wave offers three pickup-window tiers: expedited (1-2 days), regular (3-5 days) and flexible (6-15 days). The pickup window controls how quickly a carrier is assigned, not how fast the truck drives once the vehicle is loaded.
Transit time, how long the actual drive takes once a carrier has the vehicle, is a separate figure that depends on the specific route. See how long shipping a car takes, or a specific route page, for that number.
How does booking earlier change my price and options?
Booking further ahead makes the wider flexible tier realistic, and a narrower pickup window costs more because Wave has to choose a faster carrier for it.
Carriers add a small charge for that speed, sometimes because they run team drivers. A customer who needs the car gone next week doesn't have the runway a flexible window depends on, whichever tier they pick.
Is there a season when I should book further ahead?
Yes. Demand rises on north-south corridors during snowbird season, the recurring fall-and-spring stretch when seasonal residents move between colder states and warm-weather states, so booking further ahead then leaves more time for a dispatcher to find a carrier already running that corridor.
Wave lists snowbird moves as one of its shipping segments, and corridors like Georgia to Florida see concentrated one-direction demand during those periods. A wider, earlier-booked window is more useful there than on a route with steady, year-round demand.
Can I get a guaranteed pickup date?
Yes. A guaranteed pickup window is available as a paid upgrade above the standard tiers, for a customer who needs certainty on the pickup date rather than a window.
A guaranteed pickup is a separate purchase from picking the expedited tier: expedited buys a faster window, and a guaranteed pickup buys certainty within that window.
Can I get a guaranteed delivery date?
No. Wave does not sell a guaranteed delivery date. The guaranteed option applies to the pickup window only.
Delivery timing depends on the drive itself, which a multi-car carrier makes with other vehicles loaded and unloaded along the way, so it isn't a figure that can be locked in the way a pickup window can.
What if I need my car picked up right away?
Choose the expedited tier, which has a 1-2 day pickup window, the fastest of the three standard tiers.
Expedited is priced above the wider tiers because the faster carrier it requires charges a small premium, and some of those carriers run team drivers to move quickly.
Where these figures come from
The pickup-window figures and the guaranteed-pickup rule are Wave's own service options, each listed with its date.
Frequently asked questions about booking lead time
- How far in advance should I book if I want the cheapest price?
Book as far ahead as your move allows and choose the flexible pickup tier (6-15 days), the widest window. A faster pickup window costs more, so expedited is the tier that adds cost, and the live quote shows the price for the dates you pick.
- Is expedited pickup the same as same-day pickup?
No. Expedited pickup runs a 1-2 day window, not same-day. It's the fastest of the three standard tiers, not an instant pickup.
- Does booking earlier guarantee a specific pickup date?
No. Booking earlier gives you access to the wider tiers, but a specific guaranteed date is a separate paid option on top of any tier.
- Can I change my pickup window after booking?
The terms for changing a pickup window after booking are not stated here, so contact Wave directly to ask about adjusting one on an existing booking.
- How much earlier should I book before a lease return or closing?
Count back from the date the car must arrive: subtract your route's transit time and the pickup window of the tier you choose, which is 1-2 days for expedited, 3-5 for regular or 6-15 for flexible. A guaranteed delivery date is not something Wave sells; the guaranteed option applies to the pickup window only. See how long shipping a car takes, or your route's page, for the transit figure.
- Does a longer route need more advance notice than a short one?
The pickup-window tiers work the same way regardless of distance. What changes with distance is transit time once the vehicle is picked up, not how far ahead you need to book. See how long shipping a car takes for transit figures by distance.
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