The short answer
Demand for moving crews concentrates into summer, into month boundaries, and into weekends. Scheduling outside those windows is the cheapest single change most households can make, and it improves availability as well as price.
Our pricing model encodes that pattern as a seasonal multiplier: a 12% addition in June, July and August, 5% in May and September, and no premium from October through April. The table below shows what that multiplier does to a modeled 3-bedroom move at our median corridor distance, and the month-by-month difference in dollars.
Moving Cost Advisor model data
Seasonal multiplier applied by our model at the median corridor (1,530 miles, 3 bedroom)
Swipe the table sideways to see every column
| Month | Model multiplier | Modeled midpoint | Difference vs off-peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.00× | $7,000 | Baseline |
| February | 1.00× | $7,000 | Baseline |
| March | 1.00× | $7,000 | Baseline |
| April | 1.00× | $7,000 | Baseline |
| May | 1.05× | $7,350 | +$350 |
| June | 1.12× | $7,850 | +$850 |
| July | 1.12× | $7,850 | +$850 |
| August | 1.12× | $7,850 | +$850 |
| September | 1.05× | $7,350 | +$350 |
| October | 1.00× | $7,000 | Baseline |
| November | 1.00× | $7,000 | Baseline |
| December | 1.02× | $7,150 | +$150 |
MCA model assumption. The multiplier is a documented input to our pricing model, applied identically on every corridor. It is not a measurement of what carriers charged in a given month.
Season is the biggest lever
Summer carries the highest demand of the year: school calendars, lease cycles, and home closings all concentrate into June, July, and August. Our pricing model applies a 12% premium across those months and 5% in May and September, which is consistent with how carriers price capacity.
October through April is the cheapest window, with the exception of the last week of December. Availability is better too, which matters more than the discount when you need a specific delivery date.
Avoid month-end and the first of the month
Leases overwhelmingly start and end at month boundaries, so the last three and first two days of any month are the busiest for crews. Mid-month dates are easier to book and less likely to be reshuffled.
Weekdays over weekends
Saturday is the most requested day of the week. Tuesday through Thursday gives you better crews, more scheduling flexibility, and a stronger position when negotiating accessorial charges.
Booking lead time
For an interstate move, six to eight weeks of lead time is comfortable outside peak season; in June through August, aim for ten to twelve. Late bookings do not just cost more — they narrow the pool of carriers who can honour your delivery window.
Scheduling decisions in order of impact
- 01Move the month first: shifting out of June–August removes the largest modeled premium.
- 02Then move the date: mid-month beats the last three and first two days, when lease cycles peak.
- 03Then move the weekday: Tuesday to Thursday books more easily than Saturday.
- 04Book six to eight weeks ahead off-peak, ten to twelve in summer, and treat the delivery window as negotiable capacity rather than a fixed promise.
Regulatory and external sources
What the rules say
Household-goods carriers must offer a delivery window and are bound by the dates or period stated in the order for service.
49 CFR Part 375 — Transportation of Household Goods
Limits of this analysis
- The seasonal multiplier is a disclosed model input applied uniformly, not a measurement of month-by-month carrier pricing.
- Month-end and weekday effects are described qualitatively; our model does not price a specific calendar date.
Put this into a number
Use the moving cost calculator to see how these mechanics change your own estimate, or read the pricing methodology for the exact inputs we apply.
Related, and deliberately separate
Questions
How much cheaper is moving in winter?
In our model an off-peak month carries no seasonal premium, while a summer date adds about 12%. On a $6,000 move that difference is roughly $700 before any other change.
Is a flexible delivery window cheaper?
Generally yes. A wider window lets the carrier consolidate your shipment efficiently, which is the same economics that makes long-haul per-mile rates lower.