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Last Updated: Feb 29, 2024
Ready to get packed, but not sure who to choose? The Moving Feedback team did the heavy lifting for you. Read our review of International Van Lines to see if they’re the right fit for the job.
BEST CUSTOMIZATION
4.0
At Moving Feedback, we want you to have the best info possible. That’s why our research team went undercover and called International Van Lines incognito. We asked about three different moves, taking notes about the prices we could expect, the conduct of their moving agent, and even the services that were offered to us. All in a day’s work.
If you want to just skip ahead to see how our call went, jump ahead to see our experience with International Van Lines. And if you’re itching to see the price, fast forward to check out “How Much Does International Van Lines Cost?”. Otherwise, read on to learn a little more about the company and how they operate.
International Van Lines has been handling moves since 2000. They leverage those two decades of experience to give you a fuss-free move. International Van Lines has a national reach, and they can get you where you’re going with the help of solid customer support and a wide range of services.
International Van Lines has a considerable menu of services and add-ons to make your life a little easier. They provide hauling and transportation, but they can also help out with furniture disassembly and reassembly, packing, storage, and even corporate relocations.
While we had a great call with International Van Lines’ rep, we received some conflicting information. She told us that International does everything in-house, but one look at their reviews from around the web, and you can tell that this is definitely not the case.
We’ve encountered this before: Some movers have in-house teams for certain routes, and rely on subcontractors for routes they don’t often travel. This gives a mover the ability to say they have an in-house team, but you never actually know where they’re really operating. It could be a single in-house team for local moves, or it could be a bigger fleet.
In any case, the lack of transparency can be a bit of a red flag. Fortunately, IVL has some solid pros to keep them in the game.
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| 4.0 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.1 |
| Best Customization | Best Overall | Best for Long Distance | Best Customer Reviews | Most Affordable |
| 20% Military Discounts | 15% Seniors & Military Discounts | 18% Flexibility Discount | 20% Seasonal Discount | 15% Student Discount |
| $3957 - $7700 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2700-$6200 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2900-$6500 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2850-$6350 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2200-$5400 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) |
| Get a Quote | Get a Quote | Get a Quote | Get a Quote | Get a Quote |
| Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review |
As part of our research, we called International Van Lines about three different long-distance moves and got prices that ranged from $3957 to $7700. Read on to see the details of each.
| Distance of Move | Size of Move | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| CA to TX | 7000 lbs | $7700 |
| CA to NY | 3500 lbs | $3957 |
| IL to TX | 7000 lbs | $6200 |
For our first move, we requested a quote from International Van Lines for a 7,000-pound relocation from California to Texas. They provided us with a quote of $7700.01.
Next, we asked about a 3,500-pound relocation from California to New York. We received an estimate for $3957.00.
Finally, we asked about a 7,000-pound move from Illinois to Texas, and International Van Lines gave us a quote for $6200.
Overall, we had a pretty solid experience with International Van Lines. However, there was one minor issue with transparency when it comes to subcontractors and carriers. Read on to see what you can expect from your call with International Van Lines.
Most moving companies make you wait on hold for at least a few minutes before you get to talk to an actual human. With International Van Lines, we were pleasantly surprised: We got in touch with a moving agent as soon as we cleared the automated menu – no holding necessary.
We were assisted by Veronica, who was more than capable of walking us through our moves. She was professional, courteous, and got us right down to business as soon as we communicated our moving needs.
Veronica also took the time to ask us some important questions about our moves, including what kind of furniture we’d have to move, our preferred dates, and even whether we’d need any additional services. It was great dealing with an attentive moving agent who knew her way around a move.
HOWEVER: We still need to say it: Veronica did tell us that IVL does all their moving with in-house teams, when evidence on the internet says otherwise. She may have meant that the routes we asked about would be serviced by in-house movers and trucks, or she may have meant that IVL just has at least one in-house team. But that sort of conflicting info can raise some eyebrows.
When we asked about packing, Veronica was quick to mention that International Van Lines could box up our stuff, but she also reminded us that they had a full menu of options and services that we can pick and choose from. One look on their website is enough to show you that they have a lot to offer.
Aside from local, out of state, and international moving, International Van Lines also provides car transportation, corporate relocations, and storage. Their website also features a handy checklist and an informative FAQ so you can prepare for moving day accordingly.
Speaking of services, there’s one thing worth noting: If you’re concerned about subcontractors, you may not always end up dealing with International Van Lines carriers.
When we called in, we were informed that International Van Lines operates their own trucks and has their own moving teams. Unfortunately, when we checked online to confirm this was true, we saw a few customer reviews in which customers were unpleasantly surprised by subcontractors on the day of their moves.
While our agent didn’t offer any insurance options, it’s worth remembering that all moving companies in the United State s are legally required to offer a bare minimum of insurance coverage. This base coverage is typically $0.60 per pound of items lost, damaged, or destroyed.
Bare-minimum coverage is okay if you’re not expecting any major losses or damage, or if you aren’t transporting anything super valuable. However, it does mean that you’ll only get $12 if a 20-lb flat-screen TV is broken. We always recommend asking about additional insurance and checking in with third-party providers if possible.
Unfortunately, we weren’t offered any discounts from International Van Lines. If you’re really trying to save money on a move, check out our article on moving discounts and deals.
When discussing three different long-distance moves with International Van Lines, we inquired about their delivery options. They provided us with an estimated delivery window, which ranged between 10 to 20 days.
This timeframe should give you a good idea of how long your move will take, based on our example moves. Your own move may take more or less time depending on the size and distance of everything you’re moving.
| Move | Weight | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles to Austin | ~2,100 pounds (inventory list) | 1,383 miles | 10-20 Days |
| Los Angeles to New York City | ~2,100 pounds (inventory list) | 2,799 miles | 10-20 Days |
| Chicago to Austin | 3 Bedroom Home (Phone estimate) | 1,120 miles | 2-9 Days |
Don’t take our word for it! Check out what customers are saying about their experience with International Van Lines:
“Moving in the city is hard. They came on time and were fast. They took furniture apart and put it back together. They were careful with my electronics. They packed well, and nothing broke. The movers were nice and knew what they were doing.”
Frank Kinner Via My Moving Reviews
“I was moving to a new house out of state and decided to go with International Van Lines after I looked at reviews and information about them. The people that picked up my stuff were excellent, efficient, courteous, and easy to work with. The delivery itself was fine. They were quick and efficient. They did a good job.”
Julie M. Via Consumer Affairs
While we weren’t offered any discounts from International Van Lines, it couldn’t hurt to ask: If you’re a veteran, senior, or just flexible on your move-in date, it’s common for movers to provide discounts and deals to lighten the load on your wallet.
Depending on how far you’re traveling and how much you’re hauling, a local move will take anywhere between 1 to 3 days. On the other hand, a coast to coast move will take from 6 to 21 days, sometimes more, and sometimes less.
The duration of your move with International Van Lines varies depending on factors such as the distance, size of the move, and any additional services required. They will provide you with a detailed delivery window during the booking process.
International Van Lines typically experiences higher demand during peak moving seasons, so any time between June and August is going to be more challenging to book. We recommend avoiding peak moving season and shooting for a mid-month, mid-week move if possible.
When we were calling about our move, our agent didn’t offer any additional insurance coverage. However, movers are legally required to provide a bare minimum level of coverage for their customers – in International’s case, $0.60 per pound of items lost, damaged, or destroyed.
When we spoke to Veronica, we were told that International Van Lines has their own carriers to handle moves. At first this sounded like they don’t subcontract at all, but when we did some online research, it turned out that some customers have been surprised by subcontractors on moving day. Unfortunately, it seems like you may not get what you’re expecting, so keep this in mind and communicate as much as possible with International if you decide on booking with them.
Overall, we had a great experience with International Van Lines. We were able to get a quote from just a phonecall and a rough estimate of how much stuff we had to move, and Veronica was able to fill us in on details about other services we could expect from their team.
If you want a straightforward move and a team that gets right down to business, we definitely recommend International Van Lines. Just keep in mind, you should ask for some sort of guarantee if you’re hoping for an in-house team.
You made it to the end! Thanks for reading this far. If you’re ready to get packing, get in touch with International Van Lines and start planning your move. In the meantime, don’t forget to check back in with the team at Moving Feedback for more tips and tricks to make your moving day even easier.
Meet Harrison, a writer with a real passion for real estate and moving. For the past three years, he's been putting his writing skills to use for companies in these industries, but his experience with moving extends far beyond his keyboard. In fact, he's moved over a dozen times himself, sometimes with the help of professionals, and other times by taking on the move all on his own. Through these experiences, he's learned some valuable lessons about what can make a move a breeze, and what can turn it into a stressful nightmare. And when he's not busy writing, you can find him researching ways to make his next move as smooth and easy as possible.