International Van Lines Review 2024

Bottom line: International Van Lines is our favorite long distance moving company. It has 50-state availability, offers discounts, and doesn’t make you pay for packing if you don’t need it.

IVL scores higher with Move.org than any other long-distance moving company. It also charges a below-average deposit and has discounts for seniors and military members:

International Van Lines is upfront about how much it costs to move. While prices vary depending on the specifics of your move, the company fills its website with sample quotes. IVL reps are similarly straightforward about pricing, so you never feel like you’re twisting arms to get a ballpark estimate. We view that as a big trust signal.

You’ll need three pieces of info to get your initial moving quote for a long distance move:

1. Zip codes. Provide IVL with the zip codes of the cities you’re moving to and from.
2. Home size. Give a basic description of how many rooms are in your home.
3. Date. Supply IVL with the estimated date of your move.

International Van Lines is more open about pricing than any company we’ve reviewed. Unfortunately, no full-service moving company can instantly give you a binding quote for your move. There are too many variables at play. However, the international van line goes the extra mile and plasters sample moving prices all over its website. That way, you can get a feel for how much things will cost.

Most companies do that. The dollar amounts for long-distance moves are so high that they can scare customers off. For example, paying well over $5,000 to transport your home across the country is common. Some companies do everything they can to avoid giving you that number until the last minute.

IVL goes out of its way to educate you about pricing. It won’t claim to have rock-bottom rates, nor will it hem and haw when you ask for International Van Lines cost information. The best company in the moving industry even posts common charges on its website that aren’t included in moving estimates. For example, there’s a $75 surcharge for each flight of stairs. There’s also a $150 fee for bulky items like treadmills and canoes.

Moving is too expensive to pay for services you don’t need. That’s what makes IVL’s optional packing such a big win. While many other professional moving companies require you to pay for packing and unpacking, International Van Lines will let you save some cash if you want to add a flair of DIY to your move.

Savings start at around $400—and go upwards of $2,500 if you have a big home. For example, let’s say you have a 1,500-cubic foot home, and IVL quotes you $9,000 to move across the United States. If you pack yourself, that lowers your total to around $7,125—a savings of nearly two grand.

IVL can save you hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars with its senior discount. It might seem strange to feature a company’s “discount” as something special, but it’s a bigger win than you might think. For example, moving companies are typically cautious about offering discounts for long-distance moves.

Think about it.

A 15% discount doesn’t save you all that much on a jar of spaghetti sauce. But apply it to a long-distance move with a big home, and the savings become much more noticeable. For example, 15% of an $8,000 move is $1,200. Combine that with the do-it-yourself packing we discussed above, and you could be inching towards a move that’s half off.

Need the cost savings of a 15% senior discount?

International Van Lines offers all major moving services for local, cross-country, and international moves:

• Long-distance moving
• Local moves
• Ground transportation, ocean freight, and air freight
• Auto transport
• Optional packing services
• Optional storage services
• Corporate relocation
• Office moves
• Government and military relocation services
• International moving

International Van Lines is one of the best moving companies for moving overseas. The moving service can ship your belongings almost anywhere in the world and garners more customer reviews than any other company. We’re especially impressed by its transparent pricing and dedicated account managers:

• Transparent pricing. International Van Lines is the only company we’ve seen that posts international move prices online. Publishing rate info is rare because costs can vary by thousands of dollars depending on things like your home size and destination country. In addition, most companies don’t want to give pricing info until they know what’s involved in your move. IVL goes the extra mile and gives you the ability to roughly estimate your international moving costs (anywhere from about $5,000–$15,000).
• Dedicated account managers. IVL simplifies moving to another country by providing personal account managers. It’s like a hotel concierge, except the rep has international moving expertise. International Van Lines’s agent can help you with everything from planning your move to getting oriented once you arrive.

Move.org has reviewed International Van Lines each year since the late 2010s. Most of its services have remained consistent during its 20 years in the business. The company has offered virtually every service you need to move year after year, from local and long-distance moving to storage options. As a result, it holds a firm grip on the number one position on Move.org’s list of the best long-distance moving companies.

There has been an increase in FMCSA customer complaints across the entire moving industry in the wake of COVID-19. Our International Van Lines historical review shows that IVL is not exempt from the trend, receiving twice as many Federal Motor Carrier Services Administration (FMCSA) complaints (16) in 2021 as in 2020. However, the company hasn’t reported a single crash to the FMCSA in the last 24 months.

International Van Lines isn’t just a good company: it’s our pick for the best moving company. Now, it’s not perfect. The company scores below average on customer reviews and has irritating online pop-up ads. But it compensates for those shortcomings when you consider other factors that make a big difference. IVL trounces the competition for things like pricing transparency, customer service availability, and discounts. Put it all together, and International Van Lines scores about one-half star higher than most other moving companies.

Looking for the country’s best long-distance moving company?

Yes, International Van Lines (also knowns as IVL) is a reputable moving company. From transparent pricing to excellent customer service availability, there is good reason why IVL is customer favorite. Plus, they offer discounts on their moving services, which is pretty rare in the industry. 

Yes, IVL has international moving crews that go everywhere in the world, from helping you with a local move to getting you and your things across the pond. International Van Lines is one of our best international movers because it has storage facilities in many countries around the globe.

International Van Lines has several impressive storage features, including long-term storage for cross-country shipments. The company includes 30 days of free storage for those who need somewhere to keep their belongings during a move.

IVL charges an additional fee to move specialty items like treadmills, pianos, and motorcycles. An IVL customer service representative can tell you whether your belongings qualify and how much your costs will be.

International Van Lines offers insurance coverage through a third party. The company also says that your homeowner’s insurance may cover the cost of damage to belongings during your shipment.

International Van Lines has several competitors, for a full list you can check out our list of best international moving companies. Aside from IVL, we recommend North American Van Lines, United Van Lines, Allied Van Lines, and even JK Moving Services to name a few. 

Move.org evaluates and identifies the moving industry’s best full-service movers using a fivefold research approach:

• Compare pricing transparency. We gather quotes, check for binding estimates, and read customer reviews about pricing to ensure each moving company’s prices are trustworthy. 

• Review accreditation. We check every company’s records in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s database to confirm companies are properly authorized to transport household goods.

• Mystery shopping. We review every company’s website, pose as customers in calls to companies, and read customer reviews to analyze every company’s moving services, transit protection, and customer service. We also interview actual customers to learn how their moves went from start to finish.

• Site visits.  We invite moving companies to our headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT, to share data and expertise. We verify the information they provide by comparing it to data gathered through independent research and interviews with other movers.
• Regular review. We routinely repeat this process to update our recommendations to reflect current data and trends. We also revise each review annually and make updates throughout the year.

• Best Long-Distance Movers
• Best Moving Companies
• Best Moving Container Companies
• Best Car Shipping Companies
• Best Motorcycle Shipping Companies

• How Much Does It Cost to Move?
• What Is the Cheapest Way to Move Cross-Country?
• Is American Van Lines a Reputable Company?
• How Do I Transport My Car Cross-Country?
• Should I Move Myself or Hire a Professional Mover?
• What are the Cheapest Moving Container Companies?

• Jim’s Move (May 2021)
• Rachel’s Move (April 2020)