American Van Lines Review (2023)

American Van Lines is one of our This Old House Reviews Team’s top picks for overall best moving companies. A top moving company provides full-service options that can make the entire moving process less stressful.

Learn more about American Van Lines, the benefits and drawbacks of working with the company, its service options, and its costs.

Founded in South Florida in 1995, American Van Lines is a nationwide mover that is licensed, insured, and registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation. While American Van Lines can assist with local, international, and interstate moves, the company specializes in long-distance relocations. American only directly handles local moves in North Carolina, the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and South Florida.

American Van Lines is available in every state except Alaska and Hawaii. The company can assist with specialty items and offers storage solutions, auto shipping assistance, and some limited insurance options. The company has a large fleet of moving trucks, as well as weekly shuttles to and from nearly every major city in the country.

Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons of working with American Van Lines:

Learn more details about some of American Van Lines popular moving services below:

• Full-service moves: American Van Lines offers full-service options for your international, local, or long-distance move. A background-checked team will dismantle furniture, pack your items, load them onto the moving truck, transport them, unload them, and unpack and reassemble furniture upon delivery.
• Partial-service moves: A budget-friendly moving option is a partial-pack move. American Van Lines will pack difficult and fragile items, such as electronics, glass table tops, and other objects you would feel more comfortable leaving in the hands of professional movers. It then will assist with loading and unloading, as well as transportation.
• Moving supplies: If you plan on doing your own packing, American Van Lines can provide an assortment of moving boxes. In addition to standard box sizes, the company provides custom boxes such as mirror cases, wardrobe boxes, and dish-pack boxes.
• Specialty services: American Van Lines employs certified movers to handle one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture, fine art, antiques, and pianos. Their piano movers are versed in the proper dismantling techniques of all piano types including grand, vertical, electrical, and digital pianos.
• Storage: American Van Lines can safely store your items at one of its state-of-the-art private storage facilities. Private storage units are housed in fireproof and storm-proof buildings with features including climate control, 24-hour security surveillance cameras, and personal storage vaults.
• Corporate relocations: The company also provides assistance with commercial moving, corporate relocations, and office moves.

Sample quote: $4,000–$5,000 (2-bedroom move from Atlanta, Georgia, to Chicago, Illinois)

• With packing services: $4,800–$5,000
• Without packing services: $4,000

Deposit required: 10%–50% of your overall moving cost

Binding estimates: American Van Lines will give you a binding estimate, also known as a flat-rate price, after completing a home assessment to review your inventory. As long as you don’t add to your shipment, binding estimates ensure your moving costs will not change after you schedule your move.

Quote process: American Van Lines does not provide quotes online. To provide the most accurate estimate, the company will request a detailed inventory of your belongings and may arrange a virtual walkthrough to view your home’s layout, including any difficult access points such as narrow stairways.

You can book your move with American Van Lines by visiting the company’s website and contacting a moving coordinator. Together, you will work out all the details of your move. You may be asked to hold a home visit for the company to better understand your needs.

American Van Lines currently has a A rating* with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). American Van Lines also holds average ratings on customer feedback sites, including Trustpilot and Yelp. American Van Lines is also the recipient of three Newsweek customer service awards in 2019, 2021, and 2022.

Positive customer reviews about American Van Lines frequently mentioned a streamlined process and efficient service. Consistent complaints focus on frequent follow-up calls after requesting a quote and lack of communication on moving day.

Read what customers had to say here:

“Pickup was smooth but once our things left the house they did not communicate with us. I had to call them to get the status. I was told two times our things would get to us in two to four days, when in fact it hadn’t even left CA yet. It took three weeks, which would [have] been fine if they let us know that ahead of time, would [have] planned differently. When they did get here, [there were] only two guys to unload! My husband and I had to unwrap everything or it would [have] taken them two days to finish!” —Lisa C. via BBB

“From top to bottom, the American Van Lines staff with whom I dealt did an outstanding job of arranging and providing for the transportation and moving support I needed to move appliances and furniture from Ft. Bragg, NC to Charlotte, NC. The assurances I was given were very comforting that the job I needed to have done would be professionally done without any problems, to include having access to a military installation. In short, all that I was told worked out just like it had been explained.” —R. Rocque W. via BBB

*BBB rating is accurate as of July 2023.

There are a variety of other moving companies that can provide an assortment of full-service and partial-service moving services while also supplying other benefits and additional perks.

American Van Lines vs. International Van Lines

International Van Lines is another popular choice in full-service moves. It offers many of the same services as American Van Lines, while also providing assistance with vehicle and boat relocation. International Van Lines also offers a variety of insurance coverage options for your move, so you know your belongings are well-protected during transit.

We recommend you see how International Van Lines compares to American Van Lines by completing this short form to get an instant quote.

American Van Lines vs. JK Moving

JK Moving also provides full-service moves for moves of any size. Though it provides local moving services only in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, it provides extensive services for cross-country moves and international moves. JK Moving allows you to finance your move easily due to its partnership with Enhancify. This partnership allows you to finance your move with rates as low as 0% same-as-cash.

See what JK Moving can do with your budget by filling out this easy-to-use form to get an online estimate.

We recommend American Van Lines as a great option for a long-distance mover. The company is widely available, offers storage options, and employs background-checked experts for its specialty services. Its flat-rate, binding estimates also help ensure no surprise expenses on moving day.

However, American Van Lines may be a more expensive option than competitors, and it does require deposits of 10% to 50%, depending on the size of your move. Additionally, some customers complain that communication can be difficult.