Ship the car, fly yourself
Shipping Your Car and Flying Between MSP and RSW
Almost every Minnesota snowbird we work with flies and ships rather than driving 1,800 miles twice a year. Getting the sequence right is the whole job — and it is simpler than most people expect.
The right sequence
Ship the car first, fly second. Handing the vehicle over while you are still standing in Minnesota is far easier than coordinating a pickup from a condo in Naples, and if the driver runs a day late you still have a car to get to the airport in.
- 1
Book three to six weeks before your flight
Longer in October, November, March and April. This is about getting a short pickup window, not about the price alone.
- 2
Make the vehicle available roughly a week before you fly
Give the shipment a two-to-three-day window rather than a single date. A week of margin turns almost every scheduling problem into a non-event.
- 3
Name a release contact in Minnesota
A neighbour, family member or property manager who can hand over keys and sign the Bill of Lading if the truck comes after you have gone. Give us their name and number at booking.
- 4
Name a receiver in Florida
Same idea at the other end. If your flight shifts, the delivery does not have to.
- 5
Fly, then take delivery
For most customers the car lands within a couple of days either side of the flight. We keep you and the driver talking as the delivery date firms up.
The two scenarios everyone asks about
If the timing slips
The carrier arrives after you have flown
This is normal and completely manageable — we simply switch to your designated release contact. They meet the driver, walk the vehicle, sign the condition report and hand over one key. You get the photographs and the paperwork by email. The only version of this that goes badly is the one where nobody was named, which is exactly why we ask for a backup contact whenever a shipment sits close to a flight.
The car arrives before you do
A loaded driver wants to unload and keep moving, so holding a vehicle for several days is not usually realistic. Two things work: time the delivery to your arrival date, which we can normally do within a day or two, or have someone you trust receive it. If neither fits, our Fort Myers terminal option near RSW is a scheduled handoff point rather than long-term storage.
Distance from RSW
How close is your Florida address to the airport?
Questions
Shipping and flying, answered
When should a Minnesota snowbird ship their car to Florida?
Should I ship my car before I fly to Florida?
How many days before my flight should my car be available?
Can someone else release my vehicle in Minnesota?
Can someone else receive my vehicle in Naples?
What happens if the carrier arrives after I've flown to Florida?
What happens if my vehicle arrives before I do?
Who you are dealing with
Enterprise Auto Transport
- Serving customers since 2012
- BBB Accredited Business | A+ Rating
- Federally licensed and bonded auto transport broker
- USDOT #2273104
- MC #774106
- Owner-operated
- Phone: (239) 273-4649
Enterprise Auto Transport is a broker, not a motor carrier. We evaluate carriers and arrange your shipment; a separate, federally licensed trucking company physically moves the vehicle, carries the cargo insurance on it and issues the Bill of Lading. You should always know which carrier has your car.
How we verify carriers · Fraud prevention centre · Broker vs. carrier explained
Tell us your flight date
Give us the two ends and the date you fly. We will work backwards to a pickup window that leaves you margin.