Allied Van Lines
Allied Van Lines has proven to be a go-to moving company for local, long-distance and international moves. Offering full-service moves and featuring 500 agent locations across North America, it’s handled more than 750,000 moves over the past 15 years.
Our rating: 4.1 out of 5
Best for: Full-service moves
USDOT #: 076235
Allied Van Lines at a glance
Allied Van Lines provides a variety of services — from packing to unloading — to help customers enjoy a hassle-free moving experience. Allied excels with its full-service moves, and we recommend it if you’re interested in having a moving company handle all of the work for you for local, long-distance or international moves.
Fast facts
- Allied Van Lines has been in service since 1928 and is based in Chicago.
- It services 50 states and 175 countries.
- It has over 3,500 long-haul and regional vehicles and more than 4,200 trained drivers.
- Allied Van Lines has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB). *
What we like
- Allied Van Lines excels at full-service moves, offering the ability to handle everything from packing to unpacking and reassembling furniture to transporting cars.
- Allied offers storage services and allows for customizability on the consumer’s end.
- Allied is a carrier, not a broker, meaning it handles moves itself and does not farm out services to third parties, outside trucks or drivers.
What we don’t like
- Allied’s quote process is more complicated than other options we’ve reviewed, as it requires an in-home visit.
- The company doesn’t offer junk removal.
* BBB rankings are accurate as of May 2024.
Allied Van Lines pros and cons
Allied impressed us with its full-service packing, unpacking and storage. We also like Allied’s auto transport and other services, but the company has some drawbacks.
Pros
- Full-service packing and unpacking can relieve stress for people with a full house
- Storage is available for both the short and long term, depending on your moving timeline and needs
- Offers auto transportation so you can use it as a one-stop shop
Cons
- Doesn’t provide junk removal
- Has Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) complaints for loss and damage, as well as pickup and delivery issues.
- No discounts unless you’re active military or a veteran
How much does Allied Van Lines cost?
Allied Van Lines follows a standard moving cost calculation, factoring in distance and the weight of the overall load to determine the cost.
To find out the average costs of a move for a two-bedroom home, we followed the online quote process and spoke with a representative for local and long-distance moves. According to Allied, the approximate cost of moving a two-three bedroom household 1,000 miles or more is around $6,300. However, to get an accurate quote for your move, you must talk to a representative on the phone and schedule someone to come to your home for a quick move evaluation, or you can opt for a virtual consultation.
Savings and discounts
Allied does not offer discounts for full up-front payments. However, it does offer discounts to military service members and details available discounts during the price quote process.
What services does Allied Van Lines offer?
Allied Van Lines will move people to 50 states and 175 countries, making it one of the broadest-serving moving companies with one of the furthest-ranging capabilities.
In addition to handling moves across state lines and internationally, Allied Van Lines provides commercial moves. According to its website, Allied can move an office or retail store across the country, handling everything from office furniture to unpacking and resetting computer equipment.
One group Allied serves especially well is military members. The mover offers things like shipment tracking for peace of mind and can move service members between bases — nationally and internationally. A call with customer service confirmed that military members also enjoy price discounts.
Allied Van Lines services
| Offered? | |
|---|---|
| Antiques, art, collectibles, pianos | ✓ |
| Appliance disconnection/hookup | ✓ * |
| Furniture disassembly/assembly | ✓ |
| Junk removal/haul away | X |
| Loading & unloading | ✓ |
| Packing/unpacking | ✓ |
| Storage | ✓ |
| Vehicle Shipping | ✓ |
* A third-party partnership is used for this service.
Allied Van Lines add-ons and optional features
As a full-service mover, Allied Van Lines offers a wide range of services that can help to make your move much easier. Allied Van Lines does not provide prices online, so you’ll have to speak to a representative to schedule your in-person or virtual consultation to get a quote.
Antiques, art, collectibles and pianos
Full-service packing ensures the safe transit of everything from antiques to pianos.
Appliance disconnection/hookup
Allied doesn’t handle appliance disconnection or hookups, but it works with third-party providers if you want someone else to handle these moving tasks for you.
Furniture disassembly/assembly
If you aren’t hands-on when it comes to disassembling or assembling furniture, have a physical impairment or just don’t have the time, Allied can handle that for you. Allied movers will even assemble swing sets to help your kids enjoy their new home.
GPS tracking
Allied offers an online tracking feature that allows customers to check the status of their shipment 24/7. The feature provides the current location, the load date, and the delivery date.
Loading and unloading
Even if you decide to pack everything yourself, Allied can load and unload all your belongings.
Packing and unpacking
If you choose full-service packing and unpacking, Allied will bring all the necessary packing materials and do the job for you.
Storage
Allied offers 90-day storage for household items in transit and permanent storage for items needing more long-term space. Allied provides secure storage units with climate control, alarm systems and 24-hour surveillance for peace of mind.
Vehicle shipping
Allied can provide open and closed car carrier transport, depending on your needs and preferences.
Allied Van Lines liability coverage
Allied Van Lines offers basic liability and Extra Care Protection (ECP) insurance for customers’ peace of mind during a move. Details include:
- Basic Liability offers protection of $0.60 per pound per article of damaged goods. This coverage is included with the move, but you should confirm it before your move.
- ECP is a valuation coverage up to a value determined by the customer. It costs more money, but Allied covers repairing or replacing the damaged item (whichever is cheaper).
Allied Van Lines customer experience
Allied Van Lines features an easy-to-navigate website, and you can reach customer support through email or the customer service telephone number (844) 602-6668.
We found the customer support line was highly responsive, keeping us on hold for less than 30 seconds. When we connected, the representatives were friendly, happy to help and patient. However, Allied won’t provide any pricing over the phone. In our experience, waiting to hear back from an Allied rep about a quote takes about 90 minutes.
While Allied does have FMCSA complaints regarding loss and damage, pickup and delivery issues, and other issues, these issues dramatically decreased from 2022 to 2023 and 2024. As a result, it’s not surprising that Allied Van Lines has an A+ rating on the BBB.
Allied Van Lines vs. competitors
Allied Van Lines impressed us with its ability to handle full-service moves. It can do everything from planning your move to reassembling furniture in the new home. However, other companies may be better suited for certain services.
While Solomon and Sons is smaller than Allied Van Lines in the areas it services, with limitations in servicing the western United States, it does offer junk removal. Allied Van Lines doesn’t.
Allied Van Lines and North American Van Lines (NAVL) each have many agent locations and a broad coverage area. Both service all 50 states and offer international moving. NAVL offers junk removal and has more flexible pricing. Allied, however, is more impressive for its full-service moving.
Here’s how Allied Van Lines compares to our best moving companies:
Allied Van Lines vs. competitors
| Our score (out of 5) | Best for | State availability | Country availability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Van Lines | 4.1 | Full-service moves | 50 | 175 |
| Atlas Van Lines | 4.5 | Overall | 50 | 17 |
| North American Van Lines | 4.5 | Flexible pricing | 50 | 130+ |
| Mayflower | 4.4 | Large moves | 45 | 150+ |
| United Van Lines | 4.2 | Liability coverage | 46 | 150+ |
| Suddath Relocation Systems | 4.2 | Military moves | 48 | 180+ |
| Solomon & Sons Relocation Group | 4.1 | East Coast moves | 43 | Not listed, call to request |
| JK Moving Services | 4.0 | Premium moves | 50 | 170+ |
Methodology
The CNN Underscored editorial staff determined the best moving companies by rigorously comparing each option based on weighted criteria. We ranked companies that offered the most service and customization options higher. We also considered crucial factors like national and international availability, industry reputation and insurance and liability coverage. Finally, the author who covered this topic has extensively covered moving companies and has no affiliation with any moving companies that would affect their ability to rate them without bias.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Allied Van Lines’s online form can provide a moving quote, but you must call or visit an Allied location in person to get a financial quote for your move.
SIRVA, Inc., owns Allied Van Lines. SIRVA is a global relocation company.
Allied offers basic liability protection and extra care protection (ECP). ECP covers the cost of repairing or replacing any item properly documented as lost, destroyed or damaged.
Allied is a moving carrier, not a broker. It handles all services directly.
