I Compared Four Quotes for My Illinois to Arizona Move
Fact Checked by: 
Chicago, IL → Queen Creek, AZ
$6,449.10
One-bedroom, 850-square-foot apartment
$6,449.10
Exactly matched my quote
1,700 mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I compared four quotes before I hired Mayflower for my Illinois to Arizona move.
- My final bill matched my Mayflower quote exactly at $6,449.10, with no add-on fees or last-minute surprises.
- I shared all of it, my quotes, my bills, and my ratings, as part of moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project.
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This account is based on a conversation with Jillian, who moved from Chicago, Illinois, to Queen Creek, Arizona, in May 2025 using Mayflower. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from Illinois to Arizona
In mid-2025, my husband and I needed to move from Chicago, Illinois, to Queen Creek, Arizona, for work. We had two months to prepare, and my biggest worry was getting everything to our new home on time. An on-time delivery would give us enough time to unpack before my husband started his new job, and a delay would have made things way more stressful.
While I was online comparing full-service movers, I found moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project. I picked up a lot of helpful resources from moveBuddha as I planned the move, and I decided to take part in the Better Moves Project myself. In exchange for a $500 stipend, I shared my experience with the company I ultimately chose, Mayflower.
Curious how Mayflower stacked up? Below, I share how I chose a mover and how my move went, and you can price your own move with moveBuddha’s Moving Cost Calculator.
My Mayflower experience at a glance
Here’s what stood out most about moving with Mayflower, good and bad:
- Communication: My moving coordinator was helpful and communicative throughout the move. The team that handled my delivery wasn’t quite as good at communication.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: My final expenses were exactly the same as my initial quote, which was a big plus for my move experience.
- Professionalism: I was impressed by my coordinator and by the team that handled moving day. The delivery team was quick, but they weren’t as attentive to detail and scuffed the floors in my new home.
- Timeliness: I chose Mayflower because they offered a guaranteed delivery date. Everything arrived exactly on schedule, nine days after my husband and I left Chicago.
- Loss and damage: At delivery, I noticed a damaged floor lamp, a broken cup holder on my Peloton bike, and a stained fabric headboard. Many of my boxes also looked very dusty from time in Mayflower’s warehouse. Otherwise, everything was in good condition.
- Would I use Mayflower again? Yes. Despite the minor issues, I would gladly use them again thanks to their professional quoting process and the ability to schedule a preferred delivery date.
more than my original Mayflower quote
Find out what a move from Illinois → Arizona actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose Mayflower
Speed was my top priority, and Mayflower won me over with their guaranteed delivery date option. They let me pick the exact day I wanted my things to arrive, which gave me much-needed peace of mind, while other movers could only offer general delivery windows. I was also impressed by the Mayflower representative who did my video walkthrough, since he answered my questions better than anyone else I contacted.
The main drawback was the price. Mayflower’s quote was more than I expected and more than the quotes I got from the other moving companies.
My move at a glance
My husband and I moved from a one-bedroom, one-bathroom, 850-square-foot apartment, so the move itself wasn’t huge. The trip from Chicago, Illinois, to Queen Creek, Arizona, was a long one, though, and my timeline was short. My husband started his new job three weeks after our planned moving date, so a short delivery window mattered. Here’s a snapshot of my Illinois to Arizona move:
| Move date | May 27, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Moved from | Chicago, IL |
| Moved to | Queen Creek, AZ |
| Distance | 1,700 miles |
| Move size | One-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment (~850 square feet) |
| Moving company | Mayflower |
| Moving quote | $6,449.10 |
| Actual cost | $6,449.10 |
On average, moveBuddha users save more than 30% by comparing movers before booking. I compared four quotes, and Mayflower’s was the highest of the group. It was also the exact price I paid in the end.
Quotes I compared
I took a very thorough approach to getting quotes. I contacted several companies for phone estimates or video walkthroughs, and because my delivery timeline was my top priority, I didn’t focus only on price. After each company gave me a quote, I also looked at their online reputation and estimated delivery windows.
Besides loading and unloading the items we packed ourselves, my husband and I wanted help wrapping and loading our furniture and TVs, full value insurance coverage, and expedited delivery. We also needed to ship a Peloton bike.
Mayflower stood out right away. Their price was more than I expected, but I was impressed by the kindness and thorough approach of their video walkthrough professional and by their ability to provide a guaranteed delivery date. Their quote also gave a larger size estimate than the other movers. For example, I thought United Van Lines’ estimate of two pods felt too low for the size of our move.
| Company | Estimated size | Estimate amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mayflower | 3,999 pounds/592.5 cubic feet | $6,449.10 |
| United Van Lines | 2 pods | $5,999.47 |
| Solomon and Sons | 500 cubic feet | $4,999.25 |
| Colonial Van Lines | 3,244 pounds | $4,942.33 |
rating
Pickup day
After I agreed to the quote, Mayflower assigned me a personal moving coordinator to oversee the rest of the move. My husband and I also got access to an online portal with our documents, a moving checklist, and more. My coordinator contacted us multiple times before the move to check on our self-packing progress and answer questions, and she called the Friday before the move to confirm the crew’s arrival time.
Moving out of our old apartment went great. The movers arrived exactly as scheduled at 8 a.m. on moving day, calling me and contacting the apartment building’s front desk to keep everything running smoothly. I kept working from home while the crew loaded everything in a little over three hours.
The movers loaded the items we had already packed, and they brought the materials I requested to pack and wrap our TVs and furniture. That included packing a marble table in a crate. They were courteous and professional throughout.
Delivery day
As promised, my items arrived at our new home in Arizona after nine days. On the morning of delivery, I got a text message confirming that the movers were on their way.
The movers were on time again and worked quickly, but they were less friendly and detail-oriented than the Chicago team. They didn’t put down any protective coverings on the floors, so we ended up with scratches and scuff marks that could have been avoided.
While unpacking, my husband and I found a few damaged items: a broken floor lamp, a snapped-off cup holder on the Peloton bike, and a stain on our fabric headboard. Our boxes also looked dirty and dusty, likely from a short stay in Mayflower’s warehouse. Fortunately, my coordinator reached out after the move, and I was able to submit a claim form.
Despite those minor issues, I was still satisfied with the fast, on-time delivery Mayflower provided.
Final thoughts
Getting everything delivered exactly when scheduled was my biggest priority, and Mayflower came through with flying colors. The guaranteed delivery date definitely added to my moving costs, but in my situation it gave me peace of mind and kept the rest of our plans on schedule.
Having a personal moving coordinator who stayed in touch before, during, and after the move was a great touch. That kind of attention to detail helped my husband and me know what to expect at every step.
I wish the delivery crew had put protective covers on the floors. Still, Mayflower kept their promises on the delivery timeline and the price quote, and paying exactly what I was quoted while getting an on-time delivery left me happy with my move. If you want to hear how another Mayflower customer’s move went, read Gabriela’s story.
See what your own move could cost before you commit to a mover. moveBuddha’s Moving Cost Calculator gives you a real price range in minutes.
My ratings
Here’s how I’d rate Mayflower on a scale of one to five. I gave communication a four because my coordinator was excellent, but the delivery team wasn’t as good at keeping me informed.
- Communication: 4
- Timeliness: 5
- Quote accuracy: 5
- Overall experience: 4
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Jillian’s experience:
- Take your time packing and unpacking: Start packing early so the process feels less rushed and stressful. The same goes for unpacking once your items arrive.
- Wrap your items carefully: Careful wrapping keeps your belongings from getting scratched in transit and goes a long way toward preventing damage.
- Weigh a guaranteed delivery date against the cost: Depending on your needs and budget, a more flexible option without a guaranteed date can save you money. For Jillian, a guaranteed delivery date and a fixed quote prevented a lot of stress.
- Ask about floor protection before delivery day: Jillian’s delivery crew skipped the protective floor coverings, which led to scratches and scuff marks that could have been avoided. Ask your mover ahead of time whether the crew will lay them down.
- Inspect your items at delivery and file a claim for any damage: A small amount of damage is fairly normal on a long-distance move. Check your belongings as you unpack, and submit a claim form for anything broken or stained.
Moving soon? We’ll pay you $500 to tell it like Jillian did.
Share your quotes, your final bill, and what actually happened on move day. No script, and we never edit your rating.
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