Atlas Van Lines review: Cost, services and customer experience

Atlas Van Lines at a glance

Atlas Van Lines ranked best overall on our list of the best moving companies for its outstanding reputation, global availability, user-friendly website and extensive list of services.

Fast facts

What we like

We like that Atlas Van Lines handles most moves — from residential to corporate. The company offers local, long-distance and international moving services with partnered providers in over 300 locations worldwide. We also like that Atlas Van Lines can accommodate fragile, oversized and unique belongings and offers excellent insurance to protect your items.

What we don’t like

We don’t like that Atlas Van Lines has less-than-stellar customer reviews. Several customers stated that the online quoting process was inaccurate and it was difficult to file a claim to resolve higher quotes or any broken or missing items.

Atlas Van Lines pros and cons

The company’s services and widespread availability in 50 states, Washington, D.C., Canada and across the world make Atlas Van Lines one of the best international moving companies. However, customer reviews suggest the company doesn’t safely transport belongings from point A to point B, and communicating with agents about broken items can feel like going down a rabbit hole.

Pros

Cons

How much does Atlas Van Lines cost?

According to Atlas Van Lines, the average cost of moving is $3,000 for a local move less than 75 miles and $6,550 for a long-distance move that’s over 500 miles. However, when we tried calling Atlas Van Lines and submitting their online form, we found it challenging to speak with a customer service agent who would confirm this estimate. We were redirected several times to different departments until we arrived at a personal voicemail, where we left a message asking for cost information.

The company never returned the call, so we averaged cost estimates from several moving companies to help you get a feel for the average cost of moving based on your home size and distance. Keep in mind that estimates may not be representative of your move, so be sure to speak with an agent for an accurate evaluation and quote.

The average three-bedroom home weighs around 9,000 pounds, and most moving companies charge based on weight. However, costs can increase if you need additional services.

The cost of your move depends primarily on the size of your home, the distance you’re moving and the services you choose. For example, packing, unpacking and storage services can increase costs. A storage unit costs between $80 and $350 or around $200 on average.

Savings and discounts

Atlas Van Lines partners with the American Automobile Association (AAA) to offer its complimentary Full Value Protection plan for moving from state to state. This can save you up to $750 on your move. Atlas Van Lines’s minimal protection plan is complimentary, so you won’t save anything if you choose this plan, but for anyone looking to receive full value protection, you could see savings for this additional cost.

What services does Atlas Van Lines offer?

Atlas Van Lines offers residential, long-distance, corporate, military, government and international moving services. Skilled movers use specialized equipment and professional packing methods to collect and transport your possessions.

The company also specializes in transportation solutions for shipping high-value goods such as electronics, fine arts, museum pieces, playsets, trade show supplies, medical equipment, cars, motorcycles, pianos, pool tables and other unique items.

Your team of professionals can drain motorcycle fuel as a precaution, detach sections of your pool table, bring padding and secure your oversized items using straps.

Atlas Van Lines services

Atlas Van Lines add-ons and optional features

In addition to standard moving services, Atlas Van Lines offers several add-ons and optional features to make your move run smoothly, including auto transportation, moving supplies, packing and unpacking, storage and travel assistance.

Auto transportation

Atlas Van Lines specializes in safely moving your car, truck, camper, jet ski, snowmobile, motorcycle or boat. The company uses a trailer with split ramps in an open-carrier shipping method. Additionally, it places decking on top of your vehicle for added protection and disconnects the battery during the transportation process.

Moving supplies

If you plan to pack your own belongings, you can purchase professional-grade moving supplies from Atlas Van Lines. Of the supplies they offer, you’ll find standard boxes of all sizes, lamp cartons, TV boxes, mattress bags, bubble packs and packing tape.

Packing and unpacking

As a full-service moving company, Atlas Van Lines offers packing and unpacking services to help keep your items secure during the move. This is a great option for anyone looking to protect their valuables, antiques or otherwise fragile items.

Long-distance, international or rural moves may benefit the most from these services, as frequent movement or ill-cared-for roads can quickly damage delicate belongings. A professional mover will strategically pack and unpack your belongings to help avoid any damage.

Storage

Once your belongings arrive at their destination, you may wish to store your valuables. Suddath Moving & Storage recently re-joined the Atlas Van Lines network, expanding its network and reach.

Travel

Atlas Van Lines offers travel planning through Atlas World-Class Travel. This service offers flight and railway tickets, car rental matching, tour and cruise planning and hotel accommodations. This unique perk sets Atlas Van Lines apart from other moving companies.

As a full-service travel agency, Atlas World-Class Travel can help you plan traveling either alongside your move or separately for business or pleasure. Similarly to their top moving services, Atlas matches you with reputable travel companies to help you plan your trip from start to finish.

Atlas Van Lines customer experience

You can contact Atlas Van Lines’ customer service at 1-800-638-9797 or by emailing the company directly. You can also log into your online account using the Atlas portal, where you have access to a professional van operator (PVO) and customer service representative. The portal has an easy-to-use interface for tracking and managing your move.

It was challenging to find information about quotes directly from the company. When we called customer service to speak with an agent, we were asked to provide our ZIP code before being redirected to a representative in our area. They redirected us to several representatives who did not provide specific information, nor could they answer our questions about average costs. We learned that we would need an in-person or online survey to receive a free quote. Only then could we get a written estimate.

Atlas Van Lines has many online resources for customers, but the company has a 1-star average customer review from nine reviews through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and mixed reviews on other sites. Yelp shows that 206 customers in Evansville, Indiana, rated the company a 2.5-star rating out of 5. Customer reviews often provide valuable insight into what you can expect from a moving company, so it’s concerning that these complaints exist on some platforms.

Here’s what a few customers have to say:

Atlas Van Lines liability coverage

Atlas Van Lines offers two liability coverage options: Full value protection and minimal protection.

The Full Value Protection option is comprehensive coverage that protects your belongings by ensuring the mover will either repair, restore, pay you for repair costs, pay you for replacement costs or replace the article with a similar article. The minimum valuation for the Full Value Protection plan is $6 per pound per item for a minimum of $10,000.

For the minimal protection plan, you’ll waive full value protection coverage. Your mover will then be liable for $0.60 per pound per item.

Atlas Van Lines compare vs. competitors

We ranked Atlas Van Lines number one as the best overall U.S. moving company, with special honors for international, interstate and long-distance moving. Atlas Van Lines scored well for its customizable and worldwide moving services. So, if you’re looking for a moving company with widespread availability for remote or international destinations, then Atlas Van Lines may be the right fit for your move.

Atlas Van Lines ranked lower due to its questionable customer service and poor online reviews. If you’re looking for a company with more positive reviews overall, then Solomon & Sons Relocation Services could be a solid fit for your move because it boasts many positive reviews on the BBB.

Atlas Van Lines competitor comparison

Methodology

Our data-driven rating system compared and ranked 52 companies using 83 features, such as the type of mover, services, customization, insurance options, reputation, availability, online options and editorial judgments. Our editorial has no knowledge of partnerships.

FAQs