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title: "Boeing Relocation Package: What Employees Actually Get" description: "Boeing's relocation covers managed moves or self-move cash ($3K–$65K+). Eligibility requires the job posting to list relocation. One-year repayment clause applies." author: "Sam Price" keywords: ["Boeing relocation package", "corporate relocation benefits", "managed move vs self-move", "relocation assistance", "Boeing careers"] companySlug: "boeing"
Boeing offers relocation assistance, but only if it's explicitly listed on the job requisition. If relocation isn't mentioned in the job posting, you're moving on your own dime. For those who do qualify, you typically choose between a fully managed move or a self-move where you handle logistics and keep any leftover cash. The real numbers vary sharply by level and household size—entry-level roles often get nothing, while senior positions can see $50,000–$65,000+ in total move value. Before you decide, get a realistic picture of what your actual move will cost.
The first rule: relocation has to be on the job requisition. That's it. If the posting doesn't mention relocation, you're not getting it. According to Boeing's careers FAQ and repeated confirmation from employees on Reddit, the requisition is the gate-keeper. No relocation listed? You're paying out of pocket.
If your job does include relocation, a third-party relocation management company called Altair Global runs the show. After you accept an offer, your recruiter sends you the relocation package details, and an Altair consultant calls for a detailed walk-through (often about an hour). That consultant lays out your specific benefits and helps you choose between a managed move and a self-move cash option.
Here's the single best move: read the relocation handbook top to bottom and follow it exactly. Tens of thousands of dollars ride on getting the details right. Then use the moving cost calculator to price out your actual move before you commit to either path.
Beyond having relocation on the requisition, distance matters. Employees consistently report needing roughly 50–70+ miles between your old and new work locations to qualify. The bigger the distance, the bigger the package. A 200-mile move gets way less than a coast-to-coast relocate.
The official package includes household goods shipment, temporary living, and a miscellaneous cash allowance. But employee accounts paint a fuller picture of what a managed move actually includes.
Household goods: Boeing's relocation company packs everything, loads it, ships it door-to-door, and unloads it. Full white-glove service. They'll also store your goods (usually up to about 30 days) if your new home isn't ready yet.
Vehicle shipping and rental car: On a managed move, you can ship at least one vehicle, often two for families. Boeing also covers a rental car at your destination until your shipped vehicle arrives. If you drive instead, you get mileage reimbursement (reportedly around $0.72 per mile) plus per diem.
Travel to your new location: Flight for you and eligible family, lodging and per diem along the way if you drive. Employees report per diem in the $20–$25 per person per day range for meals.
Temporary housing: Up to 30 days of corporate or extended-stay housing after you arrive, while you finalize permanent housing. Some packages bundle lodging and meals as one grossed-up payment.
Home-finding help: Renters get a free relocation agent who tours apartments, sends photos, and gives honest neighborhood feedback. Boeing covers a home-finding trip and paid time off for house hunting and travel days.
Miscellaneous allowance: Covers utility deposits, lease-break fees, driver's license fees, and other incidentals. This gets grossed up and arrives with your paycheck.
| Benefit | What's covered | Key limit |
|---|---|---|
| Household goods shipment | Full pack, ship, unload, plus temporary storage | Storage commonly up to 30 days |
| Vehicle shipping | 1 vehicle standard, up to 2 for families, plus rental car | Driving reimbursement caps around 750 miles |
| Travel to new location | Flights or mileage, lodging, meals en route | Per diem around $20–$25/person/day for meals |
| Temporary living | Corporate or extended-stay housing after arrival | Up to 30 days |
| Home-finding | Free relocation agent, home-finding trip, PTO for house hunting | Varies by level |
| Miscellaneous allowance | Deposits, lease-break fees, license fees, incidentals | Grossed up; amount varies by level |
This is where the package gets real. You get to choose how you move, and that choice directly affects what ends up in your pocket.
Managed move: Boeing's vendor handles the whole thing—packing, shipping, temporary housing, travel, all of it. Most of the value is in services, not cash. Those $50,000 or $65,000 figures you hear? That's mostly the cost of the service package, not money they're handing you.
Self-move: You arrange everything yourself. Boeing reimburses mileage (one employee reported $0.72 per mile), covers per diem for travel days, and pays for temporary living—usually as a lump-sum check. Here's the kicker: anything you don't spend is yours to keep.
Employees who've done self-moves sometimes treat it like a signing bonus. One person arranged their own housing and move in advance and pocketed the whole cash allowance. The Altair agent basically framed it as a reward for taking care of logistics. Self-move cash ranges from about $3,000 to over $15,000 depending on level and distance.
Self-move math: A self-move makes sense when you're moving light and can do it cheap. A moving container like PODS or U-Pack typically costs 30% less than full-service movers, so the gap between your actual costs and Boeing's cash allowance becomes real money you keep. But if you've got a full house of furniture, the managed move usually delivers more total value.
Boeing's relocation is tiered, and the biggest factor is your band and whether you own a home. These ranges are employee-reported—treat them as directional, not official Boeing figures.
| Level | What employees report | Typical reported value |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level and lower hourly bands | Often little or no relocation; many entry roles exclude it entirely | $0 to a small lump sum |
| Hourly and union (painters, mechanics, etc.) | Managed move or self-move with lump sum and possible sign-on bonus | ~$3,000–$22,000 total |
| Salaried professional and engineering | Full managed move or self-move, often with cost-of-living adjustment for higher-cost areas | ~$10,000–$30,000+ total |
| Senior, director, executive | Full managed move plus home-sale assistance and home buyout | $50,000–$120,000+ total |
This is where packages get genuinely generous—at salaried and executive levels.
For eligible homeowners, Boeing's relocation company can buy your home outright so you don't have to wait for a sale to close. One employee described getting a qualified offer, then having the relocation company buy the house, handle everything, and cover closing costs. Employees also report Boeing covers realtor fees and closing costs on both the sale and your new purchase, even loan costs on your new mortgage. One person valued the home-sale benefit alone at around $12,000.
Moving to an expensive area? Some employees get a cost-of-living adjustment on top of base pay. It's typically paid incrementally over a few years as its own separate amount, not rolled into salary. One employee reported $10,000 per year for three years—about $30,000 total—paid monthly as a separate check. Not everyone qualifies, so ask your recruiter whether your level and destination are eligible.
Real talk: If you're moving to a costly metro like the Seattle area, treat the cost-of-living adjustment as a negotiable part of your offer. A recurring payment can be worth more over time than a one-time relocation bump.
Here's the hard part: relocation benefits are taxable income. Since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, moving benefits for non-military employees are treated as ordinary income—whether they come as cash or paid services.
The good news: Boeing grosses up the taxable portion. Employees report an assumed rate of 22%, so you keep more of the stated value. But the gross-up doesn't make you whole, because the grossed-up amount still increases your adjusted gross income, which can ripple into your overall tax bill. Part of the benefit can show up as additional taxable income the following year, so a move late in the year can split the tax hit across two filing years.
If your package is large, talk to a tax professional before you move.
Here's the catch: if you leave Boeing voluntarily within 12 months of your move, you repay the full relocation value, including the taxes Boeing covered. That's the commitment you're making.
Employees report Boeing typically sets up an interest-free repayment plan rather than demanding it all at once. But the safest assumption is: you're committing to at least a year.
Find your payback number: Check your pay records. The relocation shows up as additional grossed-up income with Boeing-covered taxes itemized, so you can calculate your worst-case repayment before you make any decision about leaving.
The policy sets the boundaries, but how you use it determines what you actually keep.
Get moving quotes before you choose: If you take the self-move cash, every dollar you don't spend is yours. Compare quotes for your exact move with the moving cost calculator before deciding between managed and self-move.
Read the handbook and follow it exactly: Employees stress this more than anything else. Keep detailed receipts, hit every deadline, and do exactly what the relocation company tells you. Missed steps can cost you reimbursement.
Shorten your trip and pocket the difference: On a self-move, Boeing pays mileage and per diem for a set number of travel days. Employees who were rated for a week of driving but finished in three days kept the unused per diem.
Use the free home-finding agent: If you're renting, this is free money. One employee called their agent invaluable for honest budget and neighborhood feedback.
Ship the car if you're moving far: Driving reimbursement caps around 750 miles, so people moving farther often ship a vehicle and fly instead. Compare options with our car shipping guide.
Run the numbers on self-move vs. managed: If you're single and moving light, a sign-on bonus you keep outright can beat relocation. But a family with a full house almost always comes out ahead with the managed move.
Most Boeing relocations land in a few major sites: the Puget Sound area in Washington (Everett, Renton, Seattle), North Charleston in South Carolina, the St. Louis area in Missouri, with additional operations in Mesa, Arizona, and Oklahoma City. These are competitive moving markets—especially in summer—and costs swing based on distance.
Get quotes early to lock in price and availability. We've vetted movers serving Boeing's major metros. Compare options for your route before you accept the relocation company's vendor list or commit to self-move cash:
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Sometimes. Boeing offers relocation assistance only for positions where it's listed on the job requisition. Boeing's careers FAQ states that relocation benefits vary based on the role, your current location, and other factors. If the job posting doesn't mention relocation, you're expected to move at your own expense. Most entry-level and lower-band roles don't include relocation.
Boeing doesn't publish relocation amounts. The value depends heavily on your level, distance, and household size. Employees report total move values ranging from roughly $8,500 for a light renter move up to $50,000–$65,000 for a homeowner relocating a family across the country. Executive-level moves go even higher. The cash portion on a self-move is usually smaller—employees report $3,000–$15,000. These are unverified employee figures, not official Boeing numbers.
Altair Global, a third-party relocation management company. After you accept an offer with relocation, your recruiter sends the relocation package and an Altair consultant calls to walk you through your benefits. Altair coordinates movers, travel, temporary housing, and home-sale assistance for eligible homeowners.
It can be either. Eligible employees typically choose between a fully managed move (Boeing's relocation company handles everything) or a self-move (you handle logistics and receive cash for mileage, temporary living, and per diem). On a self-move, anything you don't spend is generally yours to keep.
Yes. Since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, relocation benefits are taxable income. Employees report that Boeing grosses up the taxable portion at an assumed rate of 22%, meaning Boeing covers a chunk of the tax. The gross-up doesn't always make you fully whole, and part of the benefit can show up as additional taxable income the following year. Confirm the current gross-up treatment with your relocation consultant.
Boeing's relocation comes with a one-year repayment requirement. If you leave voluntarily within 12 months of your move, you repay the full relocation value, including the taxes Boeing covered. Reported payback amounts range from about $5,000 on a small lump-sum move to $23,000 or more on a full managed move. The one-year clock and repayment terms are spelled out in the form you sign with Altair before the move.
Yes, for eligible managed moves. Employees report Boeing will ship at least one vehicle, often two for families, and provide a rental car until your vehicle arrives. If you drive instead, you get per-mile reimbursement plus per diem—but reimbursement caps around 750 miles of driving. People moving farther often have a car shipped instead and fly to the destination. Confirm vehicle counts and the mileage cap with your relocation consultant.
It's paid incrementally over a few years as a separate amount on top of base salary. One employee reported $10,000 per year for three years (about $30,000 total). Not everyone qualifies—it depends on your level and destination. Ask your recruiter whether your move qualifies.
