Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Austin, TX to Chicago, IL reefer rate

$3,498reefer

−0.3% from last month

Per mile: $3.04
Distance: 1,149 mi
Typical range: $3,043–$3,953
Transit: 3 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Austin to Chicago price history

3 months: +1.7%
1 year: +35.7%
5 years: +3.4%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,320
Fuel: $1,178
All-in estimate: $3,498

Return trip

Chicago → Austin$4,709

This direction runs 26% below the return trip. Leaving TX prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Austin to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Austin, TX to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,935	$2.55	$2,612 – $3,258
53' refrigerated	$3,498	$3.04	$3,043 – $3,953
48' flatbed	$3,554	$3.09	$3,057 – $4,052
Step deck	$3,874	$3.37	$3,254 – $4,494
Power only	$2,588	$2.25	$2,252 – $2,925
Hotshot	$1,953	$1.70	$1,621 – $2,285
26' box truck	$1,916	$1.67	$1,628 – $2,203
Sprinter van	$1,174	$1.02	$986 – $1,362

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The index is an estimate. For a price you can act on, ask connected freight providers for a live 53' dry van rate, or send the load details and get quoted for any truck type.

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More lanes from Austin

53' refrigerated lanes from Austin, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,785 mi	$6,922	$3.88	$6,022 – $7,822	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,455 mi	$4,326	$2.97	$3,764 – $4,888	3 d
Houston, TX	172 mi	$1,122	$6.53	$976 – $1,268	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,026 mi	$3,577	$3.49	$3,112 – $4,042	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,696 mi	$6,299	$3.71	$5,480 – $7,117	4 d
San Antonio, TX	87 mi	$900	$10.35	$783 – $1,017	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,360 mi	$4,086	$3.00	$3,555 – $4,617	3 d
Dallas, TX	215 mi	$1,235	$5.74	$1,074 – $1,395	1 d

More lanes into Chicago

53' refrigerated lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,918	$3.44	$2,538 – $3,297	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,194	$3.97	$7,129 – $9,260	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,391	$3.07	$2,950 – $3,832	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$3,983	$2.34	$3,465 – $4,500	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,450	$3.11	$2,132 – $2,769	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$3,715	$3.01	$3,232 – $4,197	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,092	$3.98	$7,040 – $9,144	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$2,983	$3.17	$2,595 – $3,371	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Austin, TX to Chicago, IL?

A 53' refrigerated from Austin, TX to Chicago, IL is estimated at $3,498 all-in in October 2026, or $3.04 a mile over about 1,149 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,043 and $3,953.

How far is Austin, TX from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 1,149 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 3 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,178 of the $3,498 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,320 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Austin, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,709, which makes Austin, TX to Chicago, IL 26% cheaper. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Lane history applies the current origin and destination adjustments to the national series back to December 2003. Methodology