Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Birmingham, AL to Chicago, IL flatbed rate

$2,648flatbed

+3.2% from last month

Per mile: $3.89
Distance: 680 mi
Typical range: $2,277–$3,019
Transit: 2 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Birmingham to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.6%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,984
Fuel: $664
All-in estimate: $2,648

Return trip

Chicago → Birmingham$3,668

This direction runs 28% below the return trip. Leaving AL prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Birmingham to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Birmingham, AL to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,159	$3.18	$1,922 – $2,397
53' refrigerated	$2,575	$3.79	$2,240 – $2,910
48' flatbed	$2,648	$3.89	$2,277 – $3,019
Step deck	$2,893	$4.25	$2,430 – $3,356
Power only	$1,884	$2.77	$1,639 – $2,129
Hotshot	$1,421	$2.09	$1,179 – $1,663
26' box truck	$1,401	$2.06	$1,191 – $1,612
Sprinter van	$864	$1.27	$725 – $1,002

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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 Birmingham

48' flatbed lanes from Birmingham, AL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,017 mi	$4,859	$4.78	$4,179 – $5,539	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,134 mi	$6,712	$3.15	$5,772 – $7,652	5 d
Houston, TX	669 mi	$2,750	$4.11	$2,365 – $3,136	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,714 mi	$6,123	$3.57	$5,266 – $6,980	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	926 mi	$4,301	$4.65	$3,699 – $4,904	2 d
San Antonio, TX	879 mi	$3,351	$3.81	$2,882 – $3,821	2 d
San Diego, CA	2,064 mi	$6,518	$3.16	$5,606 – $7,431	5 d
Dallas, TX	683 mi	$2,791	$4.09	$2,400 – $3,181	2 d

More lanes into Chicago

48' flatbed lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,984	$3.52	$2,566 – $3,401	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,247	$4.00	$7,092 – $9,402	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,448	$3.12	$2,965 – $3,931	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$4,019	$2.36	$3,456 – $4,581	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,510	$3.19	$2,159 – $2,861	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$3,769	$3.05	$3,241 – $4,296	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,145	$4.00	$7,005 – $9,286	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$3,044	$3.23	$2,618 – $3,470	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Birmingham, AL to Chicago, IL?

A 48' flatbed from Birmingham, AL to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,648 all-in in October 2026, or $3.89 a mile over about 680 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,277 and $3,019.

How far is Birmingham, AL from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 680 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $664 of the $2,648 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,984 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Birmingham, AL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,668, which makes Birmingham, AL to Chicago, IL 28% 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