Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Lake Charles, LA flatbed rate

$4,786flatbed

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $4.71
Distance: 1,016 mi
Typical range: $4,116–$5,456
Transit: 3 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Lake Charles price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,793
Fuel: $993
All-in estimate: $4,786

Return trip

Lake Charles → Chicago$3,266

This direction runs 47% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in LA prices below it.

Chicago to Lake Charles by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Lake Charles, LA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,942	$3.88	$3,508 – $4,376
53' refrigerated	$4,699	$4.62	$4,088 – $5,310
48' flatbed	$4,786	$4.71	$4,116 – $5,456
Step deck	$5,220	$5.14	$4,385 – $6,055
Power only	$3,469	$3.41	$3,018 – $3,919
Hotshot	$2,617	$2.58	$2,172 – $3,062
26' box truck	$2,570	$2.53	$2,185 – $2,956
Sprinter van	$1,577	$1.55	$1,324 – $1,829

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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 Chicago

48' flatbed lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$4,905	$5.79	$4,218 – $5,592	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$7,559	$3.66	$6,500 – $8,617	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$4,642	$4.20	$3,992 – $5,291	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$7,071	$4.15	$6,081 – $8,061	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$4,421	$5.62	$3,802 – $5,040	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$5,073	$4.10	$4,363 – $5,783	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$7,466	$3.67	$6,420 – $8,511	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$4,097	$4.35	$3,524 – $4,671	2 d

More lanes into Lake Charles

48' flatbed lanes into Lake Charles, LA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,533 mi	$5,535	$3.61	$4,760 – $6,310	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,763 mi	$8,332	$4.73	$7,166 – $9,499	4 d
Houston, TX	157 mi	$1,283	$8.17	$1,103 – $1,462	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,334 mi	$3,789	$2.84	$3,258 – $4,319	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,443 mi	$4,673	$3.24	$4,019 – $5,327	4 d
San Antonio, TX	381 mi	$1,922	$5.05	$1,653 – $2,191	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,673 mi	$7,967	$4.76	$6,852 – $9,083	4 d
Dallas, TX	325 mi	$1,762	$5.42	$1,516 – $2,009	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Lake Charles, LA?

A 48' flatbed from Chicago, IL to Lake Charles, LA is estimated at $4,786 all-in in October 2026, or $4.71 a mile over about 1,016 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,116 and $5,456.

How far is Chicago, IL from Lake Charles, LA by truck?

About 1,016 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 $993 of the $4,786 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,793 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Lake Charles, LA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,266, which makes Chicago, IL to Lake Charles, LA 47% more expensive. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Figures are estimates for a standard full load. Get a firm quote for this lane →