Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA hotshot rate

$4,179hotshot

+3.0% from last month

Per mile: $2.05
Distance: 2,034 mi
Typical range: $3,468–$4,889
Transit: 4 days

Request a firm quote

Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to San Diego price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.5%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,907
Fuel: $1,272
All-in estimate: $4,179

Return trip

San Diego → Chicago$4,559

This direction runs 8% below the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Chicago to San Diego by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,227	$3.06	$5,542 – $6,912
53' refrigerated	$7,417	$3.65	$6,453 – $8,381
48' flatbed	$7,466	$3.67	$6,420 – $8,511
Step deck	$8,123	$3.99	$6,823 – $9,423
Power only	$5,535	$2.72	$4,815 – $6,254
Hotshot	$4,179	$2.05	$3,468 – $4,889
26' box truck	$4,082	$2.01	$3,470 – $4,694
Sprinter van	$2,491	$1.22	$2,092 – $2,889

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for hotshot →

More lanes from Chicago

Hotshot lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,661	$3.14	$2,208 – $3,113	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$4,232	$2.05	$3,513 – $4,952	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$2,547	$2.30	$2,114 – $2,980	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$3,939	$2.31	$3,269 – $4,608	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,390	$3.04	$1,984 – $2,796	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$2,796	$2.26	$2,320 – $3,271	3 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$2,233	$2.37	$1,854 – $2,613	2 d
Jacksonville, FL	1,017 mi	$3,461	$3.40	$2,873 – $4,050	2 d

More lanes into San Diego

Hotshot lanes into San Diego, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,864 mi	$4,736	$1.65	$3,931 – $5,541	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	131 mi	$730	$5.57	$606 – $854	1 d
Houston, TX	1,532 mi	$2,537	$1.66	$2,105 – $2,968	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	350 mi	$678	$1.94	$562 – $793	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,791 mi	$4,106	$1.47	$3,408 – $4,804	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,325 mi	$2,238	$1.69	$1,857 – $2,618	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,394 mi	$2,337	$1.68	$1,940 – $2,735	3 d
Jacksonville, FL	2,461 mi	$3,128	$1.27	$2,596 – $3,659	5 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA?

A Hotshot from Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA is estimated at $4,179 all-in in October 2026, or $2.05 a mile over about 2,034 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,468 and $4,889.

How far is Chicago, IL from San Diego, CA by truck?

About 2,034 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 4 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,272 of the $4,179 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,907 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from San Diego, CA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,559, which makes Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA 8% cheaper. 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 →