Lane · VAN · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Chicago, IL freight rate

$2,845dry van

+5.3% from last month

Per mile: $2.57
Distance: 1,106 mi
Typical range: $2,532–$3,158
Transit: 3 days

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Dry van · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Houston to Chicago price history

3 months: +13.7%
1 year: +24.8%
5 years: +32.4%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,828
Fuel: $1,017
All-in estimate: $2,845

Return trip

Chicago → Houston$3,830

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

Houston to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,845	$2.57	$2,532 – $3,158
53' refrigerated	$3,391	$3.07	$2,950 – $3,832
48' flatbed	$3,448	$3.12	$2,965 – $3,931
Step deck	$3,759	$3.40	$3,158 – $4,361
Power only	$2,507	$2.27	$2,181 – $2,833
Hotshot	$1,892	$1.71	$1,570 – $2,214
26' box truck	$1,857	$1.68	$1,578 – $2,135
Sprinter van	$1,138	$1.03	$956 – $1,320

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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 Houston

53' dry van lanes from Houston, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$5,498	$3.28	$4,893 – $6,102	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$3,996	$2.46	$3,556 – $4,435	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,404	$2.84	$3,029 – $3,778	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$4,986	$3.15	$4,438 – $5,535	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,053	$4.70	$937 – $1,168	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$3,794	$2.48	$3,377 – $4,211	3 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,138	$4.33	$1,013 – $1,263	1 d
Jacksonville, FL	969 mi	$3,915	$4.04	$3,485 – $4,346	2 d

More lanes into Chicago

53' dry van lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,447	$2.89	$2,178 – $2,716	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$6,880	$3.33	$6,123 – $7,637	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$3,343	$1.96	$2,975 – $3,711	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,055	$2.61	$1,829 – $2,281	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$3,117	$2.52	$2,774 – $3,460	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$6,794	$3.34	$6,046 – $7,541	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$2,503	$2.66	$2,227 – $2,778	2 d
Jacksonville, FL	1,017 mi	$2,145	$2.11	$1,909 – $2,381	2 d

About this lane

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

A 53' dry van from Houston, TX to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,845 all-in in October 2026, or $2.57 a mile over about 1,106 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,532 and $3,158.

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

About 1,106 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 $1,017 of the $2,845 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,828 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,830, which makes Houston, 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