Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Chicago, IL hotshot rate

$1,892hotshot

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $1.71
Distance: 1,106 mi
Typical range: $1,570–$2,214
Transit: 3 days

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Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Houston to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.9%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,201
Fuel: $691
All-in estimate: $1,892

Return trip

Chicago → Houston$2,547

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

Live market check

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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

Hotshot lanes from Houston, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$3,680	$2.20	$3,055 – $4,306	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$2,674	$1.64	$2,219 – $3,128	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$2,267	$1.89	$1,881 – $2,652	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$3,335	$2.10	$2,768 – $3,902	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$671	$3.00	$557 – $785	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$2,537	$1.66	$2,105 – $2,968	3 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$729	$2.77	$605 – $853	1 d
Jacksonville, FL	969 mi	$2,597	$2.68	$2,156 – $3,039	2 d

More lanes into Chicago

Hotshot lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$1,619	$1.91	$1,343 – $1,894	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$4,618	$2.24	$3,833 – $5,403	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$2,238	$1.31	$1,858 – $2,619	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$1,357	$1.72	$1,126 – $1,588	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$2,077	$1.68	$1,724 – $2,430	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$4,559	$2.24	$3,784 – $5,334	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$1,659	$1.76	$1,377 – $1,941	2 d
Jacksonville, FL	1,017 mi	$1,424	$1.40	$1,182 – $1,666	2 d

About this lane

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

A Hotshot from Houston, TX to Chicago, IL is estimated at $1,892 all-in in October 2026, or $1.71 a mile over about 1,106 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,570 and $2,214.

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 $691 of the $1,892 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,201 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,547, which makes Houston, TX to Chicago, IL 26% 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 →