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Guide

LTL Freight Shipping in Chicago, IL

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Chicago is one of the busiest freight hubs in the country, so most national LTL carriers and many regional ones run terminals around the metro, and the price you are quoted depends heavily on which of them you ask. We pulled live quotes on 20 lanes to and from Chicago: the typical quote was 52% above the cheapest on the same freight, so comparing carriers matters more here than almost anywhere. Enter your ZIP codes below for your own quotes, or read on for real price ranges and transit times by lane.

20Chicago lanes priced, both directions, with 1,550 standard-service quotes in total
+52%how far the median quote sat above the cheapest on the same freight
$292–$487cheapest one-pallet quote out of Chicago, Indianapolis to Seattle
1–5 daystypical standard transit, from the closest to the farthest lane

LTL rates from Chicago: real quotes by lane

Every figure below comes from live quotes we pulled on 3 November 2026 for a pickup on Tuesday 10 November, for pallets of 48 x 40 x 48 inches at freight class 100, picked up and delivered at a business with a loading dock. We kept standard-service quotes only, dropped any quote above three times the lane median as an outlier, and show carriers as a group rather than by name. Lowest is the cheapest quote returned, median is the middle one, and the middle half is where the central half of the quotes fell. Your own price will differ with your freight class, accessorials and ship date.

One pallet (500 lb) from Chicago

DestinationRoad milesLowest quoteMedian quoteMiddle half of quotesTransit (median, range)
→ Indianapolis181$292$401$384–$4491 day (1–2)
→ Detroit282$329$422$396–$4881 day (1–3)
→ St. Louis297$315$436$396–$5061 day (1–3)
→ Minneapolis412$294$440$397–$5551 day (1–4)
→ Kansas City510$358$448$412–$5242 days (1–3)
→ Atlanta684$355$489$449–$5862 days (2–4)
→ New York792$434$724$567–$8763 days (2–6)
→ Dallas967$365$525$479–$5922 days (2–9)
→ Boston993$388$554$517–$6733 days (2–6)
→ Denver1,005$366$564$511–$7043 days (2–6)
→ Houston1,086$365$530$478–$6803 days (2–9)
→ Miami1,345$426$583$530–$7903 days (2–8)
→ Los Angeles2,018$415$674$535–$7584 days (3–9)
→ Seattle2,071$487$751$585–$1,0605 days (2–10)
Chart of LTL quotes for one 500 lb pallet from Chicago to 14 cities: lowest quote, middle half and median

Four pallets (2,000 lb) from Chicago

DestinationRoad milesLowest quoteMedian quoteMiddle half of quotesTransit (median, range)
→ Indianapolis181$345$615$499–$7641 day (1–2)
→ Detroit282$432$708$597–$8711 day (1–3)
→ St. Louis297$397$685$579–$8791 day (1–3)
→ Minneapolis412$492$823$715–$1,1201 day (1–4)
→ Kansas City510$626$936$772–$1,1502 days (1–3)
→ Atlanta684$612$1,005$750–$1,3012 days (2–4)
→ New York792$663$1,668$1,315–$2,0733 days (2–6)
→ Dallas967$540$1,230$1,065–$1,5062 days (2–9)
→ Boston993$705$1,317$1,047–$1,7253 days (2–6)
→ Denver1,005$746$1,373$1,041–$1,7193 days (2–6)
→ Houston1,086$613$1,366$1,028–$1,5563 days (2–9)
→ Miami1,345$718$1,554$1,181–$1,7833 days (2–8)
→ Los Angeles2,018$613$1,515$1,141–$1,9874 days (3–9)
→ Seattle2,071$1,055$1,946$1,587–$2,5745 days (2–10)

Into Chicago: one pallet (500 lb)

OriginRoad milesLowest quoteMedian quoteMiddle half of quotesTransit (median, range)
← Columbus355$324$415$382–$4931 day (1–3)
← Atlanta684$341$463$437–$5222 days (2–5)
← Newark781$351$487$427–$5442 days (2–5)
← Denver1,005$412$506$460–$5432 days (2–5)
← Houston1,086$364$506$448–$5913 days (2–6)
← Los Angeles2,018$462$651$564–$7294 days (3–7)

What the Chicago quotes show

  • Short lanes cost the most per mile. The median one-pallet quote on the 4 lanes under 450 miles worked out to about $1.48 a mile, against about $0.43 a mile on the 5 lanes of 1,000 miles or more. Carriers have minimum charges, and the first miles carry the pickup and delivery costs.
  • Four pallets cost far less than four times one pallet. On the 14 lanes we priced at both sizes, the median quote for 2,000 lb was about 2.3 times the median for 500 lb, so each pallet is cheaper when you ship them together.
  • Direction matters. Coming into Chicago was cheaper than leaving it on all 4 lanes we priced both ways, by 3% to 10% at the median (Houston $506 inbound against $530 outbound; Atlanta $463 inbound against $489 outbound; Denver $506 inbound against $564 outbound; Los Angeles $651 inbound against $674 outbound). Check both directions if you can choose who ships.
  • The cheapest carrier changes lane by lane. The median quote ran 52% above the lowest on the typical lane, and the highest standard quote on the Seattle lane was $1,978 against a lowest of $487 for the same pallet.

Which LTL carriers serve Chicago

Most of the large national LTL carriers and a long list of regional ones operate terminals in the Chicago area, so a pickup in the city or the suburbs is rarely a problem. What changes is which carrier prices your lane and freight best. Carriers fall into four groups, and a good quote comparison covers all of them:

Carrier typeBest forWhat to know
Full-service nationalMost pallets, long hauls and coast-to-coast lanesA network of many terminals, priced mainly by freight class, weight and distance. Usually the widest choice of transit times.
RegionalMidwest lanes and next-day or two-day runsFewer terminals but dense coverage in a region, so they are often fast and competitive on the shorter Chicago lanes, such as Indianapolis, Detroit or St. Louis.
Volume LTLLarger shipments, roughly six pallets or morePriced by the space the freight takes in the trailer rather than by class, and often slower. In our tests it was not always the cheapest option, so compare it with standard quotes.
Guaranteed and expeditedFreight with a delivery deadlineA guaranteed delivery date or time window for a premium. Compare it with the standard price and transit time before you pay for it.

We compare quotes across these groups at once, and you see the carrier names when you book. See how this works on our LTL quote page, and read the LTL vs. FTL guide to see when a truckload is cheaper.

What changes an LTL quote from Chicago

FactorWhat it does to the priceWhere to check it
Weight and pallet countMore weight lowers the cost per pound. In our quotes four pallets cost about 2.3 times one pallet, not four times.Pallet shipping guide
Freight class and densityA higher class costs more. These quotes used class 100, so lighter or bulkier freight can price higher and denser freight lower.Freight class calculator, class price study
Pickup and delivery typeA site without a dock needs a liftgate, which added roughly $75 to $108 in our liftgate tests, and a residential address adds more.Liftgate and residential delivery, accessorial checker
The lane and its directionDistance matters, but so do carrier terminals at both ends, and a lane can cost more one way than the other.The tables above
DimensionsPallets taller than 48 inches or wider than standard take more trailer space, and carriers may reclass oversized freight.Volume and density calculator
Ship date and fuelRates move with fuel surcharges, the season and carrier capacity, so a quote is a snapshot.Freight cost calculator

Volume LTL from Chicago

Shippers often search for volume LTL in Chicago, but it did not show up in our two test sizes: none of the 34 runs above returned a volume quote, which fits what we found in our LTL vs. FTL study, where volume pricing appeared from about six pallets. If you ship six pallets or more, ask for volume quotes and compare them with standard LTL and a partial truckload, because volume LTL was not always the cheaper choice and often took longer.

Guaranteed and faster delivery

Guaranteed-service quotes came back on every one of our 34 runs. The lowest guaranteed quote was typically about 41% above the lowest standard quote on the same lane, in exchange for a fixed delivery date or window. If a shipment must arrive on a specific day, price it both ways before you decide.

LTL is a scheduled network, so it is not a same-day service. When freight has to move today, a dedicated van is the usual answer: read about Sprinter van delivery or expedited freight and request a quote.

Pickup and delivery tips in the Chicago area

  • Book a dock appointment early. Many Chicago-area warehouses and distribution centers schedule dock doors, and a missed slot can mean a redelivery charge.
  • Check the delivery rules for downtown buildings. Loop and River North buildings often limit truck hours or require a dock or loading-zone reservation, so confirm with building management. If there is no dock, request a liftgate.
  • Plan for winter. Snow and ice from December through February can add a day to transit and slow pickups, so leave a buffer on deadline freight.
  • Give accurate dimensions. Carriers measure freight at the terminal, and a wrong weight or size can change the final bill. Use the volume calculator and the class calculator before you ask for quotes.
  • Say if the freight is special. Temperature-controlled, hazmat, oversized and residential shipments need different carriers and rules, so mention them in the quote request.

Shipping to or from elsewhere in the state? See our Illinois LTL freight page, which covers state rules and more sample lanes.

Chicago LTL freight: frequently asked questions

How much does LTL freight cost from Chicago?

In our live quotes, one 500 lb pallet from Chicago had a median standard quote of $401 to $751 depending on the lane, from Indianapolis (181 miles) to Seattle (2,071 miles). Four pallets of 2,000 lb had medians of $615 to $1,946. Class, accessorials and ship date change the price, so request quotes for your own freight.

How much is LTL shipping from Chicago to Boston?

For one 500 lb pallet at class 100 priced for a 10 November pickup, Chicago to Boston: lowest $388, median $554, middle half $517 to $673, typical transit 3 days (2 to 6). For four pallets (2,000 lb) the median was $1,317. Use the quote form for your own shipment.

How much are LTL rates from Chicago to New York?

For one 500 lb pallet at class 100 priced for a 10 November pickup, Chicago to New York: lowest $434, median $724, middle half $567 to $876, typical transit 3 days (2 to 6). For four pallets (2,000 lb) the median was $1,668. Use the quote form for your own shipment.

What does LTL cost from Chicago to Kansas City, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Detroit or Indianapolis?

Median quotes for one 500 lb pallet were Kansas City $448 (510 miles), Minneapolis $440 (412 miles), St. Louis $436 (297 miles), Detroit $422 (282 miles), Indianapolis $401 (181 miles). These Midwest lanes usually move in one to three days.

How much does LTL shipping cost from Denver to Chicago?

For one 500 lb pallet at class 100, Denver to Chicago: lowest $412, median $506, middle half $460 to $543, typical transit 2 days (2 to 5). This is a snapshot for a 10 November pickup; the cheapest carrier changes by lane and date.

What are LTL rates from Los Angeles to Chicago?

For one 500 lb pallet at class 100, Los Angeles to Chicago: lowest $462, median $651, middle half $564 to $729, typical transit 4 days (3 to 7). This is a snapshot for a 10 November pickup; the cheapest carrier changes by lane and date.

How much is the cheapest LTL from Houston to Chicago?

For one 500 lb pallet at class 100, Houston to Chicago: lowest $364, median $506, middle half $448 to $591, typical transit 3 days (2 to 6). This is a snapshot for a 10 November pickup; the cheapest carrier changes by lane and date.

How much is LTL from Newark to Chicago?

For one 500 lb pallet at class 100, Newark to Chicago: lowest $351, median $487, middle half $427 to $544, typical transit 2 days (2 to 5). This is a snapshot for a 10 November pickup; the cheapest carrier changes by lane and date.

What does LTL from Columbus to Chicago cost?

For one 500 lb pallet at class 100, Columbus to Chicago: lowest $324, median $415, middle half $382 to $493, typical transit 1 days (1 to 3). This is a snapshot for a 10 November pickup; the cheapest carrier changes by lane and date.

How long does LTL take from Chicago?

In our quotes the median standard transit was 1 day for Indianapolis; 1 day for St. Louis; 2 days for Kansas City; 3 days for New York; 3 days for Boston; 3 days for Houston; 4 days for Los Angeles. Transit is counted in days from pickup, and a guaranteed service can be faster for a premium.

Which LTL carriers serve Chicago?

Most large national carriers and many regional carriers have terminals in the Chicago area. Which one is cheapest depends on the lane, the weight and the freight class, and in our quotes the median price was well above the lowest on a typical lane, so comparing is worth it. You see carrier names when you book.

What is full-service LTL?

Full-service LTL means a carrier with its own terminal network that picks up, consolidates, line-hauls and delivers your pallets, usually priced by freight class. It differs from volume LTL, which is priced by the space the freight takes up and suits larger shipments.

What is volume LTL?

Volume LTL is a pricing style for larger LTL shipments, often six pallets or more, based on the linear feet of trailer space rather than the freight class. It can be cheaper than standard LTL or a truckload for some lanes but is often slower. Compare it with standard quotes.

Is there same-day LTL in Chicago?

No. LTL moves through a terminal network on a schedule, with transit measured in days. For same-day delivery, a dedicated van or truck is the option, and you can request one from our expedited freight service.

Do you have refrigerated LTL in Chicago?

Temperature-controlled LTL is a separate service from the dry freight priced on this page, with fewer carriers and higher rates. Tell us it is temperature-controlled in the quote request so we match it with the right carriers.

Do I need a liftgate for a Chicago pickup or delivery?

Only if the site has no loading dock. In our liftgate tests the service added about $75 to $108 per shipment, and a residential address added more. Read our liftgate delivery guide.

How do I get an LTL quote in Chicago?

Enter your pickup and delivery ZIP codes and the weight in the form at the top of this page, then add the details of your freight. A freight specialist follows up with your quotes. For a quick estimate, use the freight cost calculator.

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Cite this page

Cite as: Transportli, “LTL Freight Shipping in Chicago, IL”, https://transportli.com/ltl-freight/illinois/chicago/, updated November 3, 2026.

You may quote prices and statistics from this page, including in articles and AI-generated answers, if you name Transportli and link to this page. Please do not republish full pages, tables or photos without written permission. Data license and terms of use

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