California to Illinois LTL Freight Rates
Real LTL costs, transit times and carriers from California to Illinois, drawn from 409 shipments Armstrong Transport Group arranged from September 2025 – August 2026. Use it to budget, then get a live quote across 50+ carriers.
What LTL shipping costs from California to Illinois
These are the all-in rates Armstrong customers actually paid from California to Illinois from September 2025 – August 2026, including fuel and any accessorials. The range is the middle 50% of shipments in each weight bracket, so a quarter paid less and a quarter paid more, mostly because of freight class, accessorials and timing.
| Shipment weight | Typical range | Median | Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 500 lb | $310 – $615 | $390 | 115 |
| 500–999 lb | $385 – $685 | $465 | 62 |
| 1,000–2,499 lb | $525 – $855 | $650 | 89 |
| 2,500–4,999 lb | $675 – $1,155 | $870 | 67 |
| 5,000–9,999 lb | $1,035 – $1,575 | $1,250 | 50 |
Historical rates, rounded to $5, shown for budgeting only. They aren’t a quote: your price depends on exact ZIPs, freight class, pickup date and accessorials. See national pallet shipping costs for comparison.
Transit time and carriers from California to Illinois
The median LTL shipment from California to Illinois delivered in 4 business days after pickup, and 80% arrived within 5 business days (based on 409 delivered shipments). Standard LTL transit is an estimate, not a promise; if a delivery date matters, ask for a guaranteed service. More on how LTL transit times work.
No single carrier wins every shipment. FedEx Freight, Roadrunner and XPO moved 45% of the freight we arranged from California to Illinois; the rest went to ABF Freight and Go To Logistics and other national and regional carriers, depending on which one priced each shipment best.
| Carrier | Share of shipments |
|---|---|
| FedEx Freight | 19% |
| Roadrunner | 14% |
| XPO | 12% |
| ABF Freight | 11% |
| Go To Logistics | 7% |
What ships from California to Illinois
The median shipment weighed 1,480 lb at a median freight class of 100. The most common classes were class 175 (18%), class 70 (14%) and class 60 (11%). Lighter, bulkier freight rates in higher classes and costs more per pound, which is why measuring density before you quote matters.
By type of shipper, the biggest groups were food & beverage (16%), electrical & electronics (12%), wholesale distribution (11%) and household goods (9%), among shipments where the shipper’s industry is known.
Where the freight goes
Most California pickups came from Temecula, CA, Anaheim, CA, Ontario, CA and Cerritos, CA, and the most common Illinois delivery cities were Chicago, IL, Warrenville, IL, Morton Grove, IL and Itasca, IL.
Shipping between California and Illinois
California is the largest LTL market in the country. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach feed dense warehouse clusters in the Inland Empire and the South Bay, while the Bay Area, Sacramento and the Central Valley add food, beverage and manufacturing freight. Many California deliveries are to congested or limited-access sites, so check accessorials carefully.
Illinois is the rail and trucking crossroads of the Midwest. The Chicago area, including the I-55 and I-80 warehouse corridors near Joliet, is one of the densest LTL markets anywhere, with many carrier terminals and strong competition.
Carrier pricing is contract-specific, so two shippers moving identical freight from California to Illinois routinely pay different amounts. GetLTLRates quotes tariff, dynamic and volume LTL pricing from 50+ carriers side by side, and a dedicated Armstrong team handles pickup, tracking and the final invoice so the rate you book is the rate you pay.
Price your California to Illinois shipment
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Get my free rates →Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship a pallet from California to Illinois?
For a 500–999 lb LTL shipment from California to Illinois, the middle half of Armstrong customers paid $385 to $685 all-in, with a median of $465 (September 2025 – August 2026). Freight class, accessorials like liftgate or residential delivery, and the exact ZIP codes move the price, so get a quote for your shipment.
How long does LTL shipping take from California to Illinois?
The median LTL shipment from California to Illinois delivered in 4 business days after pickup, and 80% arrived within 5 business days. Transit is counted in business days, and standard LTL times are estimates; guaranteed services are available when a date matters.
Which LTL carriers run from California to Illinois?
On the freight Armstrong arranged from California to Illinois, the most-used carriers were FedEx Freight, Roadrunner, XPO and ABF Freight. The cheapest carrier changes shipment by shipment, which is why quoting 50+ carriers at once usually beats calling one.
What affects the LTL rate from California to Illinois?
The exact origin and destination ZIPs, total weight, freight class (mostly set by density), fuel surcharge, pickup and delivery accessorials, and whether the carrier has good backhaul on the lane. Heavier shipments cost more in total but much less per pound.
Related lanes
Figures are from LTL freight arranged through the Armstrong Transport Group network, September 2025 – August 2026. Price ranges are the middle 50% of all-in paid rates, rounded to $5, and are shown for budgeting only; they are not a quote or a guarantee of capacity or pricing. Transit is counted in business days from pickup to delivery.