"How much does it cost to ship freight?" is the first question every shipper asks and the hardest one to answer with a single number. Freight pricing moves with fuel, capacity, season, and the specifics of your load. But there are reliable benchmarks, and once you understand what drives them you can budget accurately and spot a bad quote from across the room.
This guide lays out where freight rates stand in late 2026 across truckload, LTL, intermodal, ocean, and air, explains the eight factors that set your price, and shows how to get a quote you can actually plan around. Benchmarks are U.S. national averages; your lane will differ.
Freight Shipping Costs at a Glance (October 2026)
| Mode | Typical 2026 Benchmark | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Full truckload (dry van) | About $3.00–$3.15 per mile all-in on the spot market; contract rates generally lower | 10+ pallets, 15,000+ lb, time-sensitive or fragile freight |
| Refrigerated (reefer) | Roughly $3.60–$3.70 per mile all-in | Food, pharma, temperature-sensitive goods |
| Flatbed | Roughly $3.60–$3.70 per mile all-in | Machinery, building materials, oversized loads |
| LTL (per pallet) | About $500–$600 national average for one 500-lb class 70 pallet, all-in | 1–6 pallets, under about 12,000 lb |
| Intermodal (rail + truck) | Usually 10–25% below comparable truckload on long lanes, with 1–3 extra transit days | Long-haul, non-urgent full loads |
| Ocean (FCL) | Highly lane-dependent; a 40-ft container has ranged from under $2,000 to well over $10,000 in recent years | Large international volumes where time allows |
| Air freight | Commonly quoted at several dollars per kilogram, rising sharply for express service | Urgent, high-value, or lightweight international cargo |
Sources for the truckload figures are the weekly DAT spot market reports for October 2026; LTL figures reflect published national LTL spot indexes for the same period. Treat every number above as a starting point, not a quote.
Truckload Rates: Where the Market Stands
After a long freight recession, truckload pricing turned a corner in 2026. Carrier exits, tighter driver availability, and a sustained fuel spike pushed dry van spot rates roughly a third higher than a year ago on a linehaul basis. A quarter-end surge in late September lifted the national van average to about $3.13 per mile all-in before easing to around $3.09 by mid-October as capacity trickled back.
Two things to understand about those headline numbers:
- All-in vs. linehaul. The $3-plus figure includes fuel. Linehaul alone (what the carrier earns before fuel) is closer to $2.25 per mile. When diesel moves, the all-in rate moves with it even if nothing else changed.
- Spot vs. contract. Spot rates are what you pay to book a truck today. Contract rates, negotiated for committed volume over a year, run lower and smoother. In a rising market the gap widens, which is exactly when contract coverage pays for itself.
Specialized equipment carries a premium. Reefer and flatbed were both in the mid-$3.60s per mile in October, reflecting the smaller pool of trailers and the extra handling involved. Read more about choosing between modes in our LTL vs. FTL guide.
Want a real number instead of a national average? Send us your origin, destination, commodity, weight, and dimensions and we will quote your actual lane, same day on most shipments.
Get a Free Freight Quote →LTL Pricing: Why Pallet Rates Keep Climbing
Less-than-truckload has been the most expensive corner of domestic freight in 2026. Industry rate-per-pound indexes set records in the second and third quarters and are projected to do so again in the fourth, running close to 9% above last year. Several large carriers pushed through general rate increases of 5.9% to 7.1% in June and July alone.
For a single standard pallet (roughly 48x40 inches, 500 lb, class 70), national all-in spot pricing averaged around $580 in mid-October, with a median near $520. Regional moves under 500 miles are frequently in the $200–$400 range; cross-country, high-class, or accessorial-heavy shipments run well above the average.
Three LTL cost drivers deserve special attention:
- Freight class. The NMFC class (50 to 500) is the single biggest lever on your LTL rate. Low-density, fragile, or hard-to-handle freight lands in a high class and pays more. Our freight class guide explains how to find yours and avoid costly reclassification.
- Density. Carriers increasingly price by cubic density rather than commodity descriptions. Shrinking a pallet's footprint or stacking efficiently can drop you a class and save real money.
- Accessorials. Liftgate, residential delivery, limited access, inside delivery, appointment scheduling, and redelivery each add a fee, often $50–$150 or more. Disclose them up front so they are priced in rather than billed back later.
Intermodal, Ocean, and Air: The Other Price Tags
Intermodal
Moving a container by rail for the long middle leg and truck for pickup and delivery typically costs 10–25% less than pure truckload on lanes over roughly 700 miles, in exchange for one to three extra days of transit. With trucking capacity tightening, analysts expect intermodal pricing to firm up through 2026 as more shippers shift volume. It remains one of the best values for predictable, non-urgent freight. See our intermodal services.
Ocean freight
Container rates are the most volatile line in logistics. Over the past several years a 40-foot container on major trade lanes has swung from under $2,000 to more than $10,000 depending on demand, vessel capacity, and disruptions at chokepoints such as the Red Sea and Panama Canal. Fuel surcharges, port fees, customs brokerage, and drayage on both ends add to the ocean rate itself. For smaller volumes, less-than-container-load (LCL) is priced per cubic meter. Our air vs. ocean comparison walks through the full landed-cost picture.
Air freight
Air is priced on chargeable weight, the greater of actual weight or dimensional weight. General cargo rates are commonly quoted in the low-to-mid single digits per kilogram on major lanes, climbing quickly for express service, oversized pieces, or peak-season space. Air makes economic sense when the value of speed exceeds the premium: high-value electronics, urgent replacement parts, perishables, and launch inventory.
The Eight Factors That Set Your Freight Rate
Every quote, from a single pallet to a 40-foot container, is built from the same ingredients:
- Distance and lane. Longer moves cost more in total but less per mile. Lanes with plenty of outbound freight (so the truck can reload) are cheaper than lanes that strand drivers.
- Weight and dimensions. Heavier and bulkier freight costs more. Inaccurate weights trigger reweigh fees and rebills after delivery.
- Freight class and density. Mostly an LTL factor, but it also shapes how freight is handled and insured across modes.
- Mode and equipment. Van, reefer, flatbed, step-deck, container, or aircraft. Specialized equipment costs more because there is less of it.
- Fuel. Diesel has run well above historical norms through 2026, and fuel surcharges track it weekly on domestic freight and monthly on ocean.
- Accessorials. Every extra service adds a line item. The cheapest accessorial is the one you disclose before pickup.
- Timing and seasonality. Produce season, quarter-end pushes, holiday peak, and winter weather all tighten capacity. Flexible pickup dates are worth money.
- Market supply and demand. The load-to-truck ratio on your lane on your pickup day ultimately sets the spot price. This is the factor a freight broker watches for you.
How to Get an Accurate Freight Quote
The fastest way to overpay is to request a quote with vague information. Bring these to every quote request:
- Exact origin and destination ZIP codes, including whether either is residential, limited-access, or requires an appointment
- Commodity description and freight class (or density: weight and dimensions of each piece)
- Piece count, pallet dimensions, and whether freight is stackable
- Total weight, verified on a scale
- Required pickup date and delivery deadline
- Special handling: liftgate, hazmat, temperature control, inside delivery, high value
With that information a broker can price your freight across many carriers at once and tell you which option gives the best mix of cost and service. Request a quote through our online form or read our ten strategies for reducing freight costs before you ship.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does truckload shipping cost per mile in 2026?
In mid-October 2026, national average dry van spot rates were a little over $3.00 per mile all-in, with reefer and flatbed in the mid-$3.60s. Contract rates run lower and more stable. Your lane, equipment, and pickup timing decide the actual number.
How much does it cost to ship one pallet by LTL?
National all-in spot pricing for a single 500-lb, class 70 pallet averaged roughly $500–$600 in October 2026. Short regional moves are often $200–$400; long-haul, high-class, or accessorial-heavy shipments cost more.
Why did my LTL rates go up in 2026?
Carriers implemented 6–7% general rate increases midyear, fuel surcharges stayed elevated, industry pricing indexes hit record highs, and density-based reclassification pushed some freight into higher classes.
Is a freight broker cheaper than booking a carrier directly?
Usually. A broker compares rates across thousands of carriers, leverages combined volume, and helps you avoid misclassification and reweigh fees. For most small and mid-size shippers that means a lower all-in cost and much less administrative work.
The Bottom Line
Freight is more expensive in 2026 than it has been in several years, but it is not unpredictable. Know your weight, dimensions, and class; disclose accessorials up front; stay flexible on timing where you can; and lock in contract coverage on the lanes you run every week. Those four habits save more than any single rate negotiation.
MyExpressFreight prices freight across every mode and every lane, nationwide and to 150+ countries, through a network of vetted carriers. Tell us what you are shipping and we will tell you what it should cost.