Freight shipping rates: how each mode is priced
Every mode bills on something different: freight class, a whole trailer, dimensional weight, chargeable kilos or cubic meters. Here's what drives each one, with real LTL prices so you can see how weight and distance change the bill.
Short answer: Freight rates depend on the mode. LTL is priced by lane, weight, freight class and accessorials; in September 2025 – August 2026 the median LTL shipment (870 lb) cost $425 all-in, and the price per 100 lb fell from a median of $127 under 500 lb to $10 at 10,000 to 20,000 lb. Truckload is priced per trailer, parcel by dimensional weight and zone, air by chargeable weight and ocean per container or cubic meter.
Updated November 2, 2026 · By the GetShippingRates team at Armstrong Transport Group
What each freight mode charges for
LTL
Priced by lane, weight and freight class, with a fuel surcharge and any accessorials on top. Rates fall per hundredweight as weight rises.
Truckload
One price for the whole trailer, usually quoted all-in per load or per mile. Lane balance, equipment, lead time and the season move it week to week.
Parcel
Priced by billable weight (the greater of actual and dimensional weight), zone, service level and surcharges like residential delivery.
Air freight
Priced per kilo of chargeable weight, with weight breaks that lower the rate as the shipment gets heavier, plus fuel and security surcharges.
Ocean freight
A full container (FCL) is priced per box; less than a container (LCL) per cubic meter or 1,000 kg, whichever is greater. Port and customs charges are separate lines.
Reefer LTL and final mile
Reefer LTL prices like LTL plus temperature control from a smaller pool of carriers. White glove adds a priced delivery service level to the LTL leg.
Not sure which mode fits? The shipping cost calculator works out the billable weight for each one and points you to the right mode.
LTL price by weight and distance
Median all-in price, with the middle half of shipments under it.
| Shipment weight | Within one state | Regional | Long haul |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 500 lb | $215$160–$285 | $280$215–$375 | $365$280–$495 |
| 500–999 lb | $250$180–$355 | $345$250–$490 | $500$355–$700 |
| 1,000–2,499 lb | $270$195–$405 | $410$290–$600 | $650$455–$925 |
| 2,500–4,999 lb | $340$250–$490 | $560$400–$790 | $880$640–$1,295 |
| 5,000–9,999 lb | $420$320–$555 | $740$550–$1,045 | $1,230$895–$1,685 |
| 10,000–20,000 lb | $625$470–$850 | $1,080$755–$1,470 | $1,775$1,350–$2,415 |
Historical benchmark, not a quote. 97,360 LTL shipments arranged by Armstrong Transport Group, picked up September 2025 – August 2026. Middle 50% of the all-in price billed to the shipper (linehaul, fuel and accessorials), median in bold, rounded to $5. How these are built.
Price per 100 lb falls as weight rises
| Shipment weight | Price per 100 lb |
|---|---|
| Under 500 lb | $127$85–$196 |
| 500–999 lb | $59$40–$84 |
| 1,000–2,499 lb | $31$20–$48 |
| 2,500–4,999 lb | $19$13–$28 |
| 5,000–9,999 lb | $13$9–$19 |
| 10,000–20,000 lb | $10$7–$14 |
Same shipments; price divided by weight in hundredweight, rounded to the dollar. Light shipments pay a high rate per pound because pickup, terminal handling and delivery cost about the same whatever the weight.
What shippers actually paid on comparable LTL shipments, September 2025 – August 2026. Good for budgeting and for checking whether a quote is in the normal range. It can’t know your lane, dates or accessorials.
What carriers will charge for your lane and dates today, with your freight class and accessorials. LTL rates stream in from 50+ carriers; truckload returns one all-in price.
Where there's no benchmark, there's a live quote
The price tables on GetShippingRates come from LTL shipments Armstrong Transport Group arranged, because that is where there’s enough history to be fair. Truckload, air, ocean, parcel, reefer LTL and final-mile prices are quoted live instead. A dated table for a market that reprices every week would be wrong by the time you read it.
- Truckload: one all-in price for the lane in seconds, fuel included. Truckload rates
- Air and ocean: air express, air standard and ocean routes compared with transit days. International freight
- Parcel: box and envelope rates priced by packaging and service; Armstrong’s team arranges the shipment. Parcel shipping
How the benchmarks are built, and what’s left out of them, is on the pricing methodology page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost of freight shipping?
It depends on the mode. For LTL, the median shipment in September 2025 – August 2026 weighed 870 lb and cost $425 all-in, across 97,360 shipments. Truckload, air and ocean are priced on different units (a trailer, chargeable kilos, a container), so there isn't one average across modes.
What is a hundredweight (CWT) rate?
Price per 100 lb. LTL carriers publish rates per hundredweight that drop as shipments get heavier. In the benchmark, the median all-in price per 100 lb was $127 for shipments under 500 lb, $31 at 1,000 to 2,499 lb and $13 at 5,000 to 9,999 lb.
Why don't you publish truckload, air or ocean price tables?
Those markets reprice week to week with capacity, fuel and demand, and a dated table would mislead more than it helps. The benchmarks on this site are built only where there's enough of Armstrong's own shipment history to be fair. For other modes, get a live quote.
What's included in a freight rate?
For LTL and truckload the all-in price includes linehaul and fuel surcharge, plus any accessorials you list (liftgate, residential, appointment). International quotes list origin, main leg and destination charges separately; duties and taxes are on top.
More shipping cost guides
Get live freight rates for any mode
Pick the mode, tell us the lane and what you're shipping, and an Armstrong specialist replies with rates. LTL books online with an account; truckload, parcel, international, reefer and white glove are priced instantly in the platform and Armstrong's team books them.
Prefer to talk? Call 877-240-1181 or email info@getshippingrates.com. Shipping several modes? Request a free multimodal shipping review.