We propose a scheme for generation of three-mode W-type entangled coherent states (ECSs) in free-travelling optical fields by using a single-photon source, coherent state sources, beam splitters, photodetectors, and three-mode cross-Kerr media. The scheme consists of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) in which each arm contains a cross-Kerr medium. We calculate the success probability of the generated W-type ECSs, and the total success probability is unity under the ideal conditions.