Air freight
Chargeable weight calculator
Air freight chargeable weight is the greater of what the cargo weighs and what it measures. Add each piece, and the calculator keeps the higher of actual weight and unrounded volumetric weight, sums the shipment, then rounds up to the next 0.5 kg or whole pound.
How the calculation works
A dense piece is billed on the scale. A light, bulky piece is billed on volume. The volumetric side is length × width × height divided by 6,000 for a common IATA centimetre factor, or 166 for the matching inch factor. Courier-style 5,000 and 139 are available too.
Rounding happens once, on the shipment total, not on each piece before the comparison. A total that already lands on 0.5 kg or a whole pound is left alone.
Airlines and forwarders publish their own factors and rounding rules. Use this as a planning figure and confirm the rule on the rate sheet.
Worked examples
Air freight, volume wins: 120 × 80 × 60 cm, 80 kg, divisor 6,000
- Chargeable
- 96 kg
- Actual
- 80 kg
- Volumetric
- 96 kg
Actual weight wins: 100 × 50 × 40 cm, 50 kg, divisor 5,000
- Chargeable
- 50 kg
- Actual
- 50 kg
- Volumetric
- 40 kg
20 × 16 × 12 in, 5 lb, divisor 139
- Chargeable
- 28 lb
- Actual
- 5 lb
- Volumetric
- 27.63 lb
Questions
How is chargeable weight calculated?
For each piece, take the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. Add those piece results. Then round the shipment up to the next 0.5 kg in metric, or the next whole pound in imperial.
Should I use 6000 or 5000?
6,000 cm³/kg (166 in³/lb) is the usual air-cargo factor. 5,000 cm³/kg (139 in³/lb) is the usual express and courier factor. The rate agreement decides.
Is this a freight quote?
No. It is the billable weight a rate would be applied to. It is not a price.
Can I send several pieces?
Yes. Add a line per piece size. Quantity on a line multiplies that piece.