Shipping & logistics
Compare actual and volumetric weight to find the chargeable weight.
Enter your numbers to see the answer.
Air freight chargeable weight guide
Air freight is priced per kilogram, but the kilogram the airline charges for is the greater of the gross weight on the scale and the volumetric weight of the space your shipment takes up. This calculator uses the IATA convention of 6,000 cubic centimetres per kilogram: it multiplies length, width, and height in centimetres, divides by 6,000, and compares that with the actual weight you enter. Importers use it to decide whether a consolidated order is dense enough for air to make sense, to check a forwarder’s quote, and to spot cartons that are costing money for empty space. The break-even is a density of about 167 kg per cubic metre; lighter than that and you pay for volume. The result is the chargeable weight before the airline’s minimum charge and before rounding, which most carriers apply upward to the next 0.5 kg.
Volumetric weight (kg) = length (cm) × width (cm) × height (cm) ÷ 6,000. Chargeable weight (kg) = the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight.
Worked example: a pallet-sized consignment of 120 cm × 80 cm × 70 cm weighs 80 kg on the scale. Its volume is 120 × 80 × 70 = 672,000 cm³, so volumetric weight is 672,000 ÷ 6,000 = 112 kg. Because 112 kg is greater than the actual 80 kg, the airline charges for 112 kg. At a rate of $4.50 per kg the freight line would be 112 × 4.50 = $504, not 80 × 4.50 = $360. The calculator displays a chargeable weight of 112 kg.
Enter the actual gross weight in kilograms and the dimensions in centimetres; the divisor is fixed at 6,000 cm³/kg. For a shipment quoted in inches and pounds, convert first: inches × 2.54 gives centimetres and pounds × 0.4536 gives kilograms. The equivalent inch rule is 166 in³/lb. For multi-piece shipments, add the volumes of all pieces and compare the total volumetric weight with the total gross weight.
Carriers bill on whichever is greater, actual weight or volumetric weight, so treat this result as the number to compare against your carrier's own quote. Divisors, rounding rules, and surcharges differ between carriers and between domestic and international services, and they change with contract terms. Confirm the current rules for your account before you price a shipment. On this page the figure rests entirely on actual weight, length, width, height, market / jurisdiction, effective date, data source, update owner and review date, so start there if the air freight chargeable weight returns something you did not expect.
Good to know: the 6,000 divisor is the IATA air cargo standard used by forwarders; express couriers such as DHL Express and FedEx International Priority use 5,000, which produces a higher volumetric figure for the same box. Measure the consignment as tendered, including the pallet and any overhang, because the airline measures the whole unit. Do not compare volumetric weight against the net product weight; use the gross weight with packaging.
Shipping results depend on carrier, service, route, divisor, rounding, surcharges, and contract terms. Confirm the current carrier rule before buying a label or quoting a customer.
Sources
How it works
Compare actual and volumetric weight to find the chargeable weight. This tool explains the calculation so you can adjust the assumptions to match your situation.
Worked example
With Actual weight = 80 kg · Length = 120 cm · Width = 80 cm · Height = 70 cm → 112 kg (chargeable weight). Change an input above and this example updates with your numbers.
Common questions
Multiply length, width, and height in centimetres and divide by 6,000 to get volumetric kilograms, then compare with the gross weight. The higher figure is the chargeable weight. A 120 × 80 × 70 cm shipment is 112 volumetric kg.
Gross weight is what the shipment weighs on a scale, including packaging. Chargeable weight is what the airline bills, which is the gross weight or the volumetric weight, whichever is higher. They are equal only for dense cargo.
IATA’s TACT rules define one kilogram of air cargo as occupying 6,000 cm³, which equals a density of about 167 kg/m³. Shipments lighter than that use more aircraft space than their weight justifies, so they are billed on volume.
Compare the chargeable weight times the air rate with the sea LCL charge per cubic metre plus handling. A 112 kg chargeable, 0.67 m³ shipment often costs several times more by air; air is usually chosen for speed, not price.
Yes. If cargo is tendered on a pallet, the airline measures and weighs the entire built-up unit, including the pallet, shrink wrap, and any overhang. Loose cartons are measured individually and summed.