How chargeable weight works in air freight

An aircraft runs out of space before it runs out of payload on many routes, so airlines price light, bulky cargo by the space it takes up. That is the idea behind chargeable weight: the shipment is charged on its actual gross weight or its volumetric weight, whichever is greater.

Calculating volumetric weight

Multiply length × width × height of each piece in centimetres, multiply by the number of pieces, and divide by the divisor. The standard IATA divisor is 6,000 cm³ per kg, which equals 166.67 kg per cubic metre. Express and courier services often use 5,000.

Example

Four pallets, each 120 × 80 × 100 cm, with a total gross weight of 380 kg:

• Volume: 120 × 80 × 100 × 4 = 3,840,000 cm³ (3.84 m³)

• Volumetric weight at 6,000: 3,840,000 ÷ 6,000 = 640 kg

• Chargeable weight: 640 kg, because it is higher than 380 kg

With a 5,000 divisor the same cargo would be charged at 768 kg, which is why it is important to know which divisor a quote uses.

Rounding

Carriers round chargeable weight up, typically to the next half or whole kilogram. Pieces are measured at their outermost points, including pallet overhang and any protrusions.

Reducing chargeable weight

• Remove empty space in cartons and avoid oversized boxes.

• Check whether pallets can be built lower or combined.

• Ask whether a slightly slower consolidated service uses a different pricing basis.

• For heavy, dense cargo, focus on gross weight instead — volume will not be the limiting factor.

Road freight uses the same idea

Road freight applies a weight-to-volume ratio too, often around 333 kg per cubic metre for part loads, though the factor varies by market and haulier. Our chargeable weight calculator covers both air and road.