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Air cargo

Chargeable Weight Calculator (Volumetric Weight)

Compare actual and volumetric weight for air cargo, courier and sea LCL, and see the weight you will be charged for.

Shipping mode

Packages

Results update as you type.
  1. Line 1
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    120,000 cm³ each · 20 kg volumetric each

Chargeable weight

40 kg

Charged on volume

Actual weight30 kg
Volume0.24 m³240,000 cm³
Volumetric weight40 kg÷ 6,000
Basisvolume
Rounding ruleRounded up to the next 0.5 kg.

Mode comparison for the same cargo

ModeDivisorVolumetricChargedBasis
Air cargo1:6,00040 kg40 kgvolume
Courier / express1:5,00048 kg48 kgvolume
Sea LCLW/M240 kg1 RTvolume
You pay for 10 kg more than the scale weight because the cargo is light for its volume.

About this calculator

Airlines, couriers and forwarders do not charge on scale weight alone. A light but bulky shipment takes space that could carry other cargo, so its volume is converted into volumetric weight. You pay for the chargeable weight, which is the greater of actual and volumetric weight. For a small business sending samples abroad or an exporter shipping by air, that difference can multiply the freight cost compared with the estimate.

This calculator supports three common modes. Air cargo uses a divisor of 6,000 (volume in cm³ divided by 6,000, equal to 166.7 kg per m³), and express couriers commonly use 5,000 (200 kg per m³); both are rounded up to the next 0.5 kg. Sea LCL uses the W/M (weight or measurement) principle: 1 CBM counts as 1,000 kg, and freight is billed in revenue tons (RT), the greater of tonnes and m³, with a minimum of 1 RT. You can also enter a custom divisor, which is not rounded.

Enter several package lines with their outer dimensions and weights; total volume and weight are added up before the comparison. Divisors and rounding rules differ between airlines, couriers and services, domestic ones included, and some also round each dimension to the nearest centimetre. The result is an estimate, not an official invoice; check your carrier's tariff rules before you quote a price.

Worked example

Air cargo of 2 packages measuring 60 × 50 × 40 cm, 15 kg each, divisor 1:6000:

  • Volume: 2 × 60 × 50 × 40 = 240,000 cm³ (0.24 m³)
  • Volumetric weight: 240,000 ÷ 6,000 = 40 kg
  • Actual weight: 2 × 15 = 30 kg
  • Chargeable weight: max(30, 40) = 40 kg, based on volume

Rounding: a 45 × 35 × 25 cm package (39,375 cm³) weighing 5.2 kg is charged 7.0 kg as air cargo (6.5625 kg) and 8.0 kg by a 1:5000 courier (7.875 kg). For the first shipment you pay for 10 kg more than the scale weight.

How to use it

  1. Choose the mode

    Pick air cargo (1:6000), courier (1:5000), sea LCL (W/M) or a custom divisor that matches your carrier's rules.

  2. Enter the packages

    Fill in the outer length, width, height, quantity and weight per package. Add a line for each other size.

  3. Read the chargeable weight

    See actual weight, volumetric weight, the chargeable weight after rounding and which one sets the charge, or the revenue tons for LCL.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate volumetric weight?
Multiply length × width × height in cm and divide by the carrier's divisor. Air cargo example: 60 × 50 × 40 cm = 120,000 cm³ ÷ 6,000 = 20 kg per package.
What is the difference between a 6000 and a 5000 divisor?
A 5,000 divisor gives a volumetric weight 20% higher than 6,000. Air cargo generally uses 6,000, while many express couriers use 5,000; check each carrier's rules.
Why is chargeable weight rounded to 0.5 kg?
Air cargo and most couriers charge in 0.5 kg steps. Example: a volumetric weight of 6.56 kg is charged as 7.0 kg, and 7.88 kg as 8.0 kg.
How is weight calculated for sea LCL?
LCL uses W/M: 1 CBM equals 1,000 kg and the greater of the two is charged. Example: 5.4 m³ weighing 1,350 kg is charged 5.4 RT; a 0.3 m³ shipment of 200 kg is still charged the 1 RT minimum.
When does the actual weight apply?
When the cargo is dense. Example: a 30 × 30 × 30 cm box weighing 20 kg has an air volumetric weight of only 4.5 kg, so 20 kg is charged.

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