Chargeable Weight Calculator and Volumetric Weight Formula

Why does a box of pillows cost more to fly than a box of bolts? Because air and express freight are billed on chargeable weight: the actual weight or the volumetric weight, whichever is higher. Use the calculator below to work out the chargeable weight of your cartons, then read on for the formulas, worked examples and ways to pay for less.

Key points
• Chargeable weight = actual weight or volumetric weight, whichever is higher.
• Air freight: volumetric weight = L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6,000. That means 1 CBM counts as about 167 kg.
• Express (DHL, UPS, FedEx): L × W × H (cm) ÷ 5,000, so 1 CBM counts as 200 kg.
• Sea LCL: 1 CBM counts as 1,000 kg, and you pay for CBM or tonnes, whichever is higher.
• Light, bulky goods are billed on size. Smaller cartons mean lower freight.

What Is Chargeable Weight?

Planes and courier vans fill up by space as well as by weight. A carton of foam takes the same room as a carton of steel parts, so carriers charge for the space too. They compare two figures for every shipment:

• Actual weight (gross weight): what the cartons weigh on a scale, packaging included.
• Volumetric weight: a weight worked out from the carton size.

The higher of the two is the chargeable weight, and that is the weight on your invoice.

You will see volumetric weight called by other names: dimensional weight, dim weight, volume weight or, in Australia, cubic weight. They all mean the same thing.

Volumetric Weight Formula

The ÷6,000 divisor is the standard for air cargo set by IATA, the airline industry body. Express companies such as DHL usually use ÷5,000.

Measuring in inches? Multiply length × width × height in inches, then:

• Air freight: divide by 366 for kilograms, or by 166 for pounds.
• Express: divide by 305 for kilograms, or by 139 for pounds.

Not sure how to measure your cartons or work out CBM? See our guide on how to calculate CBM.

How to Calculate Chargeable Weight: 3 Examples

1. Light, bulky goods by air

10 cartons of cushions, each 60 × 50 × 50 cm and 8 kg.

• Actual weight: 10 × 8 kg = 80 kg
• Volumetric weight: 60 × 50 × 50 ÷ 6,000 = 25 kg per carton, × 10 = 250 kg
• Chargeable weight: 250 kg. You pay for more than three times the real weight.

By express, the same cartons count as 60 × 50 × 50 ÷ 5,000 = 30 kg each, so 300 kg.

2. Small, heavy goods by air

5 cartons of metal parts, each 40 × 30 × 30 cm and 20 kg.

• Actual weight: 5 × 20 kg = 100 kg
• Volumetric weight: 40 × 30 × 30 ÷ 6,000 = 6 kg per carton, × 5 = 30 kg
• Chargeable weight: 100 kg. Heavy goods are billed on actual weight.

3. Sea freight LCL

A shipment of 3.2 CBM that weighs 1,800 kg.

• Volume: 3.2 CBM
• Weight: 1,800 kg = 1.8 tonnes
• You pay for 3.2 freight units (the higher figure), at the price per CBM.

Whole Shipment or Each Carton?

• Air freight: airlines usually compare the total actual weight with the total volumetric weight of the whole shipment.
• Express: couriers check each package, so each carton is charged at its own actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher.

Chargeable weight is usually rounded up to the next 0.5 kg.

Air Freight or Express: Which Costs Less?

Because express divides by 5,000 instead of 6,000, the same carton counts as 20% heavier by express than by air. Express also has higher rates per kg. As a rough guide:

• Under about 100 kg chargeable: express is usually simpler, and often cheaper door to door.
• Above about 100 kg: air freight usually costs less per kg.
• Large, light shipments: sea freight, where 1 CBM counts as 1,000 kg, is far cheaper if you have time.

Compare the options in our guide to air freight vs sea freight, or see our air freight and sea freight services.

How to Lower Your Chargeable Weight

• Use smaller cartons. Ask your supplier to pack in cartons that fit the product, not standard oversized boxes.
• Cut empty space. Less filler and tighter packing reduce volume straight away.
• Flat-pack where possible. Furniture, stands and displays cost far less to ship disassembled.
• Combine light and heavy goods. On air freight, heavy items can use the “free” weight of bulky items in the same shipment.
• Check the packing list. Supplier carton sizes are often estimates. Wrong sizes lead to surprise charges.
• Move bulky goods to sea. If your goods are light and not urgent, sea freight is usually the cheapest option.

We can repack and consolidate goods from several suppliers in our warehouse. See pickup and consolidation and packing and labelling.

Volume Divisors by Shipping Method

If your cargo is lighter than these densities, you pay for space, not weight. Pillows, lamps, plastic furniture and packaging are typical light cargo; tools, metal parts and tiles are heavy cargo.

Example: One Shipment, Three Ways to Ship

10 cartons, each 60 × 50 × 50 cm and 15 kg. Total actual weight 150 kg, total volume 1.5 CBM.

Air costs about 250 times the per-kg rate, express about 300 times, and LCL about 1.5 times the per-CBM rate. For light, bulky goods like these, sea freight is far cheaper if you have the time. Try your own cartons in the freight cost calculator.

Pallets and Chargeable Weight

A pallet adds its own size to the shipment. A standard pallet of 120 × 100 cm loaded to 150 cm high is 1.8 CBM, so by air it is charged as at least 300 kg, even if the cartons only weigh 200 kg. Palletise when it protects the goods or the destination requires it, but for light air cargo, loose cartons are often cheaper.

Measuring Checklist

• Measure the packed carton, not the product, and include any bulges or handles.
• Round up to the next full centimetre: airlines and couriers measure that way too.
• Weigh every different carton size, not just one sample.
• Check the supplier’s packing list against a few cartons before booking.
• Ask for re-measured figures from the forwarder’s warehouse before you pay.

How JIEYI Works Out Your Chargeable Weight

When your goods arrive at our warehouse in Guangdong, we measure and weigh every carton. Your freight is based on these measured figures, not the supplier’s estimate, and we send you the numbers before the goods ship. If the chargeable weight is much higher than expected, we tell you and suggest options, such as repacking or switching to sea freight.

Use the calculator above for an estimate, then send us your carton sizes and weights for a quote.

FAQ

How many kg is 1 CBM in air freight?

About 167 kg, because 1,000,000 cm³ ÷ 6,000 = 166.7 kg. For express it is 200 kg, and for sea LCL 1,000 kg.

Is chargeable weight the same as volumetric weight?

No. Volumetric weight is calculated from the carton size. Chargeable weight is whichever is higher: the volumetric weight or the actual weight.

Why is my invoice weight different from my own calculation?

Usually because the cartons measured larger or heavier than the sizes on the packing list, or because of rounding. We send you our measured figures before shipping.

How is chargeable weight calculated for pallets?

The same way: measure the full pallet, including the pallet base and any overhang, then apply the formula to the outside dimensions.

Does volumetric weight apply to sea freight?

Sea freight uses a similar rule. LCL is charged on CBM or tonnes, whichever is higher, with 1 CBM counted as 1,000 kg. Full containers are charged per container.

---

Checked on 2 November 2026. Divisors can vary by airline, courier and service, so we confirm the divisor in every quote. Know your carton sizes? Send them to us and get a quote within 2 hours.