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Textile operations tool

Air Freight Chargeable Weight Calculator

Estimate whether an air shipment will be charged by physical weight or package volume using the carrier's dimensional divisor.

Calculate online

Enter your production values to calculate an operational estimate.

  • Number and dimensions of packages
  • Actual gross weight
  • Carrier volumetric divisor

Calculation method

Compare actual and volumetric weight to estimate air-freight chargeable weight for garment and textile export packages.

Method: volumetric kg = packages × length cm × width cm × height cm ÷ carrier divisor

Worked example: 4 cartons by air, 5000 garments

Carton 60×40×40 cm, actual 22 kg each, divisor 6000 (common for air).

  1. Volumetric per carton = 60×40×40 ÷ 6000 = 16.0 kg. For 4 cartons = 64 kg
  2. Actual total = 88 kg. Chargeable = max(88, 64) = 88 kg
  3. If divisor were 5000 (express), volumetric = 76.8 kg — still actual governs. At 12 kg actual, volumetric would govern.

Couriers DHL/FedEx often use 5000, airlines 6000. Confirm divisor and rounding (to 0.5 kg) with your forwarder before quoting.

Frequently asked questions

Which volumetric divisor should I use?

Use the divisor stated by the airline, courier or freight forwarder. Common values differ by carrier and service.

What is chargeable weight?

It is normally the higher of actual gross weight and calculated volumetric weight, subject to carrier rounding rules.

Why 6000 vs 5000 divisor?

5000 gives a higher volumetric weight, used by express couriers for small parcels. 6000 is common for air cargo. A lower divisor makes volume more likely to govern the price.

Does CBM calculator replace this for air?

No. Use CBM for sea freight. For air, chargeable weight in kg governs cost. Use the freight cost calculator after this step.

Do I include carton weight?

Yes. Actual weight is gross weight — net garment weight plus carton. Volumetric uses outer carton dimensions.

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