How To Calculate Chargeable Weight For Air Freight.

Want to determine the cost of your shipment from its weight? 

You are in the right place.

In this article, we will show you how to calculate the weight of your goods and how to identify which one is used in calculating your shipping bills.

Do you need a reliable and affordable freight forwarder for your shipment? Contact us today and we will take care of everything.

What is Chargeable Weight in Air Freight?

Chargeable weight is the weight used to calculate your shipping cost.

In January 2025, we charged $15 per KG for air shipment at SARA, which we multiplied by the chargeable weight.

For Example:

Chargeable weight: 50KG

Air Freight Rate: $19 per KG.

Total Cost: $950.

Note: The chargeable weight is not always the weight of your product when measured with a scale.

This is because the amount of space your goods occupy in the cargo also matters in determining the cost.

 For example, some goods weigh less than a washing machine but occupy 2x more space than a washing machine, hence the gross weight of a product can not be relied on.

This is why we have the Volumetric Weight.

Difference Between Volumetric Weight and Gross Weight.

Gross weight is the actual physical weight of your package, including the product, packaging, and any additional materials (e.g., pallets).

Volumetric weight is the weight calculated based on the dimensions of a package. It reflects the amount of space the package occupies in relation to its actual weight.

How to Calculate Volumetric Weight for Air Freight?

The volumetric weight of your goods depends on their length, width and height. It is obtained by calculating the volume and then dividing it by a given Dimensional Factor.

Volumetric Weight = (Length X Width X Height) ÷ 6000.

The dimensional factor value for air freight is 6000 and it is gotten from the fact that:

6000 cubic cm = 1 KG.

For example, a client of ours needed to ship a box of cotton towels. Below is the details of the product:

Length = 80 cm

Width = 50 cm

Height = 40 cm

Gross Weight = 12 KG 

Applying the volumetric weight formula above we have this:

Volumetric Weight (kg) = (80 X 50 X 40) ÷ 6000 = 26.67 KG.

With this, we have the Gross weight to be 12 KG and the volumetric weight to be 26.67KG. Which of these two then will be the chargeable weight?

How Do I Know My Chargeable Weight?

Your chargeable weight is the weight used in calculating your shipping cost, and this is always the weight with the greater values.

If the volumetric weight is greater than the gross weight, then the volumetric weight is used to calculate the shipping cost.

In our example, the Gross weight is 12 KG and the volumetric weight is 26.67KG. This means that the volumetric weight is the chargeable weight.

Hence, the shipping cost is 26.67KG X 19$ = $510

Note: The shipping rate used here is 19$ per KG. This might have changed when you were reading this. Contact us for the current shipping rate.

How to Reduce Shipping Costs?

1. Optimise Packaging to Reduce Volumetric Weight:

When shipping goods with large volumetric weights, using compact and efficient packaging to minimise empty space can reduce costs.

Vacuum-seal soft goods like cotton towels to reduce their volume. Also, choose lightweight but strong materials for packaging as this can reduce your Gross weight.

2. Consolidated Shipments:

Shipping goods individually is costly. 

Work with freight forwarders like SARA to consolidate your goods with other people shipping at the same time as you and pay a lesser shipping fee.

3. Choose the Right Shipping Mode:

Consider using sea freight for non-urgent shipments, as it is often cheaper than air freight.

We only recommend using air freight when you have an urgent shipment of one that is perishable.

4. Work with a Reliable Freight Forwarder:

Shipping through a freight forwarder can minimise shipping costs in many ways.

Working with SARA means our experts help you negotiate better rates with carriers, and clear goods with our delay.

They also advise on the best shipping routes and methods to minimise costs.

Ship Your Goods With SARA.

Understanding how to calculate your chargeable weight is just one part of the puzzle (It is not all that you will need to pay for).

Other shipping costs include customs duties, value-added taxes, import processing fees, customs clearance fees, customs brokerage fees, warehousing fees and many more.

At SARA, we offer a cost-effective solution to businesses with a one-payment system that covers all that is needed to ship your goods. 

Contact our team with details of your goods and we will get them to their destination.