In air cargo, space is as scarce as weight. An aircraft hold can be full long before it reaches its maximum payload if the cargo is bulky. That is why airlines do not simply charge for what your shipment weighs: they charge for its chargeable weight.
Actual weight vs volumetric weight
- Actual (gross) weight: what the shipment weighs on the scale, packaging included.
- Volumetric (dimensional) weight: a weight calculated from the volume, using the standard IATA ratio of 6,000 cm³ per kilogram (equivalent to 1 m³ = 166.67 kg).
The chargeable weight is the greater of the two.
The formula
Volumetric weight (kg) = length × width × height (in cm) ÷ 6,000, for each package, then added up.
Example 1 — a dense shipment
2 cartons of machine parts, each 50 × 40 × 30 cm and 35 kg.
- Actual weight: 2 × 35 = 70 kg
- Volumetric weight: 2 × (50 × 40 × 30 ÷ 6,000) = 2 × 10 = 20 kg
- Chargeable weight: 70 kg (actual weight wins)
Example 2 — a bulky shipment
1 pallet of textile samples, 120 × 80 × 150 cm, 90 kg.
- Actual weight: 90 kg
- Volumetric weight: 120 × 80 × 150 ÷ 6,000 = 240 kg
- Chargeable weight: 240 kg — you pay for more than two and a half times the real weight.
Other items on an air freight quote
The rate per chargeable kilo is only part of the bill. A complete quote usually also includes a fuel surcharge, a security surcharge (screening), air waybill fees, terminal handling at origin and destination, pick-up and delivery, and customs clearance. Ask for an all-in quote so you can compare offers.
Five ways to pay less
- Measure precisely and declare real dimensions: an overestimate costs money, an underestimate gets corrected by the airline.
- Reduce empty space: right-size the cartons and avoid oversized boxes with filler.
- Watch the height of pallets — a tall, half-empty pallet is pure volumetric weight. Don’t stack above what the goods need.
- Consolidate: one consolidated shipment often costs less than several small ones, because minimum charges and fixed fees are paid only once.
- Choose the right service level: standard consolidated air freight is cheaper than express or next-flight-out when the deadline allows.
When sea freight becomes the better option
For large volumes, the volumetric rule makes air freight expensive very quickly. When the goods are not urgent, compare with LCL sea freight, or with a sea–air combination.
Get an exact quote
Send us the number of packages, dimensions and weights: we calculate the chargeable weight and quote air freight from and to Casablanca with all charges included. Request a quote.
