International air freight is charged by chargeable weight: the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. Use this calculator before shipping from China to estimate whether a parcel is heavy by weight or heavy by size.
Enter carton dimensions in centimeters and actual weight in kilograms. The calculator uses the common air freight divisor 6000 and rounds chargeable weight up to the next 0.5 kg.
For many air freight and parcel routes, volumetric weight is calculated as length x width x height in centimeters divided by 6000. Some express or special routes may use a different divisor, so the final bill should follow the selected route rules.
Sea freight is generally more tolerant of bulky goods and may use volume, carton count, cubic meter or route-specific billing rules. This calculator is mainly for air freight chargeable-weight estimation.
The divisor converts space occupied by a parcel into an equivalent weight. A large, light carton takes up aircraft space, so airlines and carriers compare actual weight with volumetric weight.
Routes may have minimum billable weights or rounding units. This calculator rounds to 0.5 kg as a practical estimate, but exact billing should follow the route quotation.
| Parcel | Actual weight | Size | Volumetric weight | Billing result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clothes box | 4 kg | 50 x 40 x 30 cm | 10 kg | Charged by volume. Vacuum packing may reduce cost. |
| Books | 12 kg | 35 x 28 x 22 cm | 3.59 kg | Charged by actual weight. |
| Plush toys | 2 kg | 60 x 45 x 35 cm | 15.75 kg | Very volume-heavy. Compression is important. |
| Small electronics | 3 kg | 35 x 25 x 18 cm | 2.63 kg | Charged by actual weight, but route must accept batteries if present. |
| Shoes in original boxes | 5 kg | 55 x 42 x 35 cm | 13.48 kg | Remove unnecessary retail boxes if safe. |
Actual route limits vary by destination and service. The following points are practical planning rules before sending goods to the warehouse.
| Situation | Risk | Suggestion |
|---|---|---|
| Very long side | Carrier oversize surcharge or rejection | Confirm route limits before shipping. |
| One carton too heavy | Hard handling and carton damage | Split into smaller cartons if suitable. |
| Large empty carton | High volumetric weight | Repack to reduce empty space. |
| Fragile but tightly packed | Breakage risk | Do not reduce volume by removing necessary cushioning. |
Clothing, bedding and plush toys often benefit from vacuum or compression packing.
Use a carton close to the item size while keeping enough cushioning for protection.
Send urgent small items by air and heavy non-urgent items by sea when appropriate.
Chargeable weight is the weight used for billing. For air freight, it is usually the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight.
Because the carton may be large. If volumetric weight is 10 kg and actual weight is 4 kg, the route may bill it as 10 kg.
Yes, if the parcel has unnecessary empty space. Repacking, compression or removing extra retail boxes can reduce volume, but fragile items still need protection.
Sea freight may use volume-based rules, but not always the same air formula. It is often better for heavy or bulky shipments.
No. 6000 is a common air freight divisor. Some express routes or special channels may use another divisor, so final billing follows the selected route.
If volumetric weight is much higher and timing is flexible, compare sea freight. If the parcel is urgent, small or valuable, air freight may still be better.
After estimating chargeable weight, compare the UK, USA and Canada route prices and choose air, sea, regular-goods or sensitive-goods service based on item type.
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