About this calculator

Compare actual gross weight with volumetric weight under an entered air-freight billing basis. The divisor and rounding increments remain explicit contract inputs, including when measurement units change.

Inputs

How to use this calculator

Air cargo group

  1. Outer length (in)Outer tendered dimensions including packaging and projections.
  2. Outer width (in)Outer tendered dimensions including packaging and projections.
  3. Outer height (in)Outer tendered dimensions including packaging and projections.
  4. Gross weight per piece (lb)Gross weight including all packaging and pallet tare.
  5. Identical piecesPositive whole count. Add a row for different dimensions or per-piece weight.

Shared inputs

  1. Volumetric divisor (cm³/kg)Fixed divisor unit even with U.S. measurements. Enter the applicable service/agreement value; 6,000 is an example, not a universal rule.
  2. Round dimensions up by this many cmFixed cm increment after measurement conversion. 0 keeps exact measured dimensions.
  3. Round chargeable weight up by this many kgFixed kg increment. 0 gives the unrounded model result.
  4. Billing comparison basisUse the basis in your service agreement. These can produce different answers for mixed light/heavy pieces.

Enter the shipment or scenario values, then select Calculate result.

Method

Formula and variables

Convert dimensions to cm and gross weight to kg. Optionally round each dimension upward by the entered cm increment. Volumetric kg = length × width × height ÷ divisor. Shipment basis compares summed actual and volumetric kg, then rounds upward once. Piece basis rounds max(actual, volumetric) for each piece before summing quantities.

Outer length (in)
Outer tendered dimensions including packaging and projections.
Outer width (in)
Outer tendered dimensions including packaging and projections.
Outer height (in)
Outer tendered dimensions including packaging and projections.
Gross weight per piece (lb)
Gross weight including all packaging and pallet tare.
Identical pieces
Positive whole count. Add a row for different dimensions or per-piece weight.
Volumetric divisor (cm³/kg)
Fixed divisor unit even with U.S. measurements. Enter the applicable service/agreement value; 6,000 is an example, not a universal rule.
Round dimensions up by this many cm
Fixed cm increment after measurement conversion. 0 keeps exact measured dimensions.
Round chargeable weight up by this many kg
Fixed kg increment. 0 gives the unrounded model result.
Billing comparison basis
Use the basis in your service agreement. These can produce different answers for mixed light/heavy pieces.

Interpret the result

Chargeable kilograms follow the selected shipment-total or per-piece comparison. These bases can disagree for mixed light and heavy freight, so the agreement must determine the choice.

Outputs: Actual, volumetric and chargeable weight

Rectangular measured envelopes and user-entered service rules. No official IATA classification, live rates, commodity exceptions, minimum revenue or carrier acceptance. Fixed divisor/increment units remain cm³/kg and kg when the measurement selector changes. Display rounding is not an invoice rule.

Worked example

Check the arithmetic

This example uses the starting values shown above. The arithmetic below is calculated independently of the interactive result.

Work through the calculation

  1. Volume = 48 × 40 × 45 × 2.54³ = 1,415,842.3296 cm³; volumetric weight = 1,415,842.3296 ÷ 6,000 = 235.9737216 kg.
  2. Actual weight = 450 × 0.45359237 = 204.1165665 kg.
  3. The larger is 235.9737216 kg. Rounding upward to a whole kilogram gives 236 kg chargeable.

Compare the displayed result

Expected displayed result: 236 kg chargeable

FAQs

Does changing to metric measurements change the divisor unit?

No. The volumetric divisor stays cm³/kg and the chargeable-weight increment stays kilograms in both measurement modes.

Example inputs and options

Starting values are examples unless a field identifies a dated rule. Unit selectors convert only fields marked for conversion. Rates and model options keep the units and basis shown in their labels.

Outer length (in)
Example: 48
Outer width (in)
Example: 40
Outer height (in)
Example: 45
Gross weight per piece (lb)
Example: 450
Identical pieces
Example: 1
Volumetric divisor (cm³/kg)
Example: 6000
Round dimensions up by this many cm
Example: 0
Round chargeable weight up by this many kg
Example: 1
Billing comparison basis
Example: Compare shipment totals, then round onceOptions: Compare shipment totals, then round once; Compare and round each piece, then sum