Pricing
How Air Freight Is Priced
Air cargo is charged on chargeable weight, plus surcharges and handling. Work out the chargeable weight below; a coordinator quotes the rest for your shipment.
Chargeable weight calculator
Enter the length, width, height and weight of each piece to see the chargeable weight.
Volumetric weight = L × W × H ÷ 6000 (cm → kg). That is a typical divisor; carriers may use a different one. This is an estimate of the weight you are charged for, not a price.
Why size matters
A cargo hold can fill up with bulky freight long before it reaches its weight limit, so airlines charge for the space a shipment takes as well as what it weighs.
The volumetric weight turns the dimensions into a weight: length × width × height, divided by a set divisor. The chargeable weight is whichever is greater, the actual weight or the volumetric weight.
A box of pillows is light but takes up room, so it is charged on volume. A box of machine parts is small but heavy, so it is charged on weight.
Measure each piece at its widest points, including the pallet if there is one, and round up to the next whole unit.
What goes into the price
Base rate
The airline's rate for the airport-to-airport leg, charged per unit of chargeable weight. It depends on the lane, the date, the service level and how much space is available on the flight.
Fuel surcharge
Carriers adjust a fuel surcharge as fuel prices change. It is usually charged on chargeable weight, on top of the base rate.
Security surcharge and screening
Air cargo is security-screened before it flies. Carriers and screening facilities charge for this, either as a surcharge or a per-shipment fee.
Terminal handling
The cargo terminals at origin and destination charge for accepting, building up and releasing the cargo. Storage charges can apply if cargo is not collected once it is available.
Dangerous-goods paperwork and handling
Lithium batteries, dry ice and other dangerous goods need a declaration, specific packaging and labels, and extra handling, and not every flight accepts them. That adds review time and cost.
Cut-off and service level
Each flight has a cut-off for cargo to arrive at the terminal. Faster or later-cut-off options usually cost more than standard ones, and missing a cut-off moves the cargo to a later flight.
Pickup and delivery
For door-to-door moves, the truck legs to and from the airports are priced separately: by distance, size, and extras such as a liftgate, an appointment or inside delivery.
Why there are no prices here
Air freight rates change with fuel prices, the season and the space left on each flight, and every shipment's size, weight and timing is different. A price published here would be out of date or wrong for most shipments.
Instead, send us your shipment and a coordinator comes back with the options available and what each one includes. Dangerous goods and temperature-sensitive cargo are reviewed first; see restricted and prohibited cargo.
See the lanes and airports we quoteNeed an Air Freight Quote?
Send us your shipment details and our team will contact you with available air cargo options.
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