The core of international air freight rates lies in charging by actual weight (for dense cargo) or volumetric weight (for light cargo), whichever is higher, plus various surcharges. Price differences mainly stem from route popularity, airline positioning, class type, cargo volume, and peak/off-peak seasons, ranging from 10% to over 300%. Below is a detailed explanation for your reference.
I. Calculation of International Air Freight Rates (Core Formula + Practical Application)
1. Core Pricing Rule: Volumetric Weight vs. Actual Weight, Take the Larger One
Air freight chargeable weight = MAX (Actual Weight, Volumetric Weight)
- Actual Weight (AW): The weighed weight of the goods (kg)
- Volumetric Weight (VW): Weight converted from volume, calculated by the formula:
Volumetric Weight (kg) = Length (cm) × Width (cm) × Height (cm) ÷ 6000
(Some airlines/routes use a divisor of 5000, which makes light cargo more expensive—please confirm in advance)
Example: A carton of goods measures 80×60×50 cm
- If the actual weight is 80 kg:
Volumetric Weight = 80×60×50 ÷ 6000 = 40 kg → Chargeable Weight = 80 kg (dense cargo)
- If the actual weight is 20 kg → Chargeable Weight = 40 kg (light cargo)
2. Composition of Basic Freight (Total Freight = Basic Freight + Surcharges)
Calculated as Chargeable Weight × Unit Price (CNY/kg or USD/kg). Unit prices are tiered as follows:
- +45kg: Minimum pricing tier (many airlines/agents only accept shipments above 45kg)
- +100kg: Lower unit price
- +300kg / +500kg / +1000kg: The larger the cargo volume, the lower the unit price (tiered pricing)
- +1000kg / Unit Load Device (UL D) (1 pallet / 2 pallets): Palletized pricing, with the lowest unit price
