When shipping via air freight, customers are sometimes surprised to learn that their charges may not always be based on the actual weight of their package. Instead, the air freight industry often uses what’s called volumetric weight to determine shipping costs. At Savo Store, like most air freight providers, we charge based on whichever is greater—your package’s actual weight or its volumetric weight. Let’s break this down to make it clearer.

The actual weight is straightforward—it’s the weight of your package as shown on the scale. When you place your package on the scale, the weight is measured in kilograms (KG). For example, if your package weighs 10 KG, that’s its actual weight.

Volumetric weight (also called dimensional weight) is different—it takes into account the size (volume) of your package. This is because larger packages take up more space on an aircraft, even if they don’t weigh much. To calculate volumetric weight, we look at the dimensions of your package in inches (length, width, and height).

Here’s the industry standard formula used to calculate volumetric weight:

Volumetric Weight (in KG) = (Length x Width x Height) / 366

For example, if your package is 24 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 16 inches tall, you would calculate the volumetric weight like this:

Volumetric Weight = (24 x 18 x 16) / 366 = 19 KG

In the air freight industry, charges are typically based on the higher of two weights: the actual weight or the volumetric weight. At Savo Store, we adhere to this approach because airlines charge us based on the same principle.

For example, if your package weighs 10 KG on the scale (actual weight) but has a volumetric weight of 19 KG, we will charge based on the higher volumetric weight. This ensures that shipping costs reflect both the size and the weight of your package, in line with industry standards.

Our air freight rate is $15 per KG, so in this example, your charge would be:

19 KG (volumetric weight) x $15 = $285

Let’s look at two scenarios to see how this works:

Example Package 1:

Example Package 2:

As you can see, in each case, we charge based on the higher of the two weights, a common practice in air freight shipping.

We use it because airlines also use it to calculate the fees they charge us for shipments. Since space on an airplane is limited, airlines consider not just the weight of a package but also its size. A package might be light, but if it's large, it takes up a lot of space on the plane. By using volumetric weight, airlines ensure they account for the space a larger shipment occupies.

At Savo Store, we aim to provide transparent pricing and ensure you understand how your shipping costs are calculated. If you have any questions or need assistance with calculating your shipping costs, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help.