Air Freight Rate Reference

Last updated: 29 July 2026

Reference status: This page documents how AirFreightPrice produces indicative planning figures. It does not publish a market rate table because the internal route-rate dataset described in our data plan was not available for verification on the publication date. We do not substitute unsourced values.

What the figures mean

Any figure produced by our calculator is an indicative planning estimate, calculated from the shipment inputs supplied by the user and any current written carrier or forwarder input available for that shipment. It is not a tariff, booking confirmation, or binding offer. We exclude customs duties and taxes, insurance, pickup and delivery, storage, demurrage, screening or inspection, special-cargo handling, and destination charges unless they are explicitly itemised.

Air cargo is priced using chargeable weight: the greater of actual gross weight and volume weight, subject to the applicable carrier rule. The IATA European Air Cargo Programme Handbook states this comparison and directs users to TACT rules for calculation details.

Worked chargeable-weight example

All shipment values below are fictional assumptions used only to show the arithmetic; they are not observed shipment or market data.

• Assumed actual gross weight: 100 kg.
• Assumed dimensions: 100 cm × 80 cm × 90 cm.
• Assumed carrier conversion divisor for this example: 6,000 cm³/kg. A real shipment must use the divisor and rounding rule in the selected carrier’s current tariff.

Illustrative volume weight = (100 × 80 × 90) ÷ 6,000 = 120 kg. Because 120 kg is greater than the assumed 100 kg actual weight, the illustrative chargeable weight is 120 kg. No price is calculated. The carrier or forwarder must confirm the applicable factor, rounding, minimum charge, and final chargeable weight.

Components that may appear in a quote

• Base airfreight: airport-to-airport transport, normally applied to chargeable weight and a service or weight break.
• Fuel surcharge: a carrier-defined component that can change independently of the base rate.
• Security or screening: charges for required cargo-security processes.
• Airline and terminal handling: acceptance, documentation, build-up, breakdown, and facility services where applicable.
• Peak-season or capacity surcharge: a time-limited addition where stated by the supplier.
• Special cargo: dangerous goods, temperature control, valuables, live animals, or oversize handling where applicable.
• Origin and destination services: collection, delivery, customs brokerage, duties, taxes, storage, and other local charges, included only when itemised.

For comparison, Xeneta’s air rate methodology documents which surcharge types it normalises into its benchmark, while Freightos FAX describes an indicative all-in air spot-rate index. We cite these as external methodologies; we do not reproduce their index values or imply that our estimates are their data.

How to use this reference

Use it to understand the calculation and ask whether each quote is airport-to-airport or door-to-door, which charges are included, the currency and validity, and the assumed cargo details. A binding quote is issued by the carrier or freight forwarder after it confirms cargo acceptance, capacity, routing, validity, and all applicable charges.

Sources and related documentation

• IATA TACT Online — carrier tariffs, rules, schedules, and add-ons.
• IATA European Air Cargo Programme Handbook — chargeable-weight definition.
• Freightos Air Index (FAX) — external airfreight market benchmark methodology.
• Xeneta Air rate structure and methodology — external normalisation and surcharge methodology.

Read our Methodology and Data Sources and Update Cadence. Corrections: [email protected].