Air Freight
Air out of China bills on chargeable weight, and the scale is only half of that calculation. Settle it before you ask for a rate and most of the surprises never happen.
Air Freight — what decides the number
Air out of China bills on chargeable weight, and the scale is only half of that calculation. Settle it before you ask for a rate and most of the surprises never happen.
Two numbers go into every air quote and the larger one wins: your gross weight, and your volume in centimetres divided by 6000. That divisor means a cubic metre of light cargo bills as 167 kg no matter what it weighs. The integrators — DHL, FedEx, UPS — divide by 5000 instead, so the same cubic metre bills at 200 kg with them. Nobody has quoted a rate yet and the two offers are already 20% apart.
Flying time is the small part of the calendar. Hong Kong or Guangzhou into Northern Europe is ten to fourteen hours airborne; a realistic door-to-door DDP transit is five to ten days once pickup, the export declaration, waiting on confirmed space, the transit hub, import clearance and the last mile are all in. Space is what actually bites. In the run-up to Chinese New Year, across Golden Week (1–7 October) and through the Q4 peak, rates move week to week and confirmed allocation is worth more than the per-kilo figure.
Then there are cells. Lithium batteries need a UN38.3 test summary and an MSDS, and the packing instruction that applies — PI 965 through 970 — sets both the paperwork and the price. Batteries built into equipment under Section II ride on many general channels; loose IA or IB cells need a dangerous-goods booking and cost a great deal more. Calling them 'electronics' on the declaration is the quickest way to have the shipment stopped before it leaves the origin airport.
Key figures at a glance
| Chargeable weight (air freight) | Greater of gross kg or (L × W × H cm ÷ 6000) |
|---|---|
| Chargeable weight (express) | Greater of gross kg or (L × W × H cm ÷ 5000) |
| Volumetric equivalent | 1 m³ = 167 kg air freight / 200 kg express |
| Typical door-to-door, DDP | 5–10 days |
| Main Chinese gateways | CAN, SZX, PVG, HKG, CGO |
| Single-piece height limit | ≈160 cm belly-hold, ≈300 cm freighter main deck |
| Lithium battery paperwork | UN38.3 test summary, MSDS, PI 965–970 declaration |
| Economic range | Consignments below roughly 500 kg, or high value per kg |
Standard industry references (Incoterms 2020, IATA volumetric divisors, ISO container internal dimensions, SOLAS Chapter VI, ISPM 15). Rates, surcharges and free time are commercial terms and vary by carrier, lane and season — confirm them on your own quotation.
Where these shipments leave from
Our bookings originate at the Chinese gateways below. Which one your cargo uses depends on where the factory sits, the mode and the space available that week.
Guangzhou Baiyun International
Largest South China freighter base; the default for Pearl River Delta air cargo.
23.3924° N 113.2988° E
Shenzhen Bao'an International
Electronics and battery-capable channels close to the Shenzhen supply base.
22.6393° N 113.8108° E
Shanghai Pudong International
China's busiest cargo airport; widest long-haul network.
31.1443° N 121.8083° E
Hong Kong International
Fed by bonded trucking from the mainland; strongest for dangerous goods.
22.3080° N 113.9185° E
Zhengzhou Xinzheng International
Central China cargo hub with strong Europe capacity.
34.5197° N 113.8408° E
Air Freight
2 postsFrequently asked
Why is my air freight quote based on a higher weight than my cargo actually weighs?
Because air freight is billed on chargeable weight. The carrier divides the shipment volume in cubic centimetres by 6000 and compares the result with the gross weight, then charges the larger figure. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Is express courier or air freight cheaper from China?
Below roughly 70 kg express is usually competitive and simpler, because the door-to-door service and customs entry are bundled. Above that, consolidated air freight normally wins: the per-kilo rate is lower and the 6000 divisor gives a smaller chargeable weight than the 5000 divisor couriers apply.
Can lithium batteries be air freighted from China?
Yes, with the correct classification. You need a UN38.3 test summary and MSDS, and the packing instruction (PI 965 to PI 970) determines the channel. Batteries installed in equipment are far easier and cheaper to move than loose cells, which require a dangerous-goods booking.
How far in advance should air cargo be booked out of China?
One to three days is usually enough off-peak. Before Chinese New Year, during Golden Week and through the September-to-November peak, book one to two weeks ahead — in those windows confirmed space, not the rate, is the constraint.
What does volumetric weight mean in practice for a carton?
A 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton is 96,000 cm³. Divided by 6000 that is 16 kg of chargeable weight. If the carton actually weighs 9 kg you pay for 16 kg; if it weighs 22 kg you pay for 22 kg.