Luggage Dimensional Weight Calculator
Calculate dimensional (volumetric) weight of your luggage and determine the chargeable weight airlines will use for fees.
Results
What is it?
Dimensional (volumetric) weight calculates the chargeable weight of a package based on its volume rather than its actual mass. Airlines charge whichever is greater: actual weight or dimensional weight.
How to use
Enter your bag dimensions and actual weight. Select metric (cm/kg) or imperial (in/lbs). The IATA standard divisors are 5000 for metric and 139 for imperial. The chargeable weight is the higher of the two.
Example scenario
A 60x45x25 cm bag: 60 x 45 x 25 / 5000 = 13.5 kg dimensional weight. If the actual weight is 20 kg, the chargeable weight is 20 kg (actual wins). If the bag weighed only 10 kg, the airline would charge for 13.5 kg.
Pro tip
Airlines charge dimensional weight to discourage large, light shipments that take up valuable cargo space. For personal luggage, most airlines use allowance systems (23 kg/50 lb) rather than dim weight billing — but courier services and freight forwarders always use dim weight. Pack dense, heavy items to minimize this penalty.