Air freight is faster and more expensive: door to door in days. Ocean freight is slower and far cheaper per pound: door to door in weeks. Choose air for urgent, high-value or light shipments, and ocean for heavy or bulky freight that can wait.
How air freight is priced
Airlines charge on chargeable weight, which is the greater of the actual weight and the volumetric weight. Volumetric weight in kilograms is length × width × height in centimeters divided by 6,000. Light, bulky cartons therefore cost more to fly than their scale weight suggests.
How ocean freight is priced
A full container (FCL) is priced per container. A shared container (LCL) is priced by volume in cubic meters or by weight, whichever is greater. On top of the ocean rate come origin and destination charges, customs clearance and inland trucking, so compare door-to-door totals, not just the port-to-port rate.
A simple way to decide
- If a late arrival costs more than the freight difference, fly it.
- If the freight is worth a lot per pound, air is usually justified.
- If the shipment is heavy, bulky or planned well ahead, ship by ocean.
- For a launch or stock-out, split it: fly a small part now and send the rest by ocean.
| Air | Ocean | |
|---|---|---|
| Door-to-door transit | Typically 3 to 10 days | Typically 3 to 7 weeks |
| Cost per pound | Highest | Lowest |
| Priced by | Chargeable weight | Container, or volume for LCL |
| Best for | Urgent, light, high value | Heavy, bulky, planned |
Common questions
How much cheaper is ocean than air?
It varies by lane and season, but ocean is typically several times cheaper per pound than air for the same shipment. The gap is widest for heavy, dense freight.
What is chargeable weight?
The weight an airline bills: the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. It makes sure large, light shipments pay for the space they use.
Written by the MeritSpan Logistics team. Last reviewed November 9, 2026. Figures are typical values; equipment and carrier rules vary.