Size and Weight Allowances
Understanding how Send My Bag® calculates your quote based on the size and weight of your item
Send My Bag® quotes are based on both the size and weight of your item. When our quick quote tool displays a price based on weight, for example quoting £30 for a 30kg suitcase, there is also a maximum size associated with that quote.
How to calculate your items weight band
Measuring your items
When measuring your item, this should be done from the widest points from side to side (width), top to bottom (length) and front to back (height), including any wheels or handles. Should you enter the dimensions in a different order, this is not a problem as the final volume will still be the same.
Calculating the volume of your item
To calculate the volume of your item, simply multiply the three dimensions, for example 45cm x 45cm x 45cm = 91,125cm³. This item would fit within our up to 20kgs, 25kgs or 30kgs weight bands with no additional charges.
Size/Volume Allowances Per Weight Band are:
Weight Band Max Volume
Up to 5kgs 25,000 cm³
Up to 15kgs 75,000 cm³
Up to 20kgs 100,000 cm³
Up to 24kgs 120,000 cm³
Up to 25kgs 125,000 cm³
Up to 30kgs 150,000 cm³
Maximum weight and sizes allowance for International services is 70kg / 350,000cm³.
How we charge for extra weight and volume
If your items exceeds the weight or size allowance of a lower band, your item will be moved to the next band available on that service, e.g. moved from the up to 15kg rate to the up to 30kg rate.
If you exceed the weight allowance of the upper band you will be charged per kg for each additional 1kg (per kg rates vary by route and are displayed in our quick quote).
If your item's volume exceeds the allowance of the upper band, you will be charged at a rate of 1kg for every additional 5000 cm³.
On a number of routes a 5kg express rate is made available for the convenience of our customers who need to send a package, our 5kg rate is not appropriate for luggage of any size.
Maximum Lengths & Oversize handling fees
UK Domestic Service:
On UK domestic services when the item weighs under 30kgs, the item can have a max length of 145cm with no extra charge. If your item exceeds 30kgs and 119cm, a fee of £90 will apply. No item can exceed 220cm.
No item can exceed 70kgs weight of volume.
International Express Services and Standard Services (within Europe)
On international services the maximum size allowance varies based on the service level chosen and the route.
Typically, Express international services within Europe will incur a fee of £75 + VAT (VAT is only charged on EU routes) for any item which has one or more dimension greater than 119cm. On these services no dimension can exceed 220cm in length, or 70kgs in weight or volume.
On standard services within Europe, fees of £48-75 +VAT will be incurred for shipments with one of more dimensions exceeding 119cm.
On some standard services between the UK and Europe a £48 fee may also be incurred for any items with a second longest dimension exceeding 76cm or were the shipment’s length + girth (twice the width + depth) exceeds 266cm. Items with an actual physical weight exceeding 31kg may also incur an additional fee of £20.50
International Standard Services (outside of Europe)
No item can exceed 70kgs (154lbs) in weight or volume.
Express services will incur a fee of £75 for any item which has one or more dimension greater than 119cm.
On standard services, fees of £21-75 will be incurred for shipments with one of more dimensions exceeding 119cm.
On some standard services between the UK and US, and between the US/UK to and from Europe and the Middle East a £21-59 fee may also be incurred for any items with a second longest dimension exceeding 76cm or were the length + girth (twice the width + depth) exceeds 266cm. Items with an actual physical weight exceeding 31kg may also incur an additional fee of £20.50-30.50.
On some standard services shipments with one or more dimension exceeding 240cm or with a length + girth (twice the width + depth) exceeding 330cm may incur an additional fee of £59-£150
The maximum length permitted on international standard services (excluding within Europe) is 106 inches (270cm).
US domestic services:
Individual bags or items with a weight exceeding 49lbs (22kg) will incur an additional extra weight surcharge of £30.50.
If an order includes a bag with one dimension exceeding 121cm, it's second longest dimension exceeding 76cm, or were 'length + 2(width + breadth)' exceed 266cm an oversize handling fee of £21.00 will be applied
No item can have a single dim exceeding 240 cm (96 inches) or a length plus girth which exceeds 330cm (130 Inches).
All Services
This page is provided for general information purposes only, as oversize fees vary by route and service, when sending an item with a side of 119cm / 47 inches or more we recommend proceeding to step 1 of the order process and entering the dimensions of the items you are sending to receive a tailored quote.
Oversize fees are in place because bags of this size cannot move through the network on standard conveyor belts and cost considerably more to handle. Send My Bag makes no profit on these fees and charges at cost.
Suitcases often have their internal size quoted in litres, when entering dimensions please ensure you use the full external dimensions.