Look up the size of a standard air cargo pallet and you will find several different answers. One source gives 125 by 88 inches. Another gives the same pallet at 120 by 83. A third quotes two maximum weights for it depending on where it sits on the aircraft.
All of them are correct. They are measuring different things. This page gives the figures carriers publish, then explains why they move, because knowing that is what stops a consignment being turned away at build-up.
What Are the Standard ULD Dimensions?
Base dimensions are standardised. Everything built on top of them is not. The base size of a pallet or container is fixed by the loading systems on the aircraft, so it does not vary. Height limits, usable load area and maximum weight all vary by carrier, by aircraft and by position.
That split explains almost every discrepancy you will find. Two sources quoting different sizes for the same unit are usually quoting a fixed base against a variable load area.
The tables below give the figures as carriers and operators publish them. Treat them as the working range rather than as a specification.
What Are the Standard Air Cargo Pallet Sizes?
Four pallet sizes cover almost all general air freight. The table gives base dimensions as published, with the weights and heights that go with them.
| Unit | Also called | Base size | Max gross weight | Tare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMC | P6P | 96 x 125 in, 244 x 318 cm | Around 5,100 kg | 110 kg |
| PAG, PAJ | P1P | 88 x 125 in, 224 x 318 cm | 4,626 kg lower deck, up to 6,000 kg main deck | 110 kg |
| PLA, PLB | 60.4 x 125 in, 153 x 318 cm | Around 3,175 kg | 90 to 116 kg | |
| PKC | 57 x 56 in, 145 x 143 cm | Around 1,134 kg | 40 kg |
Maximum height is typically 160 cm on the lower deck, and 114 cm for the smaller PKC used on narrowbody aircraft. Main deck heights on freighters are considerably greater.
PMC and PAG are the two you will meet most often. They differ by eight inches of width, which sounds minor and decides which aircraft positions they can occupy.
What Are the Standard ULD Container Sizes?
Containers are defined by base size and contour together, because the shape is cut to the curve of the fuselage.
| Unit | Also called | Dimensions as published | Volume | Tare | Max gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AKE, AVE | LD3 | Base 60.4 x 61.5 in, top width 79 in, height 64 in | Around 4.2 cubic m, 150 cubic ft | 74 to 82 kg | Around 1,587 kg |
| AKH | LD3-45 | Reduced height for narrowbody holds | Lower than LD3 | Varies | Varies |
| AMA, AMF | LD9 | 96 x 125 in base, main deck container | Considerably larger | Varies | Varies |
The LD3 is the unit most people mean when they say air cargo container. It is the standard lower-deck container on widebody aircraft, and the figures above are drawn from two separate published carrier and operator sources.
Note the shape. The base is narrower than the top, because the lower corner is cut away to sit against the curve of the fuselage. That cut is why usable space and floor area are different numbers, and why a box that fits on paper may not fit in practice.
For what the three-letter codes themselves mean, see ULD codes explained.
Why Do Published ULD Dimensions Differ Between Sources?
Because carriers publish their own operating limits rather than a universal specification. The same pallet appears with different figures depending on whether the source is quoting the base, the usable load area, or the limit applied at a particular aircraft position.
Three things vary, and they account for nearly every discrepancy.
- Base versus usable area. The base is fixed. The area you can actually load is smaller, because cargo must sit within the contour and within the net
- Deck. The same pallet carries a lower maximum gross weight in a lower-deck position than on a freighter main deck
- Carrier policy. Height limits and weight limits are set by each airline against its own fleet and its own weight and balance manual
During research for this page, one published source gave a PAG pallet at 317.5 by 223.5 cm and another gave the same unit at 304 by 210 cm. Neither is a mistake. The first is the base, the second is what that carrier will accept as loaded dimensions.
This is why a specification found online is a planning figure and not a booking figure. Carriers say so themselves. The published pages generally carry a line noting that dimensions and weights are subject to the conditions of the individual airline.
Why Does Maximum Gross Weight Depend on the Aircraft?
Because the limit belongs to the aircraft position rather than to the unit. A pallet is a platform. What constrains it is the floor strength and the weight and balance limits of the position it occupies.
The same PAG pallet is commonly published at 4,626 kg for a lower-deck position and up to 6,000 kg on a freighter main deck. The pallet did not change. The floor underneath it did.
Two consequences follow for a shipper.
A consignment near the weight limit may be accepted on one routing and refused on another, with no error made by anyone. And a quote given against a freighter service does not transfer to a passenger belly service even on the same lane.
If your consignment is close to any published limit, confirm it against the specific aircraft rather than against the unit type. Air cargo handling teams work from the aircraft’s own loading data, which is the figure that decides the outcome.
What Is the Difference Between Base Size, Usable Load Area and Contour?
Base size is the footprint of the unit. Usable load area is the space your cargo can actually occupy within it. Contour is the shape the loaded unit has to fit inside.
The three are not interchangeable and the gaps between them are larger than most shippers expect.
On a pallet, cargo must sit inside the net and within the contour, which means the top of the load is narrower than the base. On a container, the lower corner is cut away, so floor area is lost at the edge even though the unit is wider higher up.
The practical rule is to plan against usable area rather than base size, and to treat the tallest and widest single piece as the constraint rather than the total volume. A consignment that fits on total cubic metres can still fail on one oversized carton.
How Do You Work Out Whether Your Cargo Fits?
Work from the largest single piece first, then the total. Four checks cover most consignments.
- Measure the largest piece in all three dimensions, including packaging and any pallet it sits on
- Check it against the usable load area, not the base size, and against the height limit for the deck
- Check the total weight against the position limit, not against the unit’s theoretical maximum
- Check the total volume, which also determines your chargeable weight and therefore the cost
If the largest piece is close to any limit, send the dimensions to your forwarder before booking rather than after. The check takes minutes against the carrier’s own data and avoids the most expensive discovery in air freight, which is a consignment that does not fit at build-up.
Where cargo genuinely exceeds standard unit dimensions, the options are a main-deck freighter service or an air cargo charter, with the aircraft selected on door opening and floor loading rather than on payload.
What Should You Ask the Carrier?
Five questions get the figures that actually apply to your shipment.
- What is the usable load area, not the base size, for this unit on this service?
- What is the height limit on this deck?
- What is the maximum gross weight for the position this will occupy?
- What is the door opening on the aircraft?
- Is this a lower-deck or main-deck booking?
The last one changes the answers to the others, and it is the question most often skipped.
Your forwarder holds this data or can obtain it in minutes. For the wider picture on how the equipment works and who owns it, see ULD air cargo containers, and for what it costs to hold a unit once it leaves the airport, see ULD demurrage.
Questions About ULD Dimensions
What are the dimensions of a standard air cargo pallet?
The two most common are the PMC at 96 by 125 inches and the PAG at 88 by 125 inches. Height is usually limited to around 160 cm on the lower deck and considerably more on a freighter main deck.
How big is an LD3 container?
Published figures give a base of roughly 60.4 by 61.5 inches, a top width of around 79 inches and a height of around 64 inches, with a volume near 4.2 cubic metres. The lower corner is cut away to fit the fuselage curve.
What is the difference between a PMC and a PAG pallet?
Width. A PMC is 96 inches wide and a PAG is 88 inches. Both are 125 inches long. The difference decides which aircraft positions each one can occupy.
How much weight can an air cargo pallet hold?
It depends on the position rather than the pallet. A PAG is commonly published at 4,626 kg for a lower-deck position and up to 6,000 kg on a freighter main deck.
Why do different websites give different ULD dimensions?
Because carriers publish their own operating limits. Some quote base dimensions, some quote usable load area, and weight limits vary by deck and by aircraft. Treat any published figure as a planning number and confirm with the carrier.
What is tare weight on a ULD?
The weight of the empty unit itself. A standard pallet is around 110 kg and an LD3 container around 74 to 82 kg. It counts against the position limit, so it reduces the payload available for your cargo.
