TACT rates are the published industry tariff for air cargo, issued by IATA. Every air freight quote starts with a rate, and for many forwarders that means looking it up in one place, then building the quote in another. This guide explains what TACT rates are, how the tariff is structured, and where a published rate fits next to the contract and spot rates you actually sell at. If air freight is new to you, start with our guide to air freight.
What are TACT rates?
TACT stands for The Air Cargo Tariff. It holds the rates, rules and charges that apply to air cargo moving between airports, along with the IATA airport and city codes. Industry tariff rates are also called IATA rates or TACT tariffs, and they are published by IATA.
A TACT rate covers transport from one airport to another. It does not include collection from the shipper, delivery to the consignee or storage.
What types of TACT rates are there?
TACT rates fall into three main types.
General cargo rates apply to goods that have no specific commodity or class rate. They consist of a minimum charge, a normal rate per kilogram and lower rates for higher weight breaks.
Specific commodity rates are published for named commodities between a specific origin and destination. They are usually lower than general cargo rates and carry a minimum weight requirement.
Class rates apply to certain categories of goods and are set as an increase or decrease on the general cargo rate. Live animals and perishables are typical examples.
When more than one type could apply to a shipment, a specific commodity rate generally takes precedence over class and general cargo rates, and the tariff rules cover the exceptions. A minimum charge applies whenever the calculated weight charge comes out lower.
TACT rates and the rates you actually sell at
In practice, airlines often offer forwarders their own selling rates rather than the tariff. Contract rates and spot rates are agreed between the airline and the forwarder, and they can sit well below the published figure. That is why TACT works as a reference point more than a price you pay.
It is still useful. A published rate gives you a baseline on any lane, a way to check an offer, and a starting figure when you have no contract rate for a route.
How is a TACT rate used in a quote?
A quote usually follows the same order:
- Departure and destination airports
- Cargo and package details
- The chargeable weight, which is the greater of the actual weight and the volumetric weight (the IATA standard is 6,000 cm³ per kilogram)
- The rate for the right weight break
- A check against the minimum charge
Steps 3 to 5 are often where forwarders leave their quoting system: the rate is looked up and calculated elsewhere, then typed back in.
How it works in Modaltrans
IATA TACT rates are built into Modaltrans, so you can look up a rate without leaving the system. Modaltrans connects to IATA’s TACT service through its own subscription, so you do not need a separate TACT subscription. Rates are not stored. They are fetched from IATA each time you request one.
Coverage: air routes departing from Turkey, to any destination. Routes departing from other countries are not covered yet. If IATA has not published a tariff for an airport pair, Modaltrans tells you there is no published tariff for that route.
How a lookup works:
- Enter the departure and destination airports and the cargo and package details.
- Modaltrans calculates the chargeable weight. Volumetric weight is length × width × height (cm) × pieces ÷ 6,000, and the greater of that and the actual weight is used. You can also enter the chargeable weight yourself, for example for an airline that works with a different divisor.
- It applies the right weight break and works out the total price for each airline.
- You see the airlines listed from cheapest to most expensive and choose one.
- If a specific commodity rate exists, you choose whether to use it, because you know what the cargo is.
What you see: general cargo rates for each airline, with the minimum charge, the normal rate and the weight breaks. Specific commodity rates that are cheaper than the general rate are listed separately under each airline. Tariffs that carry a special note from the airline are labelled as special tariffs. Class rates are not shown yet.
What to ask before choosing a platform
If you compare freight software on air freight rates, three questions tell you more than a feature list:
- Which departure countries does it cover?
- Which rate types does it show: general cargo, specific commodity, class?
- Are the rates fetched when you request them, or stored and refreshed from time to time?
