An air waybill (AWB) is the contract of carriage between the shipper and the airline and the receipt for the goods. Its 11-digit number, a 3-digit airline prefix plus an 8-digit serial, is how every party tracks the shipment.
Key takeaways
- An AWB is a contract and a receipt, but unlike an ocean bill of lading it is not a document of title.
- The first three digits identify the airline; the last digit of the serial is a check digit.
- Forwarders issue house air waybills (HAWB) under the airline's master air waybill (MAWB).
- The electronic air waybill (e-AWB) is now the industry default on most trade lanes.
What does an air waybill actually do?
It does three jobs at once: it is the contract of carriage, the airline's receipt for the goods, and the document that travels with the shipment for handling, billing and customs.
One thing it is not is a document of title. Ocean bills of lading can be negotiable and traded; an AWB is issued non-negotiable, and the airline releases cargo to the consignee named on it. That is why letters of credit for air shipments usually name a bank as consignee when the seller wants control until payment.
How do you read an AWB number?
Every AWB number has 11 digits: a 3-digit airline prefix, then an 8-digit serial number whose last digit is a check digit.
| Part | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Airline prefix | 020 | The carrier's IATA accounting code (020 is Lufthansa; 176 is Emirates; 618 is Singapore Airlines) |
| Serial number | 1234567 | The first seven digits of the serial |
| Check digit | 5 | The remainder when the 7-digit serial is divided by 7 (1,234,567 ÷ 7 leaves 5) |
So 020-12345675 is a valid-format Lufthansa number. The check digit lets systems catch typing errors before a booking is made. For a step-by-step walkthrough of airline tracking pages and status codes, see how to track an air waybill (AWB) number.
What are the key fields on an air waybill?
The fields fall into four groups: parties, routing, cargo and charges.
- Parties: shipper, consignee, notify party and the issuing carrier's agent.
- Routing: airport of departure and destination (as 3-letter codes), routing and carriers, and requested flights.
- Cargo: number of pieces, gross weight, dimensions or volume, and the nature and quantity of goods. A vague description such as "parts" or "samples" is a common cause of customs holds.
- Charges: rate class, chargeable weight, rate, total freight, other charges due to the agent or carrier, and whether charges are prepaid or collect.
Two value boxes cause confusion. Declared value for carriage raises the airline's liability above the standard limit for a supplementary charge; "NVD" (no value declared) keeps the standard limit. Declared value for customs is the value for customs purposes; "NCV" means no commercial value, for samples.
How much is the airline liable for?
Unless you declare a higher value for carriage, the airline's liability on most international routes is capped per kilogram under the Montreal Convention.
That cap is expressed in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per kilogram and is reviewed periodically, most recently to 26 SDR per kilogram. For electronics, art or other high-value cargo it is usually far below the goods' value, so arrange cargo insurance or declare a value. Our JumboSecure service is built for exactly these shipments.
What is the difference between a master and a house AWB?
A master air waybill (MAWB) is issued by the airline; a house air waybill (HAWB) is issued by a forwarder to each customer inside a consolidated shipment.
| Master AWB (MAWB) | House AWB (HAWB) | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | The airline (or its agent) | The freight forwarder |
| Shipper / consignee | Usually the origin and destination forwarders | The actual shipper and buyer |
| Covers | The whole consolidation | One customer's goods |
| Number format | 11-digit airline number | Forwarder's own reference |
If you ship through a forwarder, you will usually track with the HAWB on their portal, while the airline tracks the MAWB. For a fuller comparison, read HAWB vs MAWB: house and master air waybill differences.
Deciding whether a shipment should fly at all? Our air freight vs sea freight guide compares cost, speed and risk.
What is an e-AWB?
The electronic air waybill replaces the paper contract with an electronic message exchanged between forwarder and airline.
IATA has driven e-AWB adoption for more than a decade, and it is now the default on most major trade lanes. It removes paper handling and re-keying errors and speeds up acceptance at the cargo terminal. Some countries and shipment types still require paper documents, so confirm requirements for your lane.
How do you avoid AWB-related delays?
- Describe goods precisely enough for customs (what it is, what it is made of, what it is for).
- Match pieces and weights to the packing list and commercial invoice.
- Give full consignee contact details, including tax or importer ID where required.
- Declare dangerous goods correctly and never under-declare them.
- Decide before booking whether you need a declared value for carriage.
Frequently asked questions
How do I track a shipment with an AWB number?
Enter the full 11-digit number on the airline's cargo tracking page or on a forwarder's portal. The 3-digit prefix tells you which airline to check.
Is an air waybill negotiable?
No. An AWB is issued non-negotiable and is not a document of title, so cargo is released to the named consignee rather than to whoever holds the paper.
What is the difference between a MAWB and a HAWB?
The master AWB is issued by the airline to the forwarder for the whole consolidation. Each house AWB is issued by the forwarder to an individual shipper inside that consolidation.
What happens if the AWB has an error?
Mistakes in weights, consignee details or goods descriptions can cause customs holds, re-weighing fees and delays, so check every field before tendering cargo.
