Shipping Terms Glossary
Shipping Terms Glossary
Air Waybill (AWB)

Air Waybill (AWB)

An Air Waybill can be used to monitor the status of your shipment.

What is an Air Waybill (AWB)?

An AWB represents the final receipt of a shipment, and it is issued by the air cargo carrier. It contains all of the important information about the shipment.

It is a non-negotiable document that acts both as delivery instructions, and as a contract of carriage.

An AWB looks like this:

What is air way bill (AWB)?

What information does an Air Waybill contain?

It has the following:

• The shipper's name and address

• The receiver’s name and address

• The liability limits

• The claims procedures

• The destination airport

• Cargo details (value of goods, dimensions, weight)

What is the purpose of an Air Waybill?

The carrier creates it to let the shipper know that they have received the goods.

The Air Waybill number can be used to track and check the status of shipments along the way.

When do you need to present an AWB?

At the destination, the air cargo carrier will release the goods to the named consignee mentioned on the AWB without requiring original documents.

Bookairfreight Tips:

"Each AWB costs money, so the freight forwarder usually only issues one AWB for a huge bulk shipment."

Can I track my air shipment using the AWB number?

Yes! You can use the Airway Bill number to track your shipment.

The format of an AWB number looks like this: 123-12345678

How can I track my shipment?

You can track it on the freight carrier’s website, or you can use a tool like this.

Is an AWB the same as a Bill of Lading?

No, they are different.

• With a Bill of Lading, the receiver MUST submit the original documents of the shipment to access to the goods.

• With an Air Waybill, the receiver just needs to identify themselves but DOES NOT need to submit the original documents to access the goods.

Cristian Ungureanu

Logistics nerd and resident marketing guy of Bookairfreight. I love writing content that simplifies old-fashioned industry processes and provides solid, accurate information you can base your decisions on. Outside of logistics, I enjoy nature, hanging out with friends, electronic music and spirituality.

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