AWB tracking — the air waybill
Track an air waybill (AWB) by its number. Paste it below — TrackJet reads the airline prefix, routes you to the carrier’s official cargo tracker, and where a licensed feed exists builds a source-labelled timeline. It never invents events.
What an air waybill is
The air waybill is the transport document an airline (or its agent) issues when it accepts a cargo shipment. It does
three jobs at once: a receipt for the goods, the contract of carriage, and a set
of handling and customs instructions. Crucially — unlike an ocean Bill of Lading — an AWB is not a document
of title, so it is not negotiable. The number printed on it is what you track: a 3-digit airline prefix and an
8-digit serial, written like 020-12345675.
AWB vs MAWB vs HAWB
“AWB” is the umbrella term. When a freight forwarder consolidates several customers’ shipments, the airline issues one Master Air Waybill (MAWB) for the whole consolidation, and the forwarder issues a House Air Waybill (HAWB) to each customer for their part. You track a MAWB on the airline; a HAWB usually only resolves on the forwarder’s own system. If a well-formed number returns nothing on the airline, it is very often a HAWB. The format and check digit are covered in detail in the MAWB tracking guide.
The electronic AWB (e-AWB)
On most major trade lanes the paper waybill has been replaced by the e-AWB — the same contract carried as electronic data under IATA’s e-AWB programme. It speeds up handling and reduces errors, but it does not change the number you track or how you track it.
Find your airline by prefix
The first three digits identify the airline. TrackJet’s directory covers 166 active cargo airlines; a few you will recognise (every prefix is real):
| Prefix | Airline |
|---|---|
| 044 | Aerolineas Argentinas Cargo |
| 094 | Aerologic Cargo |
| 124 | Air Algerie Cargo |
| 139 | AeroMexico Cargo |
| 212 | Air Astana Cargo |
| 322 | Aegean Cargo |
| 832 | ABX Air |
| 873 | AeroUnion (Avianca Cargo México) |
FAQ
- What is an Air Waybill (AWB)?
- The transport document an airline (or its agent) issues for a cargo shipment. It is a receipt for the goods and the contract of carriage — but, unlike an ocean Bill of Lading, it is not a document of title. Its number is what you track: a 3-digit airline prefix + an 8-digit serial, e.g. 020-12345675.
- AWB vs MAWB vs HAWB?
- AWB is the umbrella term. A MAWB (Master Air Waybill) is issued by the airline for a whole consignment; a HAWB (House Air Waybill) is issued by a freight forwarder for one customer’s shipment inside that master. You track a MAWB on the airline and a HAWB usually on the forwarder.
- What is an e-AWB?
- The electronic Air Waybill — the same contract carried as data instead of paper, now the default on most major lanes under IATA’s e-AWB programme. It does not change the number you track.
- How do I track an air waybill?
- Paste the number above. TrackJet reads the airline prefix, routes you to the carrier’s official cargo tracker, and where a licensed feed exists builds a source-labelled timeline. It never invents events; for a HAWB it points you to the forwarder.