What is an IATA airline prefix?

The first three digits of every air waybill an airline issues — a numeric code IATA assigns to each carrier. 020 is Lufthansa Cargo, 176 Emirates SkyCargo, 016 United Cargo. It tells you which airline holds the shipment.

How do I find the airline from a waybill number?

Read the first three digits and look them up — the table below lists active cargo prefixes, and our airline directory has the full set with each carrier’s official tracker.

Is the prefix the same as the IATA airline code?

No. The 2-letter IATA code (LH, EK) appears on passenger tickets; the 3-digit accounting/AWB prefix (020, 176) appears on cargo waybills. A carrier has both.

Can two airlines share a prefix?

No — each active cargo prefix maps to one airline. Historic prefixes can be reassigned over long periods, which is why TrackJet sources prefixes from a maintained directory rather than a static list.

IATA airline prefix tracking

Every air waybill starts with a 3-digit IATA airline prefix. It tells you which carrier holds the shipment. Paste a waybill number below and TrackJet reads the prefix, identifies the airline and routes you to its official cargo tracker — or use the table to look one up.

What the prefix is

IATA assigns each cargo airline a 3-digit numeric prefix (sometimes called the airline accounting code). It is the first three digits of every air waybill that airline issues, and it never changes for the life of the carrier’s registration. So 020-12345675 is a Lufthansa Cargo waybill, and 176-… is Emirates SkyCargo. Reading the prefix is the fastest way to know who to ask.

Prefix vs IATA airline code

Do not confuse the two. The 2-letter IATA code (LH, EK, UA) is what you see on a passenger ticket or flight number. The 3-digit prefix (020, 176, 016) is the cargo accounting code on a waybill. A carrier has both; for tracking a waybill, the prefix is the one that matters.

Active cargo prefixes (166 airlines)

A real sample from the directory — open any airline for its official tracker and an example number:

Prefix	Airline	IATA
014	Air Canada Cargo	AC
044	Aerolineas Argentinas Cargo	AR
057	Air France Cargo	AF
086	Air New Zealand Cargo	NZ
087	Air Serbia Cargo	JU
093	Air Cairo Cargo	SM
094	Aerologic Cargo	JX
098	Air India Cargo	AI
118	Air Transat	TS
124	Air Algerie Cargo	AH
132	Air Serbia	JU
139	AeroMexico Cargo	AM
212	Air Astana Cargo	KC
228	airBaltic Cargo	BT
270	Air Mauritius Cargo	MK
288	Air Hong Kong	LD
310	Air Tanzania Cargo	TC
322	Aegean Cargo	A3
675	Air Macau Cargo	NX
832	ABX Air	GB
843	AirAsia X	D7
873	AeroUnion (Avianca Cargo México)	6R
996	Air Europa Cargo	UX
999	Air China Cargo	CA

Browse all 166 cargo airlines & prefixes →

FAQ

What is an IATA airline prefix?: The first three digits of every air waybill an airline issues — a numeric code IATA assigns to each carrier. 020 is Lufthansa Cargo, 176 Emirates SkyCargo, 016 United Cargo. It tells you which airline holds the shipment.
How do I find the airline from a waybill number?: Read the first three digits and look them up — the table below lists active cargo prefixes, and our airline directory has the full set with each carrier’s official tracker.
Is the prefix the same as the IATA airline code?: No. The 2-letter IATA code (LH, EK) appears on passenger tickets; the 3-digit accounting/AWB prefix (020, 176) appears on cargo waybills. A carrier has both.
Can two airlines share a prefix?: No — each active cargo prefix maps to one airline. Historic prefixes can be reassigned over long periods, which is why TrackJet sources prefixes from a maintained directory rather than a static list.