---
title: "Air Waybill (AWB)"
description: "An air waybill (AWB) is a non-negotiable document issued by a carrier when goods are transported by air. It acts as delivery instructions, a contract of carriage, and a cargo receipt for airfreight."
language: en
canonical: https://www.flexport.com/glossary/air-waybill/
lifecycle: live
dateModified: 2026-10-08T14:52:03Z
topics:
  - "Air Freight"
---

# Air Waybill (AWB)

An air waybill (AWB) is a non-negotiable document issued by a carrier when goods are transported by air. It acts as delivery instructions, a contract of carriage, and a cargo receipt for airfreight.

## What is an air waybill?

An air waybill (AWB) is a non-negotiable document issued by a carrier when goods are transported by air.

An air waybill acts as delivery instructions, a contract of carriage, and a cargo receipt for airfreight.

## What does an air waybill do?

An air waybill travels with the cargo from the origin airport to the destination airport. The airline or its agent issues it after the shipper hands over the goods, and it lists the shipper, the consignee, a description of the goods, the number of pieces, the weight, and the routing. Each AWB carries an 11-digit number, made up of a three-digit airline prefix and an eight-digit serial number.

## How is an AWB different from a bill of lading?

An ocean bill of lading can be negotiable and can act as a document of title. An air waybill can't. It names the consignee, and the airline delivers the goods to that named party, so nobody has to surrender the AWB to collect the cargo. A freight forwarder issues a house AWB and the airline issues a master AWB, so one shipment can have both.

Back to the [full glossary](https://www.flexport.com/glossary/).

---

*This is a markdown version of [https://www.flexport.com/glossary/air-waybill/](https://www.flexport.com/glossary/air-waybill/) for AI/LLM consumption.*