How to Read an Air Waybill (AWB) — Complete Guide

What is an Air Waybill (AWB)?

An Air Waybill (AWB) is the most important document in air freight. It serves as a contract of carriage between the shipper and the airline, a receipt for the cargo, and a key document for customs clearance at both origin and destination.

AWB vs Bill of Lading

While sea freight uses a Bill of Lading (which is a negotiable document of title), an AWB is non-negotiable. This means the consignee named on the AWB is the only party that can receive the goods.

Key Fields on an AWB

• AWB Number — Unique 11-digit number (3-digit airline code + 8 digits). Used for tracking.
• Shipper — Full name and address of the sender
• Consignee — Full name and address of the receiver
• Notify Party — Party to be notified when cargo arrives (often the customs broker)
• Departure Airport — Origin airport code (e.g. CGK)
• Destination Airport — Destination airport code (e.g. SIN, DXB)
• Routing — Flight routing if transiting via hubs
• Number of Pieces — Total number of packages
• Gross Weight — Total actual weight in kg
• Chargeable Weight — Weight used for billing (higher of actual or volumetric)
• Commodity — Description of goods
• Declared Value — For customs and insurance purposes
• Charges — Freight charges, fuel surcharges, and other fees

House AWB vs Master AWB

When using a freight forwarder for consolidated shipments, you'll receive two types of AWB:

• Master AWB (MAWB) — issued by the airline to the freight forwarder
• House AWB (HAWB) — issued by the freight forwarder to you (the shipper)

For tracking purposes, you typically use the HAWB number with your forwarder's tracking system.