Air Waybill · AWB
The transport document for air freight — a receipt and the contract of carriage. It is never a document of title: the cargo is delivered to the consignee named on it.
- Issued by
- The airline or its agent (master AWB); the forwarder issues a house AWB for consolidated shipments.
- When it's needed
- Every air shipment. Most are now electronic (e-AWB).
- Transport
- Air
What it contains
- 11-digit AWB number (3-digit airline prefix + 8 digits)
- Shipper and consignee with contact details
- Airports of departure and destination, routing
- Pieces, gross weight, dimensions and chargeable weight
- Nature and quantity of goods, handling information
- Freight charges — prepaid or collect
Practical tips
- Give accurate dimensions — air freight is charged on the higher of actual and volumetric weight.
- Add a reachable consignee contact: the airline and customs at destination will use it.
Not sure which documents you need?
Send us the route and the goods — we'll list the documents and prepare the transport ones for you.
Contact usOther shipping documents
Bill of LadingSea WaybillCMR Consignment NoteRail Consignment Note (CIM, SMGS, CIM/SMGS)Shipping InstructionsCommercial InvoicePacking ListCertificate of OriginExport DeclarationTransit Declaration (T1)Dangerous Goods DeclarationPhytosanitary CertificateShipping documents
General guidance only — requirements depend on the goods, the countries involved and the contract. We check the documents needed for every booking.
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