Air Waybill (AWB) (Customs Glossary)

This article is part of the Customs Glossary Guide

An example of an Air Waybill.

In the context of North American trade, an Air Waybill (AWB) is a document used in air freight transportation to provide essential information about a shipment, including the origin, destination, shipper, consignee, handling instructions, and description of the goods. An AWB serves as both a contract of carriage between the shipper and the air carrier and a receipt of goods for air cargo shipments.

Unlike an ocean Bill of Lading, an Air Waybill is generally non-negotiable. It does not transfer title to the goods; it documents the shipment and provides instructions for transportation and delivery.

Core Functions

An Air Waybill is used for international and domestic air cargo transportation. It is issued by the airline or freight forwarder responsible for transporting the goods.

Function	Description
Contract of Carriage	Outlines the terms and conditions under which the air carrier transports the goods.
Receipt of Goods	Confirms that the carrier or freight forwarder has accepted the cargo for transportation.
Shipment Instructions	Provides routing, origin, destination, handling, and delivery instructions.
Customs and Compliance Document	Provides shipment information that may be used for customs clearance and electronic cargo reporting.

Air Waybill Number

An AWB number is commonly an 11 digit tracking number. The first three digits identify the airline prefix, followed by the shipment serial number. This number is used by carriers, forwarders, and shippers to track the shipment.

Master and House Air Waybills

In consolidated air freight, a shipment may involve both a Master Air Waybill and a House Air Waybill.

Feature	Master Air Waybill (MAWB)	House Air Waybill (HAWB)
Issued By	Airline or air carrier.	Freight forwarder or consolidator.
Issued To	Freight forwarder or consolidator.	Actual shipper or exporter.
Purpose	Covers the consolidated air shipment handled by the airline.	Covers one customer's shipment within the consolidation.

Electronic Air Waybill

The Electronic Air Waybill (e-AWB) is the electronic version of the air waybill process. IATA describes the e-AWB as the electronic equivalent of the paper AWB, with the paper AWB contract process replaced by electronic messages and an e-AWB agreement.

IATA states that e-AWB became the default contract of carriage for air cargo shipments on enabled trade lanes effective January 1, 2019, while paper AWBs may still be required by law, treaty, authority requirements, or agreement between parties. The purpose of e-AWB is to reduce paper handling and support the digitalization of the air cargo supply chain.

Customs Reporting

For Canada-bound air cargo, the CBSA's Memorandum D3-2-1 outlines air pre-arrival and reporting requirements, including how to submit Advance Commercial Information (ACI) and eManifest data electronically to the CBSA. The memorandum covers air cargo and conveyance reporting timeframes, cargo and conveyance transmissions, unique shipment information, and reporting exemptions.

Although an AWB is a transportation document, the information on it can support customs reporting by helping brokers, carriers, and forwarders identify shipment parties, routing, cargo descriptions, and reference numbers. Users should still consult the applicable customs rules because an AWB does not replace required electronic cargo or conveyance reporting.

Use in BorderConnect U.S. In-Bond Manager

In BorderConnect U.S. In-Bond Manager, an Air Waybill may be used as the bill of lading or shipment reference for air cargo moving under a U.S. in-bond. This is most relevant when creating or managing QP in-bond shipments where the freight is associated with an air shipment before, during, or after the in-bond movement.

When entering QP bill of lading details, the Air Waybill number may be used to identify the shipment so it can be matched to the related transportation and customs paperwork. Users should enter the AWB number exactly as shown on the shipping documents to help avoid mismatches between the in-bond record, carrier documents, and broker or consignee paperwork.

Common Usage Scenarios

Scenario	Use of Air Waybill
International Air Freight	Documents goods being shipped by air between countries and provides the contract and receipt for the air carrier.
Time-Sensitive Shipments	Provides routing and handling instructions for shipments that need expedited movement.
Perishable Goods	Provides handling instructions, such as temperature-control requirements, for cargo that must be protected during transit.
Multimodal Transport	Documents the air cargo portion of a shipment that may also involve truck, rail, or ocean movement.
Customs Clearance	Provides shipment details that customs authorities and brokers may use to clear goods and match electronic cargo data.

See also

• Bill of Lading
• ACI eManifest
• ACE Manifest
• BorderConnect U.S. In-Bond Manager
• Customs Broker
• Freight Forwarder

Official Resources

• IATA: e-freight / e-AWB
• IATA: e-AWB to become the default in January 2019
• CBSA Memorandum D3-2-1: Air Pre-arrival and Reporting Requirements
• CBP ACE Import Manifest Documentation