AWB tracking for air cargo shipments
Learn how Air Waybill numbers work, what Master and House AWBs mean, and how to track supported airline and courier shipments on AWBTracking.net.
What is an Air Waybill?
An Air Waybill (AWB) is the core document for an air cargo consignment. It records parties, routing and the identifier used for operational tracking. Airlines, forwarders and ground handlers reference the AWB number when they publish movement events such as booked, departed, arrived or delivered.
Common AWB number format
Most airline AWBs use an 11-digit pattern shown with a hyphen: a three-digit airline prefix and an eight-digit serial, for example 115-74489030. Some systems omit the hyphen; AWBTracking.net normalises common formatting before lookup.
Airline prefix and serial number
The prefix identifies the issuing airline (for example 020 for Lufthansa Cargo, 235 for Turkish Cargo). The serial uniquely identifies the consignment within that airline’s numbering. If the prefix is not among our supported carriers, live tracking through this platform will not be available.
Master AWB
A Master AWB (MAWB) is the airline-level waybill. For consolidations it covers multiple house shipments; for direct cargo it may be the only AWB. Airline portals most often expose Master AWB tracking.
House AWB
A House AWB (HAWB) is issued by a freight forwarder for a shipper’s individual consignment inside a Master. Whether you can track a House number here depends on the carrier and whether that identifier is published to the tracking source we query. When in doubt, try the Master AWB from the airline confirmation.
How air cargo tracking works on AWBTracking.net
- Open free lookup (or add a number on the Pro dashboard).
- Enter the AWB or courier tracking number exactly as on your document.
- We select a tracker from the prefix or courier pattern when it matches a supported carrier.
- Status events are returned from that carrier’s live source — we do not invent missing scans.
Where users find an AWB number
- On the air waybill PDF or paper copy
- In airline or forwarder booking confirmations
- On warehouse or handover paperwork from your logistics provider
Why tracking may not update
Carriers update at different cadences. Quiet periods are common before uplift, between legs, or overnight. Typos, unsupported prefixes, unpublished House AWBs, or temporary portal outages also produce empty or stale results.
Common shipment statuses
Labels vary by airline, but you will typically see booking or acceptance, departure from origin, arrival at destination or transfer stations, and delivery or consignee release. Courier shipments use parcel-style scans (pickup, transit, out for delivery, delivered). Always read the carrier’s event text rather than assuming a universal status vocabulary.
Airline cargo tracking versus courier tracking
Airline cargo tracking centres on AWB prefixes and flight-oriented events. DHL Post & Parcel and FedEx use courier tracking numbers and parcel scan networks. Both types can be checked from the same lookup tool on this site.
Supported-carrier limitations
AWBTracking.net does not claim every airline or every shipment worldwide. Only carriers listed in the directory are wired to live trackers. Coverage and event detail still depend on each provider’s API or portal.
Privacy considerations
Lookup results are shown to you in the browser session. Free lookup does not save the shipment to an account. Pro users store tracking numbers on their private dashboard. See our Privacy Policy for how account and notification data is handled.
Free lookup vs Pro monitoring
Free accounts (and guests) can run a one-time live search. Pro saves AWBs, refreshes on your schedule, and can send email or Slack alerts when status changes — €5.95 per 30 days including VAT. Details are on pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AWB number?
An Air Waybill (AWB) number identifies an air cargo consignment. The common format is a three-digit airline prefix, a hyphen, and an eight-digit serial (for example 020-12345675). Carriers and freight systems use this number to report booking, flight, and delivery events.
What is the difference between a Master AWB and House AWB?
A Master AWB (MAWB) is the airline-level document for a consolidation or direct shipment. A House AWB (HAWB) is issued by a freight forwarder for an individual shipper’s consignment inside that consolidation. Tracking availability depends on whether the carrier or data source exposes Master or House identifiers for that shipment.
How do I track an air cargo shipment?
Open the free lookup on AWBTracking.net, enter the AWB or supported courier tracking number, and submit the form. The platform detects the carrier from the prefix or number format where possible and returns the latest status events available from that carrier’s tracking source.
Where can I find my AWB number?
The AWB number is printed on the air waybill PDF or paper document, and it usually appears on booking confirmations from the airline, freight forwarder, or logistics provider. Look for an 11-digit style number such as 235-94456121.
Why is my shipment status not updating?
Status updates come from the carrier’s systems. Gaps are common before departure, between flight legs, overnight, or when a scan has not been filed yet. Unsupported prefixes, typos, or House AWBs that are not published to the airline portal can also return limited or no data.
Which carriers are supported?
AWBTracking.net currently supports Air Serbia, Swiss WorldCargo, Lufthansa Cargo, Turkish Cargo, Qatar Airways Cargo, Aegean Airlines, DHL Post & Parcel, FedEx, UPS, and USPS. Tracking quality depends on each carrier’s live data source. See the carriers page for prefixes.
Can I track courier shipment numbers?
Yes. In addition to airline AWB numbers, you can look up DHL Post & Parcel, FedEx, UPS, and USPS tracking numbers through the same lookup and Pro dashboard tools.
Is AWB tracking free?
One-shot live lookup is free. Saving shipments, auto-refresh, PDF upload, and email or Slack alerts require a Pro subscription. Pricing is shown on the pricing page.
How do shipment alerts work?
With Pro, saved shipments refresh on your chosen interval. When the carrier status changes, AWBTracking.net can email your account (and optional extra addresses) and post to a Slack webhook you configure in Account settings.