China Sourcing Wiki

Sourcing glossary

Air waybill

Also known as: AWB, Air consignment note, MAWB, HAWB

The transport document for air cargo, issued by the airline or its agent, that serves as a receipt for the goods and evidence of the contract of carriage but, unlike an original bill of lading, is not a document of title.

Because an air waybill is non-negotiable, the goods are released to the consignee named on it, not to whoever holds a paper original. That matters for payment: once your supplier's goods fly with you as consignee, the supplier has no document left to hold back, so settle the balance before handover or use another safeguard.

Each AWB has an 11-digit number (a three-digit airline prefix plus eight digits) that you can use to track the shipment on the airline's site. Consolidated shipments have a master AWB from the airline and a house AWB from the forwarder. See sea vs air vs rail vs express for when air freight makes sense.

Related terms

Bill of ladingChargeable weightFreight forwarderCommercial invoice

Guides that use this term

QC

Defective Goods from China: What to Do When Your Order Arrives Wrong

Defective goods from a Chinese supplier? How to document evidence, use your PO terms, negotiate a fix, file Trade Assurance or insurance claims, and prevent repeats.

Updated 2026-09-21 · 5 min read

Part of Shipping & Logistics.

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