Master Air Waybill (MAWB)

A Master Air Waybill (MAWB) is a transport document issued and signed by an air cargo carrier or its authorized agent that evidences the terms and conditions of carriage between the shipper and the carrier for air freight transportation. The MAWB is issued directly by the airline to the freight forwarder that books cargo space and represents the overarching contract between the airline and the forwarder, covering the entire consolidated shipment that will be loaded onto the aircraft. The MAWB is subject to IATA Rules and international air conventions including the Warsaw Convention, Montreal Convention, and Hague Amendment. Unlike ocean bills of lading, the MAWB is a non-negotiable document that serves as a contract of carriage and cannot be transferred to another party.

An Emirates SkyCargo shipment from Dubai International (DXB) to John F. Kennedy International (JFK) carries MAWB number 176-12345675, where 176 is the IATA-assigned airline prefix that identifies Emirates as the issuing carrier, and the last digit is a mathematically calculated check digit. A Lufthansa Cargo consolidation from Frankfurt (FRA) to Los Angeles International (LAX) uses MAWB 020-87654321, where the 020 prefix identifies Lufthansa Cargo and covers multiple individual House Air Waybills from different shippers consolidated under this single master document.

• master airway bill
• MAWB number
• master AWB

What is the format of a Master Air Waybill number and how is it structured?

MAWB numbers follow a standardized 11-digit format consisting of three components: a 3-digit IATA-assigned airline prefix (such as 176 for Emirates or 020 for Lufthansa Cargo), a 7-digit sequential serial number issued by the airline, and a 1-digit check digit calculated by dividing the 7-digit serial number by 7 and using the remainder as the validation digit.

Can a single Master Air Waybill cover multiple individual shipments?

Yes, a Master Air Waybill can cover multiple shipments consolidated under a single document. The MAWB is used in conjunction with House Air Waybills (HAWB) when multiple shipments are consolidated into a single shipment, with the MAWB covering the entire consolidated shipment while the HAWBs detail the individual shipments within the consolidation.