Airline Codes & AWB Prefixes

Search airlines by name, IATA code, ICAO code, or AWB prefix

6,356 airlines · AWB prefix search · Free API

Data: FreightUtils airline code compilation (public sources; not published or endorsed by IATA or ICAO). How this is verified →

Independent verification pending. These reference values are compiled from published manufacturer, standard and regulatory sources — best-effort, with independent verification still pending. Confirm against the equipment plate, carrier or operator guide before operational use.

Verification coverage. Wave 1 (August 2026) worked the 399-record AWB/cargo subset — every carrier flagged as operating cargo or holding an AWB prefix, which is what freight desks actually look up. Of 6,356 records: 81 verified against carrier-published pages with per-field sources, 99 carriers confirmed as ceased, 217 audited but not cleared, and 5,959 never checked. The commonest reason a carrier stays unverified is that it does not publish its own AWB prefix anywhere we can cite — aggregators list those numbers, and we do not count them.

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This database is built and maintained with help from the freight community. Missing an airline or spotted an error? Let us know at contact@freightutils.com

Status:verified carrier-published + FAA-confirmed, per-field sourceshistorical ceased operationsunverified audited, not yet clearedunchecked never checked

Cargo Airlines

0 cargo airlines

All cargo carriers, A–Z (331)

Each carrier's page: its IATA code, or its AWB prefix when it has no IATA page. Carriers that share a code are one link.

AWB prefixes held by more than one carrier (58)

  • AWB 005 Continental Airlines · Continental Express
  • AWB 013 Guyana Airways 2000 · Tri-MG Intra Asia Airlines
  • AWB 018 Antinea Airlines · Canadian Airlines · Canadian Pacific Airlines · Compass Airlines
  • AWB 020 Lufthansa · Lufthansa Cargo
  • AWB 037 Unavia Suisse · US Airways
  • AWB 040 Air Corridor · Camair-Co
  • AWB 049 Air Arabia · Air Arabia Abu Dhabi
  • AWB 050 Olympic Air · Olympic Airlines (now Olympic Air)
  • AWB 055 Alitalia (now ITA Airways) · ITA Airways
  • AWB 070 Air Srpska · Syrian Arab Airlines
  • AWB 079 2GO · Philippine Airlines
  • AWB 081 Eastern Australia Airlines · Qantas · QantasLink · Sunstate Airlines
  • AWB 082 Brussels Airlines
  • AWB 083 Sabah Air · South African Airways
  • AWB 086 Air Nelson · Air New Zealand · Eagle Airways
  • AWB 090 Kingfisher Airlines · Tigerair Taiwan
  • AWB 115 Air Serbia · Jat Airways (now Air Serbia)
  • AWB 117 SAS Braathens · Scandinavian Airlines
  • AWB 119 Livingston Energy Flight · Loganair
  • AWB 127 City Connexion Airlines · Gol Transportes Aéreos
  • AWB 145 LATAM Cargo Chile · LATAM Chile
  • AWB 189 Jett8 Airlines Cargo · Starlux Airlines
  • AWB 201 Air Jamaica · Jetstar Hong Kong
  • AWB 270 Airnorth · Trans Mediterranean Airlines
  • AWB 307 Centurion Air Cargo · Parata Air · Thai Smile Airways
  • AWB 318 Air Atlanta Icelandic · Macair Airlines
  • AWB 355 Estafeta Carga Aérea · European Aviation Air Charter
  • AWB 356 Cargolux Italia · Chicago Jet Group
  • AWB 370 Airnorth · Trans Mediterranean Airlines · Volaris
  • AWB 416 Fika Salaama Airlines · National Air Cargo dba National Airlines
  • AWB 417 Bringer Air Cargo Taxi Aéreo · Eurowings Europe
  • AWB 485 Astral Aviation · Wright Air Service
  • AWB 529 Animawings · Astra Airlines · Cielos Airlines
  • AWB 549 ABSA Cargo · Air Service · LATAM Chile · North Flying
  • AWB 552 Mahfooz Aviation · MHS Aviation GmbH
  • AWB 576 Air São Tomé and Príncipe · Kunming Airlines
  • AWB 580 AirBridge Cargo · SkyKing Turks and Caicos Airways
  • AWB 618 Singapore Airlines · Singapore Airlines Cargo
  • AWB 693 Air Slovakia · Jett8 Airlines Cargo
  • AWB 711 Air Mauritanie · Hunnu Air
  • AWB 716 Execair Aviation · MNG Airlines
  • AWB 730 Air Cargo Germany · Air Ukraine · GB Airways
  • AWB 745 Air Berlin · Bonza
  • AWB 803 Air Ceylon · Mandarin Airlines
  • AWB 806 Coyne Aviation · Jeju Air
  • AWB 843 AirAsia · AirAsia X · FlyAsianXpress
  • AWB 851 Fika Salaama Airlines · Hong Kong Air Cargo · National Air Cargo dba National Airlines
  • AWB 858 Africa West · Keewatin Air
  • AWB 862 Atlantic Southeast Airlines · ExpressJet
  • AWB 865 Marsland Aviation · MASwings · Maxjet Airways · Midwest Airlines (Egypt)
  • AWB 873 Aerotransporte de Carga Union · Alrosa Air Company
  • AWB 886 Comair · PSA Airlines
  • AWB 946 Reem Air · Vieques Air Link
  • AWB 957 Aviogenex · LATAM Brasil
  • AWB 960 Estonian Air · SalamAir
  • AWB 976 Aeroméxico · Aeromexpress · Bar Harbor Airlines · Origin Pacific Airways
  • AWB 978 Africa Airways · Vietjet Air
  • AWB 999 Air China · Dalian Airlines
REST API
GET/api/airlines
View API documentation →

What Are Airline AWB Prefixes?

An Air Waybill (AWB) prefix is a three-digit code assigned by IATA to each airline that carries cargo. It forms the first three digits of every air waybill number and uniquely identifies the issuing carrier. For example, an AWB starting with 176 identifies an Emirates shipment, while 020 is Lufthansa Cargo.

When a freight forwarder or shipper books air cargo, the AWB prefix is essential for tracking, documentation, and carrier identification. Knowing the prefix allows operations teams to quickly identify which airline is carrying a shipment from the AWB number alone.

Understanding Airline Codes

Code TypeFormatExamplePurpose
IATA Code2 lettersEKTicketing, reservations, timetables
ICAO Code3 lettersUAEAir traffic control, flight plans
AWB Prefix3 digits176Air cargo waybill identification
CallsignVariableEMIRATESRadio communication with ATC

Airlines are identified by several different code systems, each serving a distinct purpose. IATA codes are two-letter designators used commercially — they appear on tickets, booking systems, and timetables. ICAO codes are three-letter designators used in air traffic control, flight plans, and operational contexts. The AWB prefix is specific to cargo operations and forms the first three digits of every air waybill number. Callsigns are used in radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an AWB prefix?
An Air Waybill prefix is a three-digit number assigned by IATA to airlines with cargo operations. It forms the first three digits of every AWB number (e.g., 176-12345678 is an Emirates shipment). The prefix uniquely identifies the issuing carrier and is essential for cargo tracking and documentation.
How do I find an airline's AWB prefix?
Use the search above — enter the airline name, IATA code, or ICAO code and the AWB prefix will be shown if the airline has cargo operations. You can also search by prefix (e.g., enter “176” to find Emirates). Our API also supports programmatic lookups.
What is the difference between IATA and ICAO codes?
IATA codes are two-letter codes used commercially (on tickets, timetables, and booking systems). ICAO codes are three-letter codes used by air traffic control and in flight plans. For example, Emirates is EK (IATA) and UAE (ICAO). Most freight operations use IATA codes, while ICAO codes appear in operational contexts.
Do all airlines have AWB prefixes?
No. Only airlines with cargo operations have AWB prefixes assigned by IATA. Of the 6,356 airlines in our database, 392 have an AWB prefix on record (395 are marked as operating cargo, a handful of which have no prefix listed). Passenger-only carriers, regional operators, and defunct airlines typically do not have cargo prefixes.
Can I use this data via API?
Yes. The FreightUtils airline API is free, requires no authentication, and returns JSON. Use GET /api/airlines?q=emirates to search by name, ?iata=EK for IATA code, ?icao=UAE for ICAO code, or ?prefix=176 for AWB prefix lookup. Full documentation at /api-docs.

Common AWB Prefix Lookup

Quick reference for the most frequently searched air waybill prefixes.

176
Emirates
IATA: EK
006
Delta Air Lines
IATA: DL
074
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
IATA: KL
057
Air France
IATA: AF
020
Lufthansa
IATA: LH
125
British Airways
IATA: BA
160
Cathay Pacific
IATA: CX
235
Turkish Airlines
IATA: TK
618
Singapore Airlines
IATA: SQ
205
Cargolux
IATA: CV
📅Airline data — source last reviewed May 2026

Airline data from FreightUtils airline code compilation (public sources; not published or endorsed by IATA or ICAO). Verify current codes with your carrier or IATA.

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Data from FreightUtils airline code compilation (public sources; not published or endorsed by IATA or ICAO). Airline codes and AWB prefixes may change — always verify with the carrier for critical shipments. Last updated May 2026.