Airline Codes & AWB Prefix Lookup | FreightUtils

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All Airlines

6,352 airlines — page 1 of 128

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Airline	IATA	ICAO	AWB Prefix	Country	Type
	—	JTN	—	United States	Pax
135 Airways	—	GNL	—	United States	Pax
2 Sqn No 1 Elementary Flying Training School	—	WYT	—	United Kingdom	Pax
213th Flight Unit	—	TFU	—	Russia	Pax
223rd Flight Unit	—	CHD	—	Russia	Pax
224th Flight Unit	—	TTF	—	Russia	Pax
247 Jet Ltd	—	TWF	—	United Kingdom	Pax
2Excel Aviation	—	BRO	—	United Kingdom	Pax
2GO	PR	BOI	079	Philippines	Cargo
34 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force	—	EVY	—	—	Pax
3D Aviation	—	SEC	—	United States	Pax
40-Mile Air	Q5	MLA	—	United States	Pax
43 Air School	—	PIU	—	South Africa	Pax
4D Air	—	QRT	—	Thailand	Pax
7Air Cargo	—	—	567	—	Cargo
9 Air	AQ	JYH	—	China	Pax
A-Jet Aviation Aircraft Management	—	GBT	—	Austria	Pax
A-Jet Aviation Company	—	AJR	—	Mongolia	Pax
A-Safar Air Services	—	SFM	—	Nigeria	Pax
A2 Jet Leasing	—	AJJ	—	United States	Pax
AASANA	—	XXV	—	Bolivia	Pax
Ababeel Aviation	—	BBE	—	Sudan	Pax
Abacus International	1B	—	—	Singapore	Pax
Abaeté Linhas Aéreas	BJ	ABJ	—	Brazil	Pax
Abakan Air	—	NKP	—	Russia	Pax
Abakan-Avia	RL	ABG	—	Russia	Pax
Aban Air	—	ABE	—	Iran	Pax
Abas	—	MRP	—	Czech Republic	Pax
ABC Air Hungary	—	AHU	—	Hungary	Pax
ABC Bedarfsflug	—	FTY	—	Austria	Pax
Abelag Aviation	W9	AAB	—	Belgium	Pax
Aberdair Aviation	—	BDV	—	Kenya	Pax
Aberdair Aviation Ghana	—	ROH	—	Ghana	Pax
Abidjan Air Cargo	—	ADJ	—	Côte d'Ivoire	Pax
ABS Jets	—	ABP	—	Czech Republic	Pax
ABSA Cargo	M3	LTG	524549	Brazil	Cargo
Absolute Flight Services	—	TTN	—	South Africa	Pax
ABX Air	GB	ABX	—	United States	Pax
AC Insat-Aero	—	IAE	—	Russia	Pax
ACA (Ancargo Air)	—	NCL	—	Angola	Pax
Academy Airlines	—	ACD	—	United States	Pax
AccessAir	ZA	CYD	—	United States	Pax
ACEF	—	CFM	—	Portugal	Pax
Acero Taxi	—	ARO	—	Mexico	Pax
ACES Colombia	VX	AES	—	Colombia	Pax
ACM Air Charter	—	BVR	—	Germany	Pax
ACM Aviation	—	BJT	—	United States	Pax
Acropolis Aviation	—	CRV	—	United Kingdom	Pax
Action Air	—	ORS	—	Italy	Pax
Action Airlines (Action Air Charter)	—	AXQ	—	United States	Pax

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GET /api/airlines?q=emirates

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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 Type	Format	Example	Purpose
IATA Code	2 letters	EK	Ticketing, reservations, timetables
ICAO Code	3 letters	UAE	Air traffic control, flight plans
AWB Prefix	3 digits	176	Air cargo waybill identification
Callsign	Variable	EMIRATES	Radio 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 6,352 airlines in our database, 390 have AWB prefixes. 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.

Data compiled from public aviation sources. Airline codes and AWB prefixes may change — always verify with the carrier for critical shipments. Last updated March 2026.