Qatar Airways(QR) air cargo tracking

How to read a Qatar Airways(QR) air waybill number

157-10631913 example only — not a real shipment

Air waybill numbers are 11 digits, usually printed like 157-10631913. The first three digits are the IATA airline prefix — 157 is Qatar Airways(QR)’s — and the remaining eight are the serial, where the last digit is a check digit (the first seven digits modulo 7).

One AWB covers the whole consignment (there is no per-piece number), and unlike container numbers, AWB serials are recycled by airlines after roughly a year — so a very old number can show someone else’s shipment.

If your Qatar Airways(QR) tracking isn’t working

1. 1 Check the number format first

   An air waybill is 11 digits — a 3-digit airline prefix and an 8-digit serial, e.g. 157-10631913. Enter it with or without the dash, but don’t drop leading zeros from the serial.

2. 2 Make sure the number was issued by this carrier

   If your serial doesn’t start with 157, the AWB was issued by a different airline or a freight forwarder (a “house” AWB). Track house AWBs with the forwarder; the airline only sees its own “master” AWB.

3. 3 Too early or too late

   New shipments can take a little while to appear — most carriers only start returning results once the air waybill is in their system after export gate-in or acceptance. Long-delivered shipments drop out too: tracking data is usually purged weeks or months after delivery.

4. 4 Paste carefully on Qatar Airways(QR)’s page

   Qatar Airways(QR) asks you to type the number on its own page, so paste it exactly — no spaces before or after, and no extra characters picked up from an email. If the page shows a security check, complete it and search again.

5. 5 Still nothing?

   Your booking agent or Qatar Airways(QR)’s customer service can look the shipment up internally — have the air waybill number and the issuing office or booking reference handy when you ask.

Frequently asked questions

How do I track a Qatar Airways(QR) air waybill?

Type your air waybill number in the box above and press Track. You’ll land on Qatar Airways(QR)’s own tracking page — paste your number there and search. Qatar Airways(QR) air waybill numbers usually begin with 157.

What does a Qatar Airways(QR) air waybill number look like?

Air waybill (AWB) numbers have 11 digits: a 3-digit airline prefix and an 8-digit serial, usually written like 176-12345678. The prefix identifies the airline. For Qatar Airways(QR) the AWB prefix is 157. A format-valid example is 157-10631913.

Why does the Qatar Airways(QR) page open without my number filled in?

Qatar Airways(QR) asks everyone to enter the number on its own page (it has a security check), so it can’t be filled in ahead of time. We bring you to the right page — just paste your number there.

What if my number doesn’t start with 157?

Then it probably wasn’t issued by Qatar Airways(QR) — shipments booked through a freight forwarder or partner carrier often travel under another company’s air waybill number. Paste the number on our homepage and we’ll suggest the right airline, or check your shipping paperwork for who issued it.

Is this Qatar Airways(QR)’s official tracking site?

No — this is a free, independent tool that brings every carrier’s tracking together in one place. When you track here you end up on Qatar Airways(QR)’s own page, so everything you see comes straight from Qatar Airways(QR). We never see or store your shipment details.