We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Accounting

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is an Airbill?

Mary Elizabeth
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 45,693
Share

When sending a letter or package through the regular delivery schemes offered by a country’s postal service, one simply writes the name and address of the recipient and the sender in the appropriate places on the envelope, attaches the postage, and drops it in a mailbox or takes it to the post office. For other types of delivery service, either through the country’s postal service or another carrier, an airbill is the set of paperwork that is completed by the sender, both for record keeping and to be used as the address label on the package. Paper airbills can be filled out by hand, or an airbill can be generated online through an account with the carrier.

The airbill of each service — for example, the United States Postal Service (USPS), Australia Post, La Poste in France, Federal Express®, UPS®, and DHL® — differ somewhat in configuration and depending on the exact service used. There are usually differences to distinguish domestic service from international service, as well as for the speed of service. For example, economy services and priority services may have a separate airbill design.

The typical sections of an airbill include a section for the sender, a section for the recipient, shipment information, the shipping service requested, packaging information, special handling services, a shipping or billing reference, and payment information. Also included on each airbill is a tracking number that can be used to follow the package’s progress in transit and ascertain delivery information. The sender information includes the name, address including country, and phone number of the sender. Paper airbills with prefilled account and sender information are available for account holders. The recipient information is similar to that for the sender: name, address including country, and phone number.

Information about the shipment on the airbill includes the number of packages, the weight of each package, and the package dimensions. The date and the total weight may be in this section or elsewhere on the airbill. Packaging indicates various choices among that carrier’s proprietary packaging, as well as packaging provided by the customer. Special handling may include choices such as dry ice, evening home delivery, and Saturday delivery. The sender may also indicate whether the delivery must be signed for or delivered solely to the addressee.

Payment information may have several sections. In one section, the sender, recipient, or a third party may be indicated as responsible for payment. If a third party is responsible, an account number will likely be required. If the sender is responsible, either an account number or a form of payment, such as cash or check, or a credit card number will be required. The sender’s signature may also be required.

Share
SmartCapitalMind is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary Elizabeth
By Mary Elizabeth
Passionate about reading, writing, and research, Mary Elizabeth is dedicated to correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to writing articles on art, literature, and music for SmartCapitalMind, Mary works as a teacher, composer, and author who has written books, study guides, and teaching materials. Mary has also created music composition content for Sibelius Software. She earned her B.A. from University of Chicago's writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont.
Discussion Comments
By quickbrain13 — On Jan 23, 2014

Get a FedEx acct. number (they're free). You can do that over the phone or on the internet. Once you've done that just fill out a regular airbill.

Prepaid airbills can be sent to you with your name and address and other information (most importantly your fedex account number) printed on them.

Now anyone with those airbills can ship stuff in your name.

By SpinMaster98 — On Jan 22, 2014

What is a prepaid airbill? How do I get one from FedEx?

Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Passionate about reading, writing, and research, Mary Elizabeth is dedicated to correcting misinformation on the...
Learn more
Share
https://www.smartcapitalmind.com/what-is-an-airbill.htm
Copy this link
SmartCapitalMind, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

SmartCapitalMind, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.