United States
UPS Airlines Cargo Tracking
About
UPS Airlines, established in 1988, is one of the largest cargo airlines worldwide in terms of freight volume flown and flies to over 815 destinations from its Louisville, Kentucky headquarters as a wholly owned subsidiary of United Parcel Service. As of 2024, UPS Airlines operates about 290 freighters serving over 220 countries and territories with $61.3 billion in small-package revenue in 2024. At UPS Healthcare, the company continuously invests in its global cold chain freight offering by expanding its CEIV Pharma certifications in strategic global locations.
How to track UPS Airlines shipments
1. Go to https://www.aircargo.ups.com/en-us/tracking to access the official UPS Air Cargo tracking portal. 2. Enter your AWB number in the format 406-XXXXXXXX where the last digit is a check digit calculated as the serial number divided by 7, remainder only (example: 406-12345675). 3. Click "Track" to view status updates including acceptance, in-transit, and delivery information. 4. For additional support or if tracking is not updating after 24 hours, call the Global Capacity Management Center at 800.535.2345.
What 406-XXXXXXXX means
The AWB prefix 406 identifies UPS Airlines as the issuing carrier, ensuring proper routing within the air cargo network. The 7-digit serial number is the unique shipment identifier assigned to each individual cargo shipment. The final digit is a check digit calculated using the mod-7 method: divide the 7-digit serial number by 7 and use only the remainder (0-6). This prefix system allows freight forwarders, ground handlers, and tracking systems to immediately identify which airline is responsible for handling and transporting the shipment.
UPS Airlines cold chain & perishables
UPS Airlines holds IATA CEIV Pharma certification for handling temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipments. CEIV is the IATA-administered audit standard that validates a carrier's end-to-end cold-chain procedures, staff training, and facilities against pharma-grade requirements.
- CEIV Pharma
UPS Airlines specialized cargo handling
UPS offers experienced and reliable movement of select perishable goods. UPS Healthcare provides comprehensive cold chain technologies with 390,000 square feet of GMP-compliant cooler storage for biologics and pharmaceuticals.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I track my UPS Airlines cargo shipment?
- Tracking is available through the official website at https://www.aircargo.ups.com/en-us/tracking or by calling the Global Capacity Management Center. UPS Airlines air waybill tracking numbers are 11 digits long and start with "406". Enter your AWB number in the format 406-XXXXXXXX to track real-time status updates. If tracking has not updated after 24 hours, contact customer service at 800.535.2345 for assistance.
- What does AWB prefix 406 mean?
- AWB prefix 406 identifies UPS Airlines as the issuing carrier and ensures proper routing within the global air cargo network. The format is 406 (carrier prefix) + 7-digit serial number + 1 check digit. The check digit is calculated using mod-7: for example, serial number 1234567 ÷ 7 = 176 remainder 3, so the full AWB would be 406-12345673. This system allows all stakeholders to immediately identify UPS Airlines as the responsible carrier.
- Does UPS Airlines offer pharmaceutical cold chain shipping?
- Three of UPS's freight forwarding operations located at Narita International Airport and Kansai International Airport in Japan, and Incheon International Airport in South Korea, have received the prestigious IATA CEIV Pharma Certification for excellence in pharmaceutical air transportation and handling. UPS Healthcare recently introduced a comprehensive suite of cold chain technologies and increased cold chain good manufacturing practices (GMP) storage capacities – roughly 390,000 square feet of coolers – to support the specialized storage of biologics.
- How do I book cargo with UPS Airlines?
- Call UPS at 800.535.2345 to book space on aircraft through the Global Capacity Management Center, which is ready to accept booking requests, provide shipment forwarding, logistical support, as well as arrival information to the ultimate destination city. Professionally trained representatives can provide rates, shipment forwarding and logistical support, with centralized booking service offering direct and alternative flow routings.
UPS Airlines cargo contact
- Phone
- +1-800-535-2345
- Cargo enquiry
- https://www.aircargo.ups.com/en-us/tracking
Related carriers
Other cargo airlines in the same region as UPS Airlines.