Airbus reported an increase to a November 2025 order for freighter aircraft from Air China Cargo Co. Ltd., adding four A350Fs for a total of 10 cargo jets to be delivered. Based on list prices, the total order is unofficially estimated at $4.65 billion.
The A350F will be a twin-engine aircraft for global service with a range of 4,700 nmi (8,700 km / 5,406 miles) and payloads up to 111 metric tons (122.4 short tons.) The cargo jet was introduced in 2021 as a freighter variants of the A350-1000 passenger aircraft, with entry to commercial service targeted for 2027.
Reportedly, the 10 aircraft ordered by Air China Cargo will have deliveries scheduled from 2029 through 2031.
Airbus has a total 101 orders in hand for future deliveries to 14 customers, including Air China Cargo.
Air China Cargo is the freight service offered by Air China, transporting goods from China to Europe, North America, and Asia. Its current fleet currently operates a fleet of eight Airbus A330-200P2F aircraft. In the near future, the A350F freighter will join Air China Cargo’s fleet and will complement the A330-200P2F freighters, maximizing their advantages on long-haul and medium-to-long-haul routes.
The carrier’s fleet presently includes eight Airbus A330-200s, three Boeing 747-400Fs, and 12 Boeing 777Fs.
“This additional order, following our initial A350F order last year, is a crucial strategic decision for the company to further optimize our fleet structure and expand transport capacity. It will allow us to better match and meet the demands of the international air cargo market, laying a solid foundation for the company's long-term stable development," stated Wang Hongyan, vice president of Air China Cargo.
In a 20-year forecast published last year, Airbus has projected air cargo traffic to increase 3.3% annually through 2044, with the world’s airlines and delivery services requiring an air-cargo fleet of 2,605 freighters and 935 new cargo jets during that period. Rival Boeing forecasts demand for roughly 955 new freighters over that same period.