Cathay Cargo has selected the Airbus A350F to renew and expand its long-haul cargo fleet, confirming a purchase agreement for six aircraft with options for 20 additional freighters. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027 as part of a wider fleet renewal strategy at Cathay Group.
The A350F will join Cathay Cargo’s existing Boeing 747-8F and 747-400ERF freighters and is intended to become a core element of the carrier’s future cargo operations. The aircraft is still in development and is presented by Airbus with a maximum payload of 111 tonnes and a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles, or about 8,700 kilometers.
Cathay plans to deploy the A350F on long-haul routes linking Hong Kong and mainland China with North and South America as well as Europe. The aircraft’s capacity is designed to support dense cargo flows, with configurations allowing up to 34 main-deck pallets, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as a leading global air freight hub.
The order contributes to a broader pipeline of new aircraft across Cathay Group, which now totals 77 future deliveries when combined with existing commitments for passenger widebodies and single-aisle jets. The introduction of the A350F is aimed at increasing operational flexibility and long-haul cargo capacity while modernizing the freighter fleet.