Airbus is working towards a tentative first flight for the A350F in late September, with 24 September understood to be the preferred target and early October also possible. The schedule remains provisional, but if it holds it would leave the manufacturer only a narrow window to complete flight testing and keep the freighter on track for first delivery in the second half of 2027.
The A350F is Airbus’s delayed entry into the widebody cargo market and a key rival to Boeing’s long-established freighter portfolio. Airbus has kept to public guidance that the aircraft should fly before the end of 2026, while first delivery remains planned for the second half of 2027. The latest timing therefore points to an intense certification phase, particularly as the programme has already slipped against earlier expectations.
Airbus has not confirmed a specific first-flight date and has continued to frame the schedule in broader terms. That leaves the date dependent on final programme readiness, with only weeks between an initial airborne test campaign and the delivery target now being discussed in the market.