Air China Cargo has expanded its commitment for the Airbus A350F freighter from six to ten aircraft, exercising four options roughly six months after finalizing its initial purchase agreement. The cargo subsidiary of Air China had first secured a firm order for six A350F in mid-November 2025, becoming the first A350F customer in mainland China.
The overall deal, disclosed in a filing to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, covers up to ten A350F with a combined list price of 4.65 billion US dollars at January 2024 catalog values. Air China Cargo states that a substantial price discount was negotiated, meaning the effective transaction value is significantly below the catalog amount.
Deliveries for the ten aircraft are scheduled between 2029 and 2031, aligning with the planned entry into service of the A350F in the second half of 2027. The new freighters will join a long-haul cargo fleet currently built around Boeing 747 and 777 freighters and converted Airbus A330s, and form a key element of a long-term renewal and growth plan.
Air China Cargo is positioning the A350F to support expected growth in air freight demand on major intercontinental corridors, while improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions compared with previous-generation freighters. The airline thus joins a limited group of A350F customers that already includes carriers such as Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines and Air France-KLM.