Air China Cargo has expanded its commitment to the Airbus A350F, converting four purchase options into firm orders and lifting its total order from six to ten aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled over a long horizon, with six A350F freighters due between 2029 and 2031 and the remaining four between 2032 and 2033.
The cargo arm of Air China becomes the first operator in mainland China to commit to the A350F, which is set to become the new backbone of its long-haul cargo fleet. The order is placed as part of a fleet renewal strategy that will progressively replace or complement the carrier’s existing Boeing 777F and 747-400F freighters, alongside Airbus A330 cargo aircraft.
The four additional aircraft were confirmed through an amendment to the initial 2025 contract, approved by the company’s board of directors and disclosed in a regulatory filing to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The full commitment for up to ten A350F is valued at about USD 4.65 billion at list prices, with the four extra aircraft estimated at around USD 1.86 billion, although the airline states that commercial discounts reduce the actual price.
The A350F offers a payload of roughly 111 tons and a range of about 8,700 km. It is designed to meet new ICAO CO₂ and noise standards, with fuel burn and emissions about 20% lower than previous-generation freighters, aligning with broader industry and national environmental objectives.