Korean Air has announced it will add the Airbus A350F to its fleet, becoming a new customer for the freighter version of the aircraft. The decision follows Korean Air’s move to convert seven of its existing orders for A350-1000 passenger jets into orders for the cargo variant.
“Korean Air is one of the world’s largest cargo operators,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business. “The decision to add the A350F to its fleet is therefore a very significant endorsement of the aircraft’s unique capabilities. The A350F will bring Korean Air the most efficient solution in the large freighter segment.”
The A350F features what Airbus describes as the largest main deck cargo door in the industry and an airframe composed of more than 70% advanced materials. According to Airbus, this results in a take-off weight that is 46 tonnes lighter than other competing models derived from existing designs. The aircraft also meets ICAO’s enhanced CO₂ emissions standards that will be required starting in 2027.
Currently still under development, the A350F is designed to carry up to 111 tonnes over distances as far as 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers). It uses Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines and is expected by Airbus to deliver fuel consumption and carbon emissions reductions of up to 40% compared with previous generation freighters with similar payload-range capabilities.
As of September 2025, Airbus reports that it has received a total of 1,445 orders for its widebody A350 Family from 63 customers worldwide. Of these, there are now 65 orders for the new A350F model from ten cargo carriers and one leasing company.
With this latest order adjustment, Korean Air’s commitment includes a total of 33 A350 aircraft: twenty A350-1000s, seven A350Fs and six A350-900s—two of which have already been delivered. The airline also holds outstanding orders for thirty-nine single aisle Airbus A321neo planes.
