The A350F, the newest cargo aircraft from European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, made its maiden flight yesterday. The A350F is the largest cargo aircraft Airbus has built to date.

Airbus calls the first test flight “an important milestone.” To date, 115 A350Fs have been ordered. Airbus promises up to 40% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared to previous-generation cargo aircraft, such as older 747s and 777Fs

400 test hours

The aircraft took off yesterday in Toulouse, remained airborne for 4 hours and 10 minutes, and reached an altitude of 25,000 feet, approximately 7,600 meters. A wide range of flight parameters were monitored during the flight. The first flight “marks the start of a 9-month test campaign,” according to Airbus, which plans to conduct about 400 test hours (with 2 test aircraft).

The goal is to have the cargo aircraft certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in 2027. After that, deliveries to customers can begin.

Airbus has now received orders from 14 customers for 115 A350F aircraft, including Air France-KLM, Cathay, Singapore Airlines, Air China, Starlux, and the shipping giant CMA CGM. The cargo aircraft – the freight version of the A350 long-range passenger jets that have been in service for several years – can carry up to 111 metric tons of cargo over a maximum distance of 8,700 km.

“Largest main-deck door in the commercial aviation industry”

The aircraft – whose fuselage combines the forward section of an A350-900 with the aft section and wings of an A350-1000 – is made up of more than 70% advanced materials, making it 46 metric tons lighter at takeoff than competing aircraft, according to Airbus. It is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 turbofans.

The unique floor design is intended to allow flexible pallet loading, with improved control of the center of gravity. Even large engines can be transported without disassembly thanks to the large door opening.  With a 4.5-meter cut-out width and a 4.3-meter clear opening, Airbus claims this is the largest main-deck door in the commercial aviation industry, although that’s not quite right when you also consider a specialized heavy-lift aircraft like the Antonov An-124.

While parts production takes place around the world, assembly is concentrated in Airbus’ four core countries: France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

According to Airbus, it is the first new cargo aircraft to fully comply with the latest ICAO CO2 standards. Once it enters service, it can fly using up to 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Boeing 777-8F

The A350F’s direct competitor is the Boeing 777-8F. That aircraft has a higher payload capacity: approximately 112 to 118 metric tons (the last digit refers to the structural maximum, the first to the commercial maximum amount of paying cargo you can realistically carry) over 4,410 nautical miles or 8,167 km, compared to up to 111 metric tons over 4,700 nautical miles or 8,700 km for the A350F. So, Boeing offers more capacity, while Airbus offers more range.

One reason the 777-8F can carry more cargo is the 2 additional pallets – one on the main deck and one in the cargo hold, made possible by the wide fuselage – and the powerful GE9X engine. That engine is not yet in commercial service, but it has undergone extensive testing.

In addition, the 777-8F also features folding wingtips, which improve aerodynamics but also add weight and complexity. A clear advantage for Airbus is that the A350F is now in service, while the 777X family has been repeatedly delayed, and the cargo version was originally scheduled for 2027 and is now not expected until 2028–2029.

Ambition to capture half the market

“With the A350F, we aim to capture 50 percent of the long-haul air cargo market,” says Julien Puyou, Airbus’s director of long-haul programs. Having overtaken Boeing as the world’s leading commercial aircraft manufacturer, Airbus now hopes to replicate that success in the fast-growing air cargo market. The target is highly ambitious: Boeing has dominated the sector since the 1970s, and nearly 90% of the 2,300 aircraft in service worldwide are Boeing models.

Another factor working in Airbus’s favor is that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) established new mandatory CO₂ standards in March 2026, which will take effect on January 1, 2028. Aircraft manufactured after that date that do not comply will not receive an airworthiness certificate and will therefore not be allowed to fly.

According to Airbus, the A350F is the only new freighter that meets the standard, as Boeing’s current cargo aircraft do not and are nearing the end of their production lifespans. The 747-8F has been out of production since 2022, and production of the 767F will end in 2027. The 777F was also supposed to be phased out, but because its successor, the 777-8F, has been delayed, Boeing continues to build it. The order book still includes 35 aircraft.

Boeing is already building the 777-8F: series production in Everett began in July 2025. Another advantage is that the 777-8F can use the existing 777F maintenance network, reducing costs for current operators.

Broadly, the A350F is better suited for long-haul flights with lighter loads, while the 777-8F is optimized for maximum payload. Airbus also claims the A350F uses “at least 20% less fuel than competing aircraft,” though this claim cannot be independently verified.