The A350F successfully completed its maiden flight on 29 September 2026. MSN700 flew for 4 hours 10 minutes and reached 25,000 ft, formally opening the flight-test campaign. Read our full report on the A350F maiden flight.
The Airbus A350F programme was entering a decisive phase. Airbus has added a firm order for eight more freighters from an undisclosed customer, taking the backlog to 115 aircraft, while the first flight-test jet was still approaching its maiden flight in Toulouse.
Eight more aircraft for an undisclosed customer
The latest order was finalised in August 2026. Airbus has not identified the buyer, so the eight aircraft remain assigned to an undisclosed customer in the manufacturer’s commercial data.
The deal lifts the A350F backlog to 115 firm orders. At the end of April, Airbus was still reporting 101 orders from 14 customers. Since then, cargo operators including Cathay Cargo and Air China Cargo have increased their commitments.
Before the maiden flight: final preparations
The more important milestone at that point was industrial. Airbus was assembling the first A350F flight-test aircraft in Toulouse and preparing to start the certification campaign. FlightGlobal reported that the maiden flight was expected within weeks.
Airbus is building two A350Fs specifically for flight testing during 2026-2027. The first aircraft has already completed major ground milestones, including installation of its main cargo door and ground-vibration testing. Airbus also revealed the aircraft’s new livery in early September.
A very large main-deck cargo door
The A350F shares much of the A350 family’s architecture and technology, but the fuselage and systems have been adapted for dedicated freighter operations. Its main cargo door, positioned towards the rear fuselage, measures about 4.3 metres wide by 3.15 metres high.
Airbus presents it as the largest main-deck cargo door designed for an aircraft in this category, helping operators load standard pallets and containers as well as outsized freight.
111 tonnes of payload and about 8,700 km of range
The A350F is designed to carry up to 111 tonnes of cargo over roughly 8,700 kilometres. It will use two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the same engine family used on the A350-1000.
More than 70% of the structure is expected to use advanced materials. Airbus also highlights a lower take-off weight than previous-generation freighters and claims fuel-burn and CO₂-emissions reductions of up to 20% versus older cargo aircraft with comparable capability.
Airbus wants a durable position in long-haul freight
The programme is strategically important because widebody freighters have historically been a Boeing stronghold, led by the 747F and 777F. Airbus is using the A350F to compete for the long-term replacement of older freighters and for future growth in global air cargo.
Major customers include Atlas Air, Air China Cargo, Cathay Cargo and Korean Air. Their commitments give Airbus a broader base than the programme had during its early launch phase.
A350F versus Boeing 777-8F
The A350F will compete directly with the Boeing 777-8F in the next generation of long-range freighters. Both manufacturers are targeting replacement demand for ageing 747 freighters and current-generation 777Fs.
The next major test was execution. First flight was expected to move the A350F from development into the phase where performance, handling, cargo systems and certification assumptions would be demonstrated in real-world conditions.
Why the first flight matters
Reaching 115 firm orders before maiden flight was already a meaningful commercial signal. But the coming months will be dominated by technical validation: flight testing, expansion of the flight envelope, cargo-system trials and certification work.
For Airbus, the A350F is becoming more than a derivative project. It is the company’s main route back into a widebody freighter segment where Boeing has long held the stronger market position.
Sources
Airbus: A350F programme information and 2026 order announcements.
FlightGlobal: September 8, 2026, eight-aircraft order and first-flight preparations.
Airbus: 2026 orders from Cathay Cargo, Air China Cargo and Atlas Air Worldwide.
Related: Airbus A350F completes maiden flight, testing begins, the next major milestone in the program.
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