Company profile
Air China Cargo's full name is Air China Cargo Co., Ltd. It is the only cargo airline in China that flies with the national flag, founded in 2003 and registered at 29 Tianzhu Road, Shunyi District, Beijing. Its controlling shareholder is China Aviation Capital and its ultimate controller is China National Aviation Holding Company. On 30 December 2024 it listed A-shares on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange under code 001391, becoming the second listed company under the CNAC group and the largest IPO on the A-share market in 2024.
The company is the exclusive operator of belly cargo on all Air China passenger aircraft and adds its own freighter fleet on top, forming a dual capacity system in which freighters and bellies complement each other. In 2025 revenue was RMB 22.878 billion and net profit RMB 2.585 billion, up more than 32 percent year on year. For Chinese shippers, the belly base at Beijing Capital, the freighter hubs at Shanghai and Chengdu and the coverage of Guangzhou and Shenzhen mean inbound and outbound handling at the main air cargo airports of East, South, Southwest and North China, with combinations of international and domestic flights. By the end of 2025 the company operated 30 freighter routes covering 24 cities in 14 countries, and held more than 1,500 trucking routes in Europe, the United States, Japan and Asia-Pacific to extend cargo worldwide. Its website is airchinacargo.com.
The company completed mixed-ownership reform and converted into a joint stock company, with total assets of RMB 29.953 billion before listing, making it the first cargo airline in Chinese aviation logistics to list A-shares. As a platform serving national strategy it has repeatedly carried government aid and emergency supplies, and it holds the trunk capacity role in China's foreign trade and supply chain; its service reliability for Chinese shippers has been proven over years of operation.
In the first half of 2026 the company kept growing, with revenue of RMB 12.539 billion and net profit of RMB 918 million; total assets reached RMB 31.511 billion at the end of June 2026. It continues to refine its freighter hub layout around Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu, and is expanding capacity at Chengdu Shuangliu through its Southwest Branch to serve shippers in central and western China flying direct to Europe. For exporters, the hub layout and the steady pace of fleet investment make shipping plans predictable over the long term.
Freighter fleet
At the end of 2025 Air China Cargo had 13 Boeing 777F, 3 Boeing 747-400F and 8 Airbus A330 freighters, 24 widebody freighters available, a fleet built around the B777 and B747 for the long-haul Europe and US markets with the A330 filling mid and long-range routes. In 2025 it took 2 new B777F, converted 4 A330 passenger aircraft to freighters and put them into service, and signed mainland China's first Airbus A350F order for 6 aircraft, laying the base for medium and long-term capacity and international competitiveness. Payload figures follow manufacturer data; actual payload is subject to carrier confirmation on the day. For Chinese shippers this means capacity at three levels: Europe and US trunk routes, mid-range regional routes and belly express, matched to weight, transit time and destination.
Boeing 777F
Main deck and belly together take more than 100 tonnes. The type suits cross-border e-commerce, electronics, high-value manufacturing and precision instruments. Boeing quotes about 102 tonnes for the 777F and the main deck holds several pallet positions, which makes it the main type on China-US and China-Europe trunk routes. Air China Cargo flies it on Pudong to Miami, Glasgow and Los Angeles.
Boeing 747-400F
The main deck door and hold volume are large, which suits full-planeload shipments of general cargo, outsize pieces and heavy goods, and adds important capacity on long-haul Europe and US routes. Boeing quotes about 112 tonnes for the 747-400F. The wide main deck door takes whole pallets, heavy and oversize pieces, giving shippers in South and East China direct capacity for large lots.
Airbus A330F
Converted from passenger aircraft, it has a flexible hold layout and modern avionics, with good economics on mid and long-range routes. Airbus quotes about 60 tonnes for the A330F, with 18 pallet positions across main deck and belly, which suits dense mid and long-range cargo. From Shanghai it flies to Stockholm and Milan, planned at 5 flights a week.
Air China passenger belly capacity
Air China Cargo is the exclusive operator of belly capacity on all Air China passenger aircraft, so every city on the Air China international network offers belly space, which suits regular movement of small, time-critical lots. The network covers Tokyo, Seoul, Frankfurt, Paris, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and belly space complements the freighter routes to form a dense daily express channel.
International cargo routes from China
Freighter routes start at major Chinese airports and reach Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. The mix of freighters and bellies gives Chinese shippers block capacity on Europe and US trunk routes and daily express space at secondary cities, matching the spread of China's export cargo. As of June 2025 the company flew 25 freighter routes, 23 international and 2 domestic; for the full year 2025 it operated 30 freighter routes covering 24 cities in 14 countries and opened 8 new freighter routes. Around its Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu hubs it added long-haul freighter routes to key European and Asian cities, including Pudong to Glasgow launched in May 2026 and Pudong to Miami launched in March 2026, both flown by Boeing 777 freighters.
| China origin ports | Main destination stations | Aircraft operated | Indicative schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Pudong (PVG) | Frankfurt, Milan Malpensa, Stockholm, Glasgow, Miami, Los Angeles | Boeing 777F, Airbus A330F | 3 to 5 flights a week; times are local; the schedule changes with the season and the carrier's confirmation on the day of booking governs |
| Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) | Glasgow (via Beijing), Los Angeles | Boeing 777F | Actual schedules vary with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking |
| Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU) | European cities including Glasgow | Boeing 777F | Actual schedules vary with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking |
| Shenzhen Bao'an (SZX) | Chicago (return connection) and others | Boeing 777F | Actual schedules vary with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking |
| Beijing Capital (PEK) | Belly network in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific | Air China passenger belly capacity | Follows Air China passenger schedules; times are local |
The table lists main directions compiled from public sources; actual routings and schedules are confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking.
On direct service, Air China Cargo covers major hubs in Germany, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States on scheduled or extra flights. With more than 1,500 trucking routes, cargo arriving at a European gateway such as Frankfurt can move on to inland European cities, or connect to inland distribution inside the United States. Cargo for Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia connects through the Air China belly network and trucking routes, completing a cargo chain that starts in China.
Extra-section and charter records show the airline has run Pudong to Frankfurt, Pudong to Milan Malpensa, Pudong to Los Angeles, Guangzhou to Los Angeles, Chicago to Shanghai Pudong and Chicago to Shenzhen, among others. Capacity to the main European and US points can therefore be scaled, with extra flights added in peak season or for large lots. If space is tight, a forwarder can request extra capacity, subject to carrier approval.
Network map
The map shows the Air China Cargo network from China, centred on Shanghai Pudong, with the main freighter destinations marked. Gold arcs are long-haul freighter routes to Europe and the Americas; actual cities and schedules follow the carrier's confirmation on the day.
Airports served in China and schedules
The core freighter hub in East China and the main origin for long-haul freighter routes to Europe and the Americas. The Pudong terminal handles full inbound and outbound processing and security screening, so cargo can be tendered the same day and connect to early-morning arrivals in Europe.
The core freighter hub in Southwest China, serving shippers in central and western China bound for Europe. The Southwest Branch opened at Shuangliu in 2026; from January to August Shuangliu handled 140,200 tonnes, up 12.6 percent year on year, and Europe services keep expanding.
A main origin airport in South China, with long-haul freighter routes from Guangzhou to Beijing, Glasgow and Los Angeles. Electronics manufacturing and cross-border e-commerce cargo from the Pearl River Delta can reach Europe direct from Guangzhou.
Matches manufacturing and e-commerce cargo in the Pearl River Delta, takes return connections from Chicago and other points and provides capacity from South China; cargo from Shenzhen to Chicago can connect quickly at a US west coast hub.
The main belly base for Air China passenger aircraft. Shippers in North China can use the belly network to European, American and Asia-Pacific cities, and belly cargo connects the same day to Air China international schedules.
The company holds operating resources at cargo airports in several regions and can combine international and domestic flights. Shippers in second-tier cities in Southwest and East China can tender cargo nearby, cutting domestic transit time.
Schedule confirmation: schedules at each airport change with the season and demand, and the carrier confirms capacity and times on the booking day. Times are local, the schedule changes with the season and the carrier's confirmation on the day of booking governs.
Freight advantages for Chinese shippers
Dual capacity system
Freighters and Air China belly capacity run together, so large lots in peak season and small daily lots both find steady space, and Chinese shippers can combine the two by volume. In peak season the freighters carry the trunk traffic and the bellies carry the loose cargo, which makes shipping plans easier to hold.
Wide airport coverage
East, South, Southwest and North China all have inbound and outbound resources, so shippers pick the nearest origin and cut domestic transport cost; one shipment can also be shifted between airports on capacity and rate.
E-commerce capacity
A single Pudong to Glasgow flight has carried 95 tonnes of e-commerce cargo nonstop, supporting the transit times that cross-border e-commerce volumes require; space can be confirmed on the booking day, which shortens the wait at the airport.
Special cargo capability
The company holds IATA CEIV certification for lithium batteries and is qualified and equipped to carry dangerous goods and temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals, accepting them against declared documentation. Lithium batteries, pharmaceuticals and similar cargo are declared under IATA rules with one operating standard.
Onward movement in Europe
More than 1,500 trucking routes carry cargo from European gateways such as Frankfurt to inland cities, covering the regional leg after the trunk flight. The truck leg is traceable end to end once the trunk flight lands and transit time is controllable.
Steady operations
As an A-share listed cargo airline, fleet renewal and route expansion are backed by capital and governance, giving Chinese shippers long-term capacity. Under listed-company governance the pace of fleet and network investment is steady, so cargo plans can be set ahead.
Booking path from China
Chinese shippers book through Air China Cargo's airport sales offices or its authorised forwarders. After tender at a Chinese airport, cargo goes through export clearance, security screening and loading into the trunk flight, and at destination connects to pickup or onward movement.
Provide cargo volume details
The shipper gives commodity, weight, volume, origin gateway and destination station to a freight forwarder for a quote.
Confirm space and rate
The forwarder confirms the flight and capacity, issues the rate and routing plan, and locks the departure date.
Delivery to the cargo terminal
Cargo is delivered as agreed to the Air China Cargo terminal at the Chinese airport for tender and security screening.
Customs clearance and loading
Once export declaration and document checks are complete, the cargo is loaded on its booked capacity and departs.
Pickup at destination
Cargo is collected at the destination airport, or connects to a trucking route for inland movement.
We coordinate on your behalf
We can verify capacity, prepare the waybill documents and coordinate ground handling at the Chinese gateway.
An international freight forwarder must hold the relevant licence and give an accurate commodity and declared value at booking. Dangerous goods and special cargo need advance declaration with compliant documents, confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking.
Documentation and declaration: booking an export shipment requires a commercial invoice, packing list and declaration data, while dangerous goods, lithium batteries and temperature-controlled cargo need the relevant transport documents and declarations. Shippers submit through a licensed international freight forwarder, who confirms capacity, issues the air waybill and handles the export declaration. Once the carrier confirms flight and capacity on the day of booking, the cargo is delivered to the cargo terminal at the agreed time, with clear handover points at every stage.
Specialist freight services
The services address common shipping needs of Chinese shippers and cover e-commerce, dangerous goods, temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals, perishables, outsize cargo and charters. Each can be requested through a forwarder at booking, with one operating standard and clear responsibility.
E-commerce logistics service
Dedicated capacity for cross-border e-commerce lots, with whole-flight space and block space available, running several times a week from Pudong; space can be reserved ahead for peaks such as Singles' Day and Black Friday.
Dangerous goods transport
The company is qualified to carry dangerous goods and accepts them under IATA rules; most of the nine classes can be carried, with classes and document requirements confirmed by the carrier on the booking day.
Temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals
Freighter holds such as those on the A330F meet the stability requirements for temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals, and compliant shipments can reserve space in advance; temperature ranges and equipment support are confirmed by the carrier on the booking day.
Perishables and cold chain
A fast channel for perishables and live food, with space to Europe and the US booked as needed to meet both transit time and freshness requirements; shippers in East China can tender perishables for Europe the same day, subject to the actual schedule.
Over-dimensional and overweight cargo
The B747-400F main deck door suits large equipment and moulds and takes outsize cargo from South and East China; per-piece weight and dimension limits are confirmed by the carrier on the day and must be requested in advance.
Charters and extra flights
The airline has repeatedly run extra flights and charters from Pudong to Frankfurt, Milan, Los Angeles and Chicago, and large or urgent lots can request temporary capacity. A full charter is priced by sector and suits one-off large lots.
China contact
Air China Cargo is registered at 29 Tianzhu Road, Shunyi District, Beijing, and its website is airchinacargo.com. Chinese shippers can check airport sales offices and freight terminals on the website, and the main airport sales offices accept forwarder bookings and rate enquiries. We can coordinate the booking and handling with Air China Cargo in China; contact details are at the end of the page. Booking and rate enquiries run mainly through forwarders, and shippers can contact us for seasonal rates and space.