From its hub at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, and using Boeing 777F and Boeing 747-400F freighters together with passenger belly capacity, it links coastal and inland gateways in mainland China with North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and South Asia.
China Airlines was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Taipei City, Taiwan region of China, with Taipei Taoyuan International Airport as its main hub; it is one of the largest civil air carriers in Taiwan. Its cargo division trades as China Airlines Cargo, belongs to the SkyTeam Cargo alliance and has long carried bulk air exports on trans-Pacific and Eurasia routes and within Asia. IATA two-letter code CI, ICAO three-letter code CAL, cargo information at cargo.china-airlines.com and general information at china-airlines.com; all web addresses here are shown as plain text.
China Airlines Cargo runs freighters and passenger belly capacity in parallel. On published operating data its freighter fleet is 18 aircraft, 10 Boeing 777F and 8 Boeing 747-400F, with further 777-8F and 777F orders confirmed as it replaces older 747s. On the passenger side, its A350-900, 777-300ER, A330-300, A321neo and 737-800 fleet provides steady belly tonnage on Asian routes. The two-type, two-mode structure gives it flexibility between heavy bulk cargo and high-value express.
For mainland Chinese shippers the core value of China Airlines Cargo is the logic of mainland gateway, Taipei Taoyuan, then the world. Export cargo from coastal and inland China is consolidated over cross-strait services into the Taoyuan hub, then flown nonstop on long-haul freighters to North America, Europe and the Middle East, and distributed to final destinations by truck or feeder flight. The channel has established handling experience in electronics, machinery parts, high-end textiles and perishable cold chain. Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited works continuously with the carrier's mainland booking and ground resources and provides space booking, document review and connection follow-up as one service.
China Airlines Cargo has built its Taoyuan terminal capability over decades, with established processes for pallet build-up, loose cargo consolidation and temperature-controlled cold chain. Taoyuan sits at the center of the East Asian network: north to Japan, Korea and Northeast Asia, south to Southeast Asia, South Asia and Oceania, east across the Pacific to the US west and east coasts, and west through South Asia and the Middle East to major European cargo hubs. That position gives cargo transiting Taoyuan an advantage in connection time, especially high-value shipments that must change flights within 24 hours.
Looking at the actual export mix of Chinese shippers, electronics and IT products such as smartphones, laptops, optoelectronic components and automotive electronics consistently account for a high share of China Airlines Cargo export volume, followed by machinery and electrical products, while perishable seafood, pharmaceutical intermediates and high-end textiles and apparel grow year on year. For each category the carrier has standard procedures for pallet type, capacity allocation and temperature-controlled storage, meeting combined requirements on transit time, security and cost.
China Airlines has cargo stations in mainland China at Beijing (PEK), Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Guangzhou (CAN), Xiamen (XMN), Fuzhou (FOC), Nanjing (NKG), Chongqing (CKG), Zhengzhou (CGO) and Ningbo (NGB), mainly serving cross-strait routes and passenger-cargo connections. For international long-haul freighter services it has no published office in China dealing directly with loose-cargo shippers; contact its local agent in China or work through us.
As the local forwarder, Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited can check CI/CAL schedules, secure connecting capacity at the Taoyuan hub, file dangerous goods and temperature-controlled pre-declarations, and follow connections when cargo transits Taoyuan, Hong Kong or Pudong. Shippers can handle quoting, booking, tendering and settlement through one contact instead of dealing with several carrier stations.
The China Airlines Cargo freighter fleet consists of the Boeing 777F and the Boeing 747-400F. The 777F is a newer twin-engine widebody freighter known for low fuel burn, long range and a high payload-to-weight ratio, suited to heavy cargo on trans-Pacific and Eurasia routes; the 747-400F is a four-engine widebody freighter with a nose door, suited to overheight and oversized pieces and pallet combinations. Dispatching the two types together covers both high-volume and fuel-efficiency requirements. On the passenger side, widebody aircraft provide loose cargo and small ULD tonnage on Asian routes.
| Aircraft type | Number | Main role | Cargo accepted | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 777F | 10 aircraft | Main freighter on trans-Pacific and Eurasia long-haul routes | Electronics, machinery parts, high-value express | Average fleet age about 3 years, one of the youngest 777F fleets in the world |
| Boeing 747-400F | 8 aircraft | High volume, overheight and oversized pieces | Pallet combinations, aircraft parts, out-of-gauge equipment | 8 aircraft retained to hold capacity, dispatched flexibly with the 777F |
| 777-8F (on order) | 8 aircraft on order | Next-generation long-range freighter | Heavy cargo and cold-chain commodities on long-haul routes | Deliveries from 2025, progressively replacing older types |
| Passenger belly capacity (widebody) | — | A350-900, 777-300ER, A330-300 | Loose cargo and express on Asian routes | Belly capacity data is not published; check actual tonnage per flight |
| Passenger belly capacity (narrowbody) | — | A321neo, 737-800 | Small shipments on cross-strait and short regional routes | Limited by hold size; accepts loose cargo and small ULDs only |
Fleet size and configuration follow China Airlines published operating data; available tonnage per flight, door dimensions and ULD types must be confirmed against the carrier's capacity release on the day of booking. Out-of-gauge cargo (OOG), live animals (AVI), valuables (VAL) and lithium batteries (LI) must be declared at booking, and the carrier's ground department approves aircraft type and capacity.
China Airlines cargo service in mainland China is built on cross-strait combined passenger and cargo routes and historic freighter routing through several mainland airports, covering major gateways in North, East, South and Southwest China. Cross-strait traffic rights limit freighter frequencies, which change with the season and quota, so loose-cargo shippers usually consolidate to Taoyuan via Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou or Hong Kong and connect there to long-haul freighters. The points below are mainland airports where China Airlines Cargo has a station or a connecting operation according to public sources.
| Mainland China destinations | IATA code | Connection method | Typical export cargo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Pudong | PVG | Cross-strait belly capacity plus Pudong hub connection | Electronic components, high-end machinery, cross-border e-commerce cargo |
| Beijing Capital | PEK | Cross-strait belly capacity connecting to Taoyuan | Machinery and electrical products, high-value express |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | CAN | Regional belly connection; relatively strong dangerous goods acceptance | Consumer electronics, apparel, toys |
| Xiamen Gaoqi | XMN | Scheduled cross-strait belly capacity | Optoelectronic products, stone components |
| Fuzhou Changle | FOC | Cross-strait belly capacity (dangerous goods restricted) | Seafood, light textiles, footwear and apparel |
| Nanjing Lukou | NKG | Historic freighter point, now connected by belly capacity | Electronics and IT, auto parts |
| Chongqing Jiangbei | CKG | Southwest gateway; dangerous goods classes 1.2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 require prior review | Laptops, general machinery, pharmaceutical intermediates |
| Zhengzhou Xinzheng | CGO | Historic freighter point, now connected by belly capacity | Smartphones, consumer electronics |
| Ningbo Lishe | NGB | Scheduled cross-strait belly capacity | Small appliances, stationery, auto parts |
| Hong Kong | HKG | International hub; connects via Hong Kong to Taoyuan long-haul services | High-value express, cold chain, pharmaceuticals |
The schedules above are conventional connections based on public information; times are local, actual schedules change with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking. Cross-strait rights and quotas mean there is no published scheduled CI freighter service from mainland China nonstop to North America; most export cargo connects at Taoyuan or Hong Kong before a 777F or 747F operates the long-haul sector.
The global network radiates from Taipei Taoyuan: east across the Pacific to the US west and east coasts, west through South Asia and the Middle East to major European cargo hubs, with high-frequency regional loops in Southeast and Northeast Asia. Public data shows about 25 countries and 84 destinations, with Europe covering Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Rome, Vienna, Luxembourg, Milan, Manchester and Prague; North America covering New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Anchorage, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Vancouver and Toronto; Asia covering Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, Delhi and Chennai; and the Middle East covering Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Through this network mainland shippers get a three-part connection: collection at a mainland gateway, connection at the Taoyuan hub and nonstop long-haul service worldwide. Electronics and machinery exports are mostly consolidated at Shanghai Pudong, Zhengzhou and Chongqing and connect to 777F trans-Pacific flights; high-end textiles and auto parts for Europe connect at Guangzhou and Xiamen to 747F Eurasia services; perishables, seafood and pharmaceutical intermediates for Southeast and South Asia use the frequent Asian belly network for the short leg.
Taipei Taoyuan sits at the center of the East Asian network where trans-Pacific and Eurasia great-circle routes cross, so transiting there can save connection time against a direct routing, and long-haul frequencies are dense.
10 young 777F and 8 high-volume 747-400F aircraft are dispatched together, so heavy and low-density cargo, general cargo and out-of-gauge pieces all find suitable capacity, and peak-season releases are relatively stable.
Cross-strait routes have operated for years, with frequent belly capacity between Shanghai, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Nanjing and Ningbo and Taoyuan, which suits exports of electronics, machinery and optoelectronic products.
About 25 countries and 84 destinations, with nonstop or feeder connections to both US coasts, major European cargo hubs and Southeast and South Asian points, giving a wide distribution radius.
Cool Chain active temperature-controlled container rental and GPS temperature monitoring, with chilled and frozen storage at major stations in the Americas, Europe and Asia; several stations accept dangerous goods classes 1 to 9.
As a SkyTeam Cargo member it shares belly capacity, truck services and destination clearance with other members, improving connection efficiency for through cargo.
The 777F fleet averages about 3 years old, with better fuel efficiency and noise performance than older types, which helps exporters facing carbon disclosure requirements.
As the local forwarder we handle booking, pre-declaration, connection follow-up and settlement, so shippers do not deal with several carrier stations.
Mainland shippers exporting on China Airlines Cargo usually do not deal with the carrier's sales office directly but book through a first- or second-tier agent with IATA cargo accreditation. As the local forwarder, Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited handles the whole process from quote to delivery.
First, the shipper gives us origin, destination, pieces, weight and dimensions, cargo attributes (general, dangerous goods, cold chain, out-of-gauge) and the required departure date, and we check available CI/CAL capacity and connections at the Taoyuan hub. Second, we submit a booking note to the carrier and obtain space confirmation with the waybill prefix. Third, the shipper or we arrange a truck to the nominated origin terminal for tendering, weighing and security screening. Fourth, cargo moves over a cross-strait route or via Hong Kong to Taoyuan and a freighter operates the long-haul sector, while we follow the manifest and connection at the transit point. Fifth, on arrival the consignee or its local agent clears and collects the cargo.
For high-value cargo such as electronics and machinery parts we recommend providing the invoice, packing list and MSDS, where lithium batteries are involved, at the booking stage; for perishables and pharmaceutical intermediates we recommend filing the Cool Chain request 5 to 7 working days ahead so the carrier can reserve active containers and station cold storage. Out-of-gauge equipment (OOG) and live animals (AVI) can only be released after the carrier's ground department approves aircraft type and capacity.
In peak season, usually the fourth quarter for North American Christmas buying and the post-holiday European restocking period, trans-Pacific and Eurasia capacity is tight; secure space 7 to 10 working days ahead and keep a buffer for schedule changes. After receiving a booking we submit the pre-manifest, follow the capacity release and report flight number, departure time and transit points once cargo is tendered. For cargo that must clear transit at Taoyuan the same day, we can ask the ground agent to prioritise unloading and pallet build-up to shorten the stop.
On settlement we can work prepaid or collect as the shipper requires, paying carrier freight, ground handling, screening and storage on the shipper's behalf, with proper invoices and a cost breakdown. For regular shippers we can negotiate contract rates and peak-season capacity guarantees to lower overall logistics cost.
China Airlines Cargo offers the Cool Chain product, including active container rental and wireless GPS temperature sensors for monitoring throughout. Major stations in the Americas, Europe and Asia have frozen (about -10°C), chilled (+2 to +8°C) and controlled (+15 to +25°C) storage, which suits pharmaceuticals, biologicals, perishable seafood and premium foods.
At Guangzhou, Chongqing and Nanjing the freighters accept dangerous goods classes 1 to 9; Chongqing requires prior review for classes 1.2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, and Nanjing requires prior approval for ELI/ELM, equipment containing lithium batteries. Fuzhou does not currently accept any dangerous goods, including ICE, ELI and ELM. Shippers must provide a full MSDS and dangerous goods declaration with the cargo.
The Taoyuan hub has long handled exports from the cross-strait electronics supply chain; smartphones, laptops, optoelectronic components and auto parts from Zhengzhou, Chongqing, Nanjing and Shanghai fly nonstop to North America on 777F services, with mature procedures and standardised pallets and racks.
The Boeing 747-400F has a nose-loading door and can carry overheight, overlong and overwide industrial equipment, aircraft components and vehicles. Out-of-gauge cargo (OOG) requires dimensions and centre of gravity measured in advance, and the carrier approves the pallet plan and loading position.
China Airlines has cargo stations at Shanghai Pudong, Beijing Capital, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Nanjing, Chongqing, Zhengzhou and Ningbo, mainly providing cross-strait passenger belly capacity. Cross-strait rights and quotas mean there is no published scheduled CI freighter service from mainland China nonstop to North America; long-haul cargo usually connects at Taipei Taoyuan or Hong Kong and is then flown by 777F or 747F. Available capacity is subject to the carrier's release on the day of booking.
Shanghai to Taoyuan is about 1 to 1.5 hours in a belly hold, and Taoyuan to Los Angeles about 11 to 12 hours on the long-haul sector; with the connection and terminal handling, airport-to-airport transit is usually 2 to 4 working days. Times are local, schedules change with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking. Capacity is tight in peak season and around holidays, so book 5 to 7 working days ahead.
Yes, but they must be declared under dangerous goods rules. Stations such as Nanjing accept ELI/ELM, equipment containing lithium batteries, with prior approval; Fuzhou does not currently accept any dangerous goods including ICE, ELI and ELM. Shippers must provide the UN38.3 test report, MSDS and dangerous goods declaration, and packaging must meet IATA DGR requirements. The classes accepted depend on the origin station's current month notice.
China Airlines Cargo offers Cool Chain, with active container rental and wireless GPS temperature sensors monitoring throughout. Frozen, chilled and controlled-temperature storage is available at major European stations such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Luxembourg and at Asian stations including Taoyuan and Pudong. File the cold-chain request 5 to 7 working days ahead so containers and positions can be reserved.
Yes. The Boeing 747-400F has a nose door and suits overheight, overlong and overwide industrial equipment, aircraft components and vehicles. The shipper must provide dimensions, weight, centre of gravity and packing plan in advance; the carrier's ground department approves the pallet plan and aircraft type before capacity can be booked. Out-of-gauge (OOG) handling takes longer, so allow enough time.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited opens a transit tracking file once cargo is booked and follows the manifest and flight connection at key points such as Taoyuan and Hong Kong. If a flight is delayed, cargo is offloaded or manifest data is wrong, we check with the carrier's local station immediately and arrange rebooking, return or temporary storage as the shipper requires. Shippers can get the latest transit status through our contact.
China Airlines Cargo has ground agent networks at major points in North America, Europe and Asia for terminal collection and local distribution. Destination clearance and last-mile delivery are usually handled by the consignee's local agent or our partner network. For countries and commodities with special document requirements such as invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and import license, confirm with the destination agent through us before booking.