Korean Air has converted orders for seven Airbus A350-1000 aircraft placed in 2024 to the planemakers’ yet-to-be certified A350F next-generation freighter.
On October 31, 2025, Airbus confirmed that the composition of 33 A350s ordered by Korean Air in April 2024 had been changed.
Last year, the Korean flag carrier placed an order for 27 A350-1000s and six A350-900s in a move that the airline’s Chief Safety and Operating Officer, Jason Yoo, described as a “great fit” for its global network.
This order now comprises 20 A350-1000s, seven A350Fs, and six A350-900s, of which the first two have already been delivered. Asiana also had open orders for several A350s when the airlines merged.
“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.”
Currently under development, the A350F can carry a payload of up to 111 tons and will fly up to 4,700 nautical miles / 8,700 kilometers.
In October 2025, Airbus reaffirmed that the A350F will enter service in 2027, after reports suggested this could slip back to 2028.
Airbus is pursuing type certification of the aircraft with both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
At the end of September 2025, the A350 Family had won 1,445 orders from 63 customers worldwide, including 65 for the new A350F from 10 cargo carriers and one lessor.
Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the aircraft should bring a reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 40% when compared to previous generation aircraft, with a similar payload-range capability.
