Why Might The World’s Newest Cargo Aircraft Have Boeing Worried?

The Airbus A350F is the latest freighter to be developed by Airbus, promising operators an advanced and efficient widebody cargo aircraft. A clean-sheet design featuring light composite materials and Airbus’ forward-thinking philosophy, the A350F looks set to become an integral member of the global widebody freighter fleet, a market that Boeing has traditionally dominated. Airbus claims its new freighter will offer “unbeatable efficiency” ahead of its entry into service, which has been pushed back to the middle of 2027.

Boeing has its own upcoming widebody freighter entering the market in the next few years, with the 777-8F slated to enter service in 2028. The planemaker has maintained its grip on the market with its successful Boeing 747 and 777 freighters, but things look set to change. With the A350F slightly ahead of its schedule compared to the 777-8F, Boeing will be keeping a close eye on the Airbus freighter and hope it doesn’t lose too much ground in the coming years.

The A350F: The Biggest Airbus Freighter Yet

Credit: Airbus

The A350F is the first dedicated widebody freighter in the Airbus portfolio, making it a serious competitor to Boeing’s widebody cargo offerings. Boeing has long dominated the market with various freighters over the decades, including freighter versions of the Boeing 747, 757, 767 and 777, whereas Airbus has only produced smaller freighters or passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversions.

Based on the stretched A350-1000 airframe, the A350F features an enlarged cargo door (the largest main deck door in the industry) and other structural reinforcements, delivering up to 20% lower fuel burn compared to competing planes, like the Boeing 747-400F. Over 70% of the aircraft is comprised of advanced composite materials, significantly lowering its weight and improving corrosion resistance. According to Airbus, its airframe is 46 tonnes lighter than competing aircraft and has almost complete commonality with the A350-1000, which is ideal for interoperability and maintenance.

Offering a maximum payload of 111 tonnes, this is a major step up in capacity compared to the A330-200F and is 10% greater than the in-service 777F. With a range of 4,700 NM, the A350F is capable of flying nonstop on routes like Beijing-Perth, Miami-Paris and Leipzig-Chicago. The aircraft is also compliant with ICAO’s latest emissions and noise standards, an increasingly important requirement for operators due to tightening restrictions at airports globally.

Comparing The A350F With The 777-8F

Credit: Boeing

As the two main next-generation widebody freighters on the market, customers will generally have a choice between the A350F and the 777-8F when looking in the large cargo aircraft range. Looking at payload capacity, the 777-8F is ahead at up to 118 tonnes and space for two additional pallets, which is on a par with the 747-400F. However, the A350F’s profile makes it perfect for lower-density cargo missions, a plus point given the growth of the e-commerce sector.

Boeing had the opportunity to develop a freighter based on the 777-9 airframe, but chose the shorter 777-8 instead. Featuring the 777X’s brilliant folding wingtips concept, the 777-8F will have an in-flight wingspan that is 10% larger than the A350F, delivering key efficiency gains, particularly over longer distances. But the 777-8F is considerably heavier than the A350F, making it more suited to high-payload long-haul consignments.

The A350F is slightly ahead in its range at 4,700 NM, while the 777-8F can fly up to 4,410 NM. According to Boeing, the 777-8F offers the lowest operating costs per tonne of any freighter and, capable of carrying up to 31 main deck pallets, provides 17% more volume than the 777F. Both the A350F and 777-8F have commonality with the passenger versions of their aircraft families, improving efficiency and maintenance for operators. According to Airbus,

“The A350-1000 and A350F are designed with airlines’ operational efficiency and profitability in mind, offering unmatched commonality across the fleet. These two models share 100% commonality in engine spares and tooling, allowing airlines to optimize their maintenance operations and reduce inventory costs. With 99% commonality in airframe tools and 98% in spares, the need for additional investment is significantly minimized.”

A350 Program Success

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The two A350 passenger versions – the A350-900 and A350-1000 – have proven a strong success for Airbus since the aircraft’s entry to service over a decade ago, breaking even by 2019 and now proving a huge moneymaker for the planemaker. Airbus has secured over 1,000 orders just for the -900 variant, while the -1000 has over 360 firm commitments. With around 675 total A350 deliveries as of September 2025, the company still has over 750 airframes in its backlog, which includes 65 orders for the A350F.

With the aircraft proving itself as a reliable and efficient platform, optimism for its freighter version is strong. One of the A350F’s selling points is the ease of maintenance due to its composites and modular architecture, something that has already been proven on the passenger side, although there are still questions about the long-term durability of composite materials on a freighter.

The A350 program is a direct competitor to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which entered service a few years before it. The A350-900 variant goes up against the 787-9 and 787-10 variants, while the A350-1000 is more of a competitor to the upcoming 777X, which consists of the 777-8 and 777-9. Airbus is also considering another variant of the A350-1000, called the A350-2000, that would further stretch the family, taking it more into the 777-9’s territory.

Which Airlines Have Ordered The A350F?

Credit: Airbus

Airbus has a total of 60 net orders for the A350F from a range of customers. Among the biggest customers thus far are Etihad Airways and Starlux, both of which have made 10 orders for the freighter. The A350F’s initial launch customer was Air Lease Corporation, but the lessor has since retracted its order for seven aircraft, making French company CMA CGM Air Cargo the next in line.

With Airbus due to begin test flights next year ahead of a 2027 entry date, it will hope to secure more orders for the freighter. According to 2021 estimates, the A350F will likely cost Airbus around $3 billion in development costs. Below are the main customers for the A350F as of September 2025:

As for the 777-8F, Boeing has secured a similar number of orders to the A350F at 59 commitments. There are more orders for the 777-8F than the passenger 777-8, which has secured only 43 orders as of September 2025. Qatar Airways is the largest customer for the 777-8F with 34 orders, but Boeing too will be hoping to secure many more orders in the coming years.

Which Freighter Will Enter Service First?

Credit: Airbus

Neither the A350F nor the 777-8F has completed its maiden flight yet, with program delays continually pushing both respective schedules back. The passenger version of the 777X was supposed to debut in 2020, but it is now expected to enter service in early 2027, inevitably pushing the freighter version back too. As for the A350F, Airbus had planned a 2026 entry-to-service date, but supply chain issues have pushed this back by at least a year.

The A350F is on track to be the first of the two new freighters to fly, with Airbus penciling in a 2026 date for its maiden flight before certification. Since building the first set of wings for the A350F this summer, the planemaker is beginning final assembly of the first fuselage this month. Ongoing supply chain problems, particularly those impacting partner Spirit AeroSystems, will likely see the A350F debut in the middle of 2027.

This gives Airbus the advantage should its freighter enter the market on schedule, with the 777-8F pushed back to 2028 and possibly even longer. Should the A350F acquit itself as well as the passenger A350 family, Boeing could find its large freighter market dominance threatened in the coming years.