Atlas Air orders 20 Airbus A350F freighters in record deal

Atlas Air Worldwide has placed a firm order for 20 Airbus A350F freighter aircraft, becoming the largest customer for the new cargo aircraft type, according to Airbus.

The agreement marks the largest order yet for the next-generation widebody freighter and makes Atlas the first customer in the United States to select the A350F. The aircraft will support the company’s long-term expansion as a global outsourced aviation logistics provider.

Atlas Air CEO Michael Steen said the order secures early delivery positions for the new freighter platform, highlighting the aircraft’s improved payload, range and sustainability performance. The deal also introduces Airbus aircraft and Rolls?Royce engines into Atlas’s supplier base.

Airbus said the order reinforces the A350F’s position as a new-generation cargo aircraft for major freight operators. According to Airbus Commercial Aircraft CEO Lars Wagner, the agreement represents a significant milestone for the programme.

The A350F will feature the largest main-deck cargo door in the industry and a design optimised for standard freight pallets and containers. More than 70% of the airframe is made from advanced materials, reducing take-off weight by about 46 tonnes compared with competing derivative freighters.

The aircraft is also expected to be the only freighter fully compliant with the enhanced International Civil Aviation Organization CO? emissions standards scheduled to take effect in 2027.