Airbus wins 95-plane order from Chinese airlines
Three Chinese airlines plan to buy 95 Airbus aircraft with a combined list price of about $17.8 billion, marking another large fleet expansion in the world’s second-largest aviation market. The orders show that Chinese carriers are still preparing for long-term traffic growth, even as fuel costs and weak profitability weigh on the industry.
Highlights
- Chinese airlines ordered 95 Airbus jets.
- The combined list price is about $17.8 billion.
- Deliveries are planned from 2028 to 2032.
- Some jets will replace older aircraft.
Air China, Shenzhen Airlines, and Hainan Airlines disclosed the purchases in filings with the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Reuters reported. The deals cover Airbus A350-900 wide-body jets and A320neo-family narrow-body aircraft, with deliveries stretching from 2028 to 2032.
Air China and Shenzhen expand with Airbus
Air China and its Shenzhen Airlines unit will buy 55 Airbus jets with a total list price of $12.4 billion. Air China agreed to purchase 15 A350-900 aircraft, valued at about $6.09 billion, with deliveries scheduled between 2030 and 2032.
Shenzhen Airlines will separately buy 40 A320neo-family aircraft, with a list value of about $6.35 billion. Those planes are expected to arrive between 2029 and 2032.
Air China said the final transaction prices will be lower than the listed values because Airbus is providing significant discounts. Such discounts are common in large commercial aircraft orders, and mean list prices are usually not the final amount paid by airlines.
Hainan joins fleet renewal cycle
Hainan Airlines separately agreed to buy 40 A320neo-family jets with a list price of up to $5.4 billion. Deliveries are scheduled between 2028 and 2032.
The aircraft are part of a broader fleet renewal cycle among Chinese airlines. Carriers are adding more fuel-efficient jets to support future demand, increase capacity, and replace older aircraft being retired.
The new aircraft are expected to lift total capacity by about 7.1% for the Air China group and 4.3% for Shenzhen Airlines, based on passenger and cargo capacity as of Dec. 31, 2025.
Airbus gains as China rebuilds fleets
The orders strengthen Airbus’s position in China at a time when airlines are rebuilding networks after the pandemic and planning for long-term traffic growth. The A320neo competes with Boeing’s 737 MAX on medium-haul routes, while the A350-900 is used for long-haul international services.
The expansion also comes during a difficult operating period. Air China warned this week that it could post a first-half net loss of up to 2.6 billion yuan, citing elevated fuel prices that have squeezed margins. That makes the orders a long-term bet: airlines are accepting near-term pressure while preparing for demand later in the decade.
We also reported China could buy up to 750 Boeing jets in a potential deal of the decade.
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