Three Chinese airlines place orders for 95 Airbus aircraft
Air China, Shenzhen Airlines and Hainan Airlines will collectively receive 95 Airbus planes under their new orders between 2028 and 2032
ATT Desk Report 
Three Chinese carriers Air China, Shenzhen Airlines, and Hainan Airlines have announced plans to acquire a combined 95 Airbus aircraft, with a total list-price value of approximately $17.8 billion.
The orders, disclosed in filings with the Shanghai Stock Exchange on July 17, include A350 widebodies and A320neo-family jets, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2032.
The largest commitment comes from Air China and its subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines, which together will acquire 55 aircraft valued at roughly $12.4 billion. Air China will purchase 15 Airbus A350-900 widebody jets, scheduled for delivery between 2030 and 2032, to strengthen its long-haul fleet and support international expansion as travel demand recovers.
The carrier already operates A350s alongside A330s and Boeing 777s and 787s, and said the new aircraft would increase group capacity by approximately 7.1% compared with end-2025 levels, though retirements of older planes will offset some of that growth.
Shenzhen Airlines, majority-owned by Air China, will take 40 A320neo-family narrowbodies between 2029 and 2032, valued at about $6.35 billion. The order is expected to boost its capacity by 4.3% and support expansion in China’s domestic market while replacing older, less efficient aircraft.
Separately, Hainan Airlines has agreed to purchase 40 A320neo-family jets, with deliveries from 2028 to 2032. The deal carries a list-price value of up to $5.4 billion, though the airline expects the final transaction price to be substantially lower.
Air China noted that Airbus had provided significant price concessions, as is standard for large commercial aircraft orders. Neither Airbus nor the airlines disclosed the actual purchase prices.
The orders come despite ongoing financial pressures in China’s aviation sector. Air China warned earlier this week that it expects a net loss of as much as 2.6 billion yuan for the first half of 2026, with elevated fuel prices weighing heavily on margins.
These latest deals continue a remarkable run of Airbus commitments from Chinese carriers this year. In June, China Eastern Airlines announced plans to acquire 25 A330neo widebodies valued at $9.35 billion, following a March order for 101 A320neo-family jets worth $15.8 billion. In April, China Southern and its subsidiary Xiamen Airlines agreed to purchase 137 Airbus aircraft with a stated value of $21.4 billion.
The orders highlight China’s central role in Airbus’s long-term commercial strategy, securing delivery slots well into the next decade. They also underscore the scale of fleet renewal underway as Chinese airlines seek to improve fuel efficiency, reduce operating costs, and prepare for future passenger traffic growth.
