Three Chinese airlines have committed to purchasing a combined total of 95 Airbus jets in deals worth approximately $17.8 billion at list price, as carriers in China’s massive aviation market continue pushing to grow their fleets and replace older aircraft with more fuel-efficient models.
Air China, the country’s national carrier, along with its subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines, will together acquire 55 Airbus planes at a combined list price of $12.4 billion. Separately, Hainan Airlines has agreed to purchase 40 jets from the A320neo family at a list price of up to $5.4 billion. Both deals were disclosed through filings with the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
Under the agreement, Air China will take delivery of 15 A350-900 wide-body aircraft, valued at roughly $6.09 billion, with deliveries scheduled between 2030 and 2032. Shenzhen Airlines will receive 40 narrow-body A320neo-family jets, valued at approximately $6.35 billion, with deliveries expected between 2029 and 2032. Hainan Airlines’ 40 A320neo jets are set to arrive between 2028 and 2032.
Air China noted in its filing that the actual prices paid will fall below the listed figures, as Airbus is offering significant discounts — a common practice on large aircraft orders of this scale.
The purchases come as Chinese carriers work to rebuild and grow their operations following the pandemic. However, the outlook has become more difficult for some of China’s biggest airlines. Air China recently disclosed a projected net loss of as much as 2.6 billion yuan for the first half of the year, citing high fuel costs that have “drastically squeezed” its profit margins.
Other Chinese carriers have also been placing major orders with Airbus in recent months. China Eastern Airlines last month announced plans to purchase 25 A330neo jets for around $9.35 billion, following an earlier announcement in March to buy 101 A320neo aircraft for about $15.8 billion. In April, China Southern Airlines and its subsidiary Xiamen Airlines agreed to acquire 137 aircraft for $21.4 billion.
The new planes are projected to increase total capacity by around 7.1% for the Air China group and 4.3% for Shenzhen Airlines, based on their combined passenger and cargo capacity as of December 31, 2025. Some of the incoming jets will replace older aircraft being phased out of service.
The A320neo family is a direct competitor to Boeing’s 737 MAX on medium-haul routes, while the A350-900 is commonly deployed on long-haul international flights.
