Three major Chinese airlines have agreed to purchase a combined 95 Airbus jets with a list price of approximately $17.8 billion, marking one of the largest single aircraft orders in recent years as carriers move to replace aging fleets.
Air China and its subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines will take 55 aircraft — 15 A350-900 wide-bodies and 40 A320neo-family jets — valued at $12.4 billion, with deliveries scheduled between 2029 and 2032. Separately, Hainan Airlines agreed to buy 40 A320neo-family aircraft for up to $5.4 billion, with handovers planned from 2028 through 2032.
The incoming aircraft are projected to raise Air China group's capacity by roughly 7.1% and Shenzhen Airlines' by about 4.3% compared with end-2025 levels. The orders come despite financial headwinds, as Air China expects to report a net loss of up to 2.6 billion yuan in the first half of the year. The deals follow a June agreement by China Eastern Airlines for 25 A330neo jets worth roughly $9.35 billion.