China’s largest airlines are reportedly beginning to split a massive 500-aircraft order for Airbus. The aircraft order was finalized months ago but is still awaiting an official announcement, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News.
According to the report, the country’s “big three airlines,” including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, are each expected to secure around 100 aircraft, while two smaller airlines, including Xiamen Airlines and Sichuan Airlines Group, would each take about 35 aircraft.
Elusive Airbus Order From China
Photo: Angel DiBilio | Shutterstock
Bloomberg News was the first to report that Airbus and the Chinese government, through which all aircraft orders are typically finalized, completed the deal in June 2025. The composition of the order has not been disclosed, and the agreement has not been officially announced, as both Airbus and the Chinese government were waiting for the right timing, according to the report.
Originally, the announcement was planned for early July at the China–European Union 50th anniversary event in Beijing. According to sources, while the deal is not officially announced, individual Chinese airlines have been coordinating with local procurement authorities to finalize their purchase requests before negotiating directly with Airbus on the number of aircraft.
Should the orders go through, they would mark the biggest deal ever for Chinese airlines, overtaking the July 2022 order of 292 Airbus A320 family aircraft. Currently, Airbus dominates the fleets of all three of China’s largest airlines, according to fleet data.
Chinese Carriers Seek Fleet Renewal
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
Media reports indicate that Boeing is nearing a landmark agreement with China to supply up to 500 commercial aircraft to the country’s airlines. The deal would mark a significant step for the US aircraft manufacturer in a market where it has faced challenges in recent years, especially following the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX.
The interest in buying more planes also suggests that Chinese carriers need new aircraft to replace older jets and to continue growing their aviation sector, as the homegrown Comac has not yet been able to meet demand. The specifics of the agreement are reportedly yet to be ironed out as far as delivery timelines and aircraft models are concerned, but it is thought that it could form part of a wider trade deal between the US and China. This may help Boeing to make up on ground lost to Airbus in the Chinese market.
As first reported by Bloomberg, inside sources have indicated that Boeing is in talks with China to sell as many as 500 of its commercial jets to the world’s second-most populous nation and aviation market. This, Reuters notes, would mark the first major Chinese purchase of its planes since a state visit in Trump’s last term.
Overview of China’s Big Three Airline Fleets
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China’s three largest airlines have a combined fleet of 1,878 aircraft, according to ch-aviation data. The biggest airline by fleet size is China Southern Airlines, followed by China Eastern Airlines and Air China.
Airline
Number Of Aircraft
China Southern Airlines
677
China Eastern Airlines
671
Air China
530
All three carriers primarily operate aircraft from three manufacturers, including Airbus, Boeing, and COMAC. China Southern Airlines has a total of 677 aircraft, with its fleet dominated by Airbus models. The breakdown includes 386 Airbus aircraft, 253 Boeing aircraft, and 35 homegrown COMAC narrowbodies.
Stock Code
AIR
Business Type
Planemaker
Date Founded
December 18, 1970
CEO
Guillaume Faury
Headquarters Location
Toulouse, France
China Eastern Airlines operates a fleet of 671 aircraft. The carrier is the major Airbus operator, having a total of 466 Airbus aircraft in its fleet. In addition to Airbus jets, China Eastern operates 166 Boeing jets, 38 COMAC aircraft, and a single Gulfstream G650ER. Meanwhile, Air China has a total of 530 aircraft in its fleet, including 283 Airbus jets, 207 Boeing aircraft, and 40 COMAC aircraft.
