CMA CGM Air Cargo starts Urumqi–Paris–Madrid A330F operations
The new service includes four weekly flights on the Urumqi–Paris–Madrid route and one weekly direct flight from Urumqi to Paris.
CMA CGM Air Cargo, the air cargo division of the CMA CGM Group, has launched direct cargo routes connecting Urumqi, China, with Europe.
CMA CGM Air Cargo began regular international cargo services from Urumqi to Paris and Madrid on July 27, 2025. With this expansion, Urumqi has become CMA CGM Air Cargo’s fifth strategic hub in China, alongside Shanghai Pudong, Hong Kong, Zhengzhou, and Guangzhou.
The new service includes four weekly flights on the Urumqi–Paris–Madrid route and one weekly direct flight from Urumqi to Paris, all operated with A330-200F freighters.
The annual cargo capacity surpasses 15,000 tonnes, making up over one-third of Urumqi Tianshan Airport’s international cargo and mail throughput in 2024.
According to recent data from Rotate, a cargo and capacity tracking platform, Urumqi Tianshan International Airport (URC) has been ranked as the world’s fastest-growing outbound cargo airport in 2025, recording a remarkable +715% surge in capacity compared to the same period last year.
The direct Urumqi–Paris flight takes just 9 hours, marking the end of Xinjiang’s long absence of direct cargo connections to France.
New routes from Urumqi to Madrid, Larnaca, and Karachi are also planned for the second half of the year, further expanding the airport’s international logistics network.
With its primary hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, CMA CGM Air Cargo operates a fleet of six aircraft, including five Boeing 777 freighters and one Airbus A330-200 freighter.
The carrier recently took delivery of a brand-new Boeing 777 freighter. Additionally, it has eight Airbus A350 freighters on order, scheduled to join the fleet starting in 2027.
