AviLease orders 10 A350Fs with potential to expand to 22

AviLease, a Saudi Arabia-based global aircraft lessor, has signed a major purchase agreement with Airbus at the 2025 Paris Air Show. The initial order includes 10 A350F freighters and 30 A320neo Family aircraft, according to an official release from Airbus.

The deal also outlines the potential to scale up the order to 22 A350Fs and 55 A320neo aircraft in the future.

In addition to the aircraft order, AviLease has agreed to purchase 20 Trent XWB-97 engines to power its 10 Airbus A350F aircraft.

“We’re proud that AviLease has selected the Airbus A350F powered by our highest thrust engine, the Trent XWB-97. The Trent XWB-97, like all of our modern Trent engines, benefits from our £1bn investment in time on wing improvements, bringing increased fleet planning certainty to this important aviation sector. We greatly value our growing partnership with AviLease,” says Ewen McDonald, Chief Customer Officer, Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce said in a statement that this marks the first Rolls-Royce-powered freighter aircraft to operate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“We are proud to establish an Airbus order book, strengthening our position as a full-service, investment-grade global lessor. The addition of these latest-generation aircraft enhances our ability to offer modern, fuel-efficient fleet solutions to our airline partners in Saudi Arabia and around the world. We thank our local partners and Airbus for the strong long-term partnership we have established and look forward to placing these aircraft across our valued customer base,” says Edward O’Byrne, CEO, AviLease.

The A350F features the largest main deck cargo door, with fuselage length and capacity optimised around the industry’s standard pallets and containers. Over 70% of the airframe is made of advanced materials, resulting in a 46-tonne lighter take-off weight than the competing derivative. Airbus says the A350F is the only freighter aircraft that will fully meet ICAO’s enhanced CO₂ emissions standards, coming into effect in 2027.

“We are delighted to welcome AviLease as Airbus’ latest customer with this significant order for the all-new A350F and leading A320neo Family”, says Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business, Airbus. “The A350F will set the benchmark in air cargo, offering at least 20% reduced fuel burn, better loading capacity, and increased range, while the A320neo Family continues to be the world's most popular single-aisle aircraft. This dual order reinforces AviLease’s credentials as a leading lessor, and it demonstrates the broad appeal of our products among lessors and their airline customers.”

Airbus has recently achieved a significant milestone in its A350 freighter programme by completing the first-ever set of wings for the new A350F at its Broughton site.