In 2004, European Plane Manufacturer Airbus was pitted into a position of pressure. With the immense success of the Boeing 777 program for nearly a decade at that point, Boeing seemed to have triumphed Airbus in the race to aircraft manufacturing dominance through its imminent launch of the technologically advanced Boeing 787 (then known as the 7E7) program - that the French planemaker didn’t seem to have an answer for.

 Following a series of unsuccessful Next-Gen experiments with its popular A330 frame, Airbus in 2006 launched a fresh project dubbed the A350 in order to rival the already-booming 787 program that had by that point seen over 300 orders from airline operators worldwide.

 The A350 was slated to showcase innovations such as Carbon-Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) material designed to greatly reduce aircraft weight, in addition to Engines from Rolls-Royce designed specifically to match the concept of the A350 - touted by Airbus as “the World’s Most Modern & Efficient aircraft” and the “Flagship of the Sky”.

 The result - fast forwarding nearly 20 years & one of the aviation industry’s most prominent & in-demand aircraft models, the A350 has garnered great success amongst major commercial airlines worldwide. With over 1,300 orders to date, the presence of the A350 certainly looks set to stay, especially in the Asian region which accounts for over half of the world’s total orders for the ever-successful widebody jet.

Here are Asia’s largest operators of the A350 Aircraft in more detail.

 5) Japan Airlines - 24 units

The flag Carrier of the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan Airlines currently sports 24 examples of the Airbus A350, across both the -900 and -1000 variants.

At present, the JAL A350-900 fleet is extensively used across the airline’s domestic network, and has just recently stretched its A350-1000s’ legs to major hubs such as London Heathrow (LHR) and New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) - acting as a direct replacement for the ageing Boeing 777-300ERs that were previously used to service these routes.

Of course, it also meant a significant upgrade in the First-class Products, as these A350-1000s are configured with the colossally-spacious new First class suites which were comparatively a tier above the ones found on the Boeing 777-300ER.

Japan Airlines in 2024 announced a firm commitment to purchase 20 A350-900s, with deliveries expected in 2027 to coincide with JAL’s -900 variant introduction into the airline’s international network - with all 20 fitted with its International configuration. This order is expected to bring Japan Airlines’ total commitment to the aircraft to 52 examples in the years to come.

Notably however, one of Japan Airlines’ A350s were involved in a significant accident whilst arriving in Haneda International Airport in January 2024, with the extensive damage causing the then-2.3 year old A350-900 to be written off.

4) Air China - 30 units 

Among China's "big three" airlines, all of which operate the Airbus A350, flag carrier Air China stands out as the largest operator, with a fleet of 30 A350-900s. These aircraft are primarily deployed on international routes.

Compared to Air China's Boeing 777 and 747 fleets—which feature the more luxurious Forbidden Pavilion First Class—its A350s are configured more modestly, offering only Business Class as the top cabin. However, the A350 Business Class still presents a strong product, featuring seats like the Safran Super Diamond and the Recaro CL6720. Notably, Air China was the launch customer for the CL6720, marking a significant investment in passenger comfort.

3) Cathay Pacific - 48 units

The Hong Kong-based airline has taken to the Airbus A350 in recent years as a staple for its numerous fleet operations, flying its 48 examples of the A350 to just about every corner on the globe.

Aboard both its A350 variants, one will be able to find the hugely popular Cirrus III Business Class seats, laid out in a reverse-herringbone 1-2-1 configuration.

Surprisingly however, Cathay does not offer a first-class product on its A350-1000s, unlike what is found on the 777-300ERs of the airline. Similarly, the new Aria Business Class Suite that has received much hype is not configured onto any of the A350s in the fleet - paving way for suggestions of a new Business class product that may find its way onto the fleet first introduced in 2016 for a mid-life cabin refit.

Besides the 48-strong fleet of passenger A350s in the airline’s arsenal, Cathay has an expected order of 6 Airbus A350Fs that will join Cathay Pacific Cargo - the Hong Kong flag carrier’s cargo arm. These aircraft, with a cargo capacity comparable to 747-8Fs already owned by the airline yet sporting an estimated 40% lower fuel burn, are expected to support the Cargo arm’s growth in the next decade, with a further 20 options of the type bolstering the airline’s growth ambitions in the long-term.

2) Qatar Airways - 58 units

Middle Eastern giant Qatar Airways, much like many other world-class carriers, opted to invest in the A350 as a long-term backbone of its fleet, with the immense efficiency & range of the aircraft greatly complementing the strategic network of Qatar & its hub, Doha.

The launch customer of the aircraft’s two variants, Qatar Airways has relied on the A350 on numerous long-haul & high density routes, such as to the US West Coast & Auckland - stretching its legs for distances up to 15,000km. 

For many frequent flyers, the infamous A350-900 "Super Diamond vs. Qsuite" guessing game likely comes to mind—where last-minute aircraft swaps often result in passengers flying on A350s equipped with the Super Diamond Business Class seats, despite having booked expecting the Qsuite product.

READ: Qatar Wins Best Business Class for 2025

Qatar Airways operates a total of 58 Airbus A350s. All 24 of its A350-1000 aircraft are outfitted with the highly acclaimed Qsuites. However, among the 34 A350-900s in the fleet, only the 10 newest ones feature the Qsuite configuration; the remaining 24 still use the Super Diamond seats.

Our guide below should help you find what you’re looking for!

 1) Singapore Airlines - 65 units

Holding the title for the world’s longest flight since 2018, Singapore Airlines has demonstrated a strong commitment to aircraft efficiency through its extensive use of the Airbus A350. Since receiving its first A350 in 2016, the airline—commonly known as SQ—has acquired 65 of the type, with an additional 7 A350 Freighters on order to replace its aging fleet of Boeing 747-400Fs.

With this wide array of A350s at its disposal, the fleet has seen extensive service to many popular tourist destinations in Europe, Australia and especially, non-stop to the Western Coast of the United States.

*World’s top two longest non-stop flights in the world, up to 19 hours in duration.

Asia’s Top Operators in the Years to Come

 By no means is A350 production slowing any time in the foreseeable future, with many still considering it the “Airliner of the Future” in spite of its first flight coming over 10 years ago, in 2014.

In Asia, major carriers like Air India, Emirates, and particularly Turkish Airlines have placed significant orders for the Airbus A350. Impressively, Emirates and Turkish Airlines alone account for nearly 200 aircraft between them—representing close to 15% of all A350 orders placed with Airbus to date. In the coming years, other Asian airlines such as EVA Air (24 units), China Airlines (10 units), and even rapidly growing low-cost carrier IndiGo (with 30 firm orders and 70 options) plan to center their long-haul expansion around the A350—an aircraft many consider unrivaled in its class.

Full List of A350 Operators in Asia (updated in 30 Apr 2025) 

*As at End-April 2025, Turkish Airlines has received 3 additional A350-900s - bringing the fleet total to 27 Aircraft & leapfrogging Japan Airlines into position no. 5.

 For any questions or further information, please get in touch at [email protected].