Qantas Freight adds first of three A321 freighters ahead of Christmas peak

Qantas Freight has taken delivery of the first of three extra Airbus A321 passenger-to-freighter aircraft, timed to add capacity ahead of the Christmas and Black Friday parcel surge. The other two are due to join the fleet by March 2027.

Once all three are flying, Qantas says its dedicated freighter network for Australia Post will gain as much as 20% more capacity. Each aircraft can carry up to 20,000 parcels for Australia Post and StarTrack on a single flight.

The freighters will serve every Qantas Freight domestic terminal and support overnight and next-day deliveries, including at the 24-hour freight terminal at Western Sydney International Airport, which opened in July 2026.

They replace BAe 146-300 freighters. An A321P2F can lift up to 24,200 kilograms, against 10,300 kilograms for the BAe 146-300.

Igor Kwiatkowski, executive manager of Qantas Freight, said the investment would help the carrier support Australia Post and meet rising demand for overnight services. The companies say the larger aircraft will also lower emissions and improve efficiency.

Mark Davies, Australia Post's general manager of linehaul fleet and special services, said customers expect quick, dependable delivery, whether they are shopping sales or running a small business. He said the aircraft and the Western Sydney terminal would add capacity and resilience to the network.