Qantas Freight and Australia Post welcome A321 freighter ahead of Christmas peak

Qantas Freight and Australia Post have received the first of three additional Airbus A321 Passenger-to-Freighter (A321P2F) aircraft, it was announced on October 19, 2026.

The companies are adding capacity ahead of the busy year-end shopping season. The aircraft arrived weeks before Black Friday and the Christmas peak, when online shopping drives up parcel volumes. The other two A321P2Fs are scheduled to join the Qantas Freight fleet by March 2027.

According to Qantas, once all three aircraft are in service, they will add up to 20% capacity to the dedicated freighter network that the carrier operates for Australia Post. Each flight will be able to carry up to 20,000 Australia Post and StarTrack parcels.

The freighters will support overnight and next-day deliveries nationwide, serving all of Qantas Freight’s domestic terminals. This includes the new 24-hour freight terminal at Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), which opened in July 2026.

A321P2F carries more than twice the payload of the BAe 146 freighters it replaces

The A321P2Fs replace Qantas Freight’s smaller BAe 146-300 freighters. 

The A321P2F can carry up to 24,200 kilograms (about 53,350 pounds), compared with 10,300 kilograms (about 22,700 pounds) for the BAe 146-300. The companies claim that the switch will also cut emissions and improve efficiency across the network.

Igor Kwiatkowski, Executive Manager of Qantas Freight, said the investment would help the airline to support Australia Post and respond more effectively to growing demand for overnight deliveries.

Mark Davies, Australia Post’s General Manager of linehaul fleet and special services, noted that Australians expect fast, reliable delivery, whether they are shopping in Black Friday sales or running a small business that ships orders nationwide. He added that the new aircraft, as well as the Western Sydney terminal, would strengthen the resilience and capacity of the network for years to come.

Delivery follows a 10-year partnership renewal dating back to 1922

The arrival comes a few months after Qantas Freight and Australia Post extended their partnership for another 10 years. Under the renewed agreement, Qantas will move more than 75 million parcels and other freight items each year within Australia and overseas.

The relationship dates back to 1922, when Qantas carried 106 letters on its first commercial flight.

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