China Southern Air Logistics

What China Southern Air Logistics does

China Southern Air Logistics (南航物流 / CSL) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of state-owned China Southern Airlines Group, established in June 2018 to unify the group's air logistics operations. The company operates the largest B777F dedicated freighter fleet among Chinese airlines (19 aircraft), supplemented by belly-cargo capacity on China Southern Airlines' passenger fleet (Asia's largest by fleet size), with a further 7 Boeing freighters on order at $3.618 billion list price. Ground operations span 16 self-operated cargo stations across 13 Chinese cities (300,000+ sqm of warehouse, 2.3 million tons/year processing capacity) and 38 domestic plus 30+ overseas sales offices covering 24+ countries. The company is China's first IATA CEIV PHARMA dual-certified airline and has held the SASAC 'Double Hundred Enterprise' benchmark designation for three consecutive years (2021–2023).

The product portfolio is organized into six tiers — CZ Speed (high-priority express), CZ Special (eight sub-products covering pharma, live animals, perishables, dangerous goods, oversized, valuables, vehicles, and catch-all specials), CZ Exclusive (charter, VIP account customization, and mail), CZ Standard (economy), CZ Transfer (multi-leg intermodal), and CZ Courier (door-to-door) — each with differentiated space guarantees, priority handling, and pricing. Underlying technology consists of the cloud-based cargo.csair.com platform, the internal 'Tang Yi' (唐翼) online cargo management system for agents, a unified logistics platform at sl.csair.com, and mobile apps on iOS, Android, and HarmonyOS enabling online booking, real-time tracking, rate queries, and digital invoicing.

Revenue is generated through transaction-based air freight charges (per shipment by weight, volume, route, service tier), per-kilogram ground handling fees at self-operated cargo stations, and recurring supply chain solution contracts for enterprise clients. Pricing is quote-based and varies by route, cargo type, and service class, with go-to-market executed through a hybrid of direct sales at cargo stations, inside sales via 400 hotlines and web chat, self-serve digital channels (app, website, WeChat mini-program), and 38 domestic plus 30+ overseas enterprise sales offices. Customer segments span individuals, SMEs, and enterprise accounts across general cargo, pharmaceutical/cold chain, special handling, e-commerce/express, and key account verticals. A June 2026 Strategic MOU with FedEx signals intent to deepen international hub positioning at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

Name

China Southern Air Logistics

Legal name

南方航空物流股份有限公司

Website

https://cargo.csair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Short description

China Southern Air Logistics is a state-owned subsidiary of China Southern Airlines Group providing air cargo services via 19 B777F freighters, belly-cargo capacity, and 16 self-operated cargo stations across 13 Chinese cities, serving enterprise, SME, and individual shippers globally with six product tiers including express, special-cargo, charter, and door-to-door.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Air Cargo Logistics

NAICS

Scheduled Freight Air Transportation (481112), Scheduled Air Transportation (48111), Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation (481212), Air Transportation (481)

SIC

Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512), Air Courier Services (4513), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Scheduled Air Cargo Airlines (All-Cargo Carriers) (THABAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Belly-Cargo Operators (Passenger Airline Freight Divisions) (THABAEAE), General Cargo Air Freight Carriers (Scheduled & Charter) (TLADAAAA), Regional / Feeder Air Cargo Carriers (TLADAAAN), Air Cargo Capacity Providers (Belly Cargo Operators) (TLADAAAO)

Keywords

• Air cargo logistics
• Dedicated freighter operations
• International air freight
• Pharmaceutical cold chain
• Express parcel delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Guangzhou

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices20 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Air Freight Transportation (航空速运): Core revenue stream from air cargo transportation services, including belly cargo on passenger aircraft and dedicated freighter services on B777F fleet. Revenue is generated per shipment based on weight, volume, destination, and service tier.
2. Ground Integrated Services (地面综合服务): Revenue from ground handling services including cargo acceptance, storage, loading/unloading, and delivery at the company's 16 self-operated cargo stations. Charged per kilogram or as part of integrated service packages.
3. Supply Chain Solutions (供应链解决方案): Customized end-to-end logistics solutions for enterprise clients, including cold chain, dangerous goods, live animal, and oversized cargo handling. Revenue generated through service contracts and per-shipment fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

China Southern Air Logistics is the air cargo subsidiary of China Southern Airlines Group, providing scheduled and charter air-freight transportation across domestic China and international routes. Its offering combines 19 dedicated Boeing 777F freighters with belly-cargo space aboard China Southern Airlines passenger flights, supported by 16 self-operated cargo stations in 13 Chinese cities and a branded product family (CZ Speed, CZ Special, CZ Exclusive, CZ Standard, CZ Transfer, CZ Courier) for general cargo, time-sensitive shipments, pharmaceutical cold-chain freight, and courier/express parcels.

Product overview

China Southern Air Logistics operates a modular platform-plus-service-portfolio architecture built around its core air freight transport services. The platform统一运营 (unified operations) encompasses 19 B777F freighters and extensive belly-cargo capacity, supported by 16 self-operated cargo stations across 13 cities in China. The product portfolio is organized into six service tiers — 南航快运 (CZ Speed, high-priority express), 南航特运 (CZ Special, special-cargo with 8 sub-products including pharma, live animals, dangerous goods, valuables), 南航专运 (CZ Exclusive, charter/VIC/mail customization), 南航标运 (CZ Standard, economy), 南航联运 (CZ Transfer, intermodal), and 南航飞递 (CZ Courier, door-to-door) — each with distinct space guarantees, handling protocols, and pricing. The offering is complemented by a mobile app (南航物流APP) and a B2B trading platform (南航物流交易平台), supported by third-party integrations for payments (UnionPay, ICBC, Alipay/WeChat), identity/SSO, invoicing, customer service, SMS, and cargo pickup/delivery (Fanyuan, Yingchi, Deppon).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 南航快运 (CZ Speed): High-priority cargo service with expedited handling, same-flight delivery guarantee, 90-minute delivery/pickup windows at select stations.
• 南航特运 (CZ Special)
• 南航专运 (CZ Exclusive)
• 南航标运 (CZ Standard)
• 南航联运 (CZ Transfer)
• 南航飞递 (CZ Courier)

Products and services

• CZ Standard Standard air-cargo service within the China Southern Air Logistics product family for general freight shipments on scheduled freighter and belly-cargo flights.
• CZ Speed Expedited air-cargo tier for time-definite shipments within the China Southern Air Logistics product family.
• CZ Special Special-handling air-cargo product for shipments requiring non-standard care, such as oversized, dangerous goods, or other specialty freight.
• CZ Exclusive Premium tier of the China Southern Air Logistics product family, providing higher service-level guarantees and priority handling for high-value shipments.
• CZ Transfer Transfer/transit air-cargo product within the China Southern Air Logistics family for shipments routing through Chinese hub airports between origins and final destinations.
• CZ Courier Courier/express small-parcel air-cargo service within the China Southern Air Logistics product family, targeting express integrator and time-sensitive parcel shippers.
• Dedicated Freighter Service (B777F and 777-8 fleet) Scheduled and charter air-cargo service operated with a dedicated all-cargo fleet of Boeing 777F freighters (19 aircraft) and incoming Boeing 777-8 freighters on domestic and international routes.
• Belly Cargo Service on China Southern Airlines Passenger Network Air-cargo capacity carried in the lower holds (belly) of China Southern Airlines passenger aircraft, sold by China Southern Air Logistics to extend route reach into the parent airline's global passenger network.
• CEIV PHARMA Cold-Chain Air Cargo Temperature-controlled air-cargo service for pharmaceutical, vaccine, and biologic shipments, supported by CEIV PHARMA-certified handling and cold-chain infrastructure at China Southern Air Logistics cargo stations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processing capacity exceeding 2.3 million tons/year across 16 self-operated cargo stations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FedExcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026FedEx signed a Strategic Memorandum of Understanding with China Southern Air Logistics on June 2, 2026, to explore opportunities across five operational areas: cargo space, routes, fleet, operations, and digitalization. The partnership aims to strengthen Guangzhou, China as an international air cargo hub while building a more resilient air logistics ecosystem for China-based shippers. The agreement aligns with FedEx's existing hub at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and its 2023 'Tricolor' network redesign strategy. Both companies will share network resources to better align capacity with market demand.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Air China Cargo: Air China Cargo is the cargo arm of Air China, another major state-owned Chinese airline group. It operates a similar freighter-plus-belly-cargo model with comparable international route coverage and is CSL's closest domestic competitor for China-outbound air cargo market share.
• China Eastern Airlines Logistics: China Eastern Airlines Logistics is the consolidated logistics subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, the third leg of China's 'Big Three' state-owned airlines. Like CSL, it leverages its parent's passenger belly capacity and dedicated freighters to serve both domestic and international air cargo customers.
• SF Airlines: SF Airlines is China's largest all-cargo carrier by fleet size and is a subsidiary of SF Express (顺丰), the country's leading private express delivery company. It is a direct competitor in domestic air freight and now expanding internationally, with comparable freighter fleet and growing network reach.
• Cathay Pacific Cargo: Cathay Pacific Cargo is the air freight arm of Hong Kong-based Cathay Group, with a leading position in international cargo through Hong Kong's hub. It competes with CSL on Asia–Europe, transpacific, and intra-Asia lanes and offers comparable special-cargo handling including pharma and perishables.
• China Cargo Airlines: China Cargo Airlines is a joint venture between China Eastern Airlines and EVA Air of Taiwan, operating a dedicated all-cargo fleet from Shanghai. It is a direct competitor in scheduled freighter services on China-outbound long-haul routes with comparable fleet composition (Boeing 777F).
• Cargolux: Cargolux is a Luxembourg-based all-cargo airline specializing in scheduled and charter freight services worldwide. Like CSL, it operates a dedicated 747F freighter fleet, focuses on special-cargo (oversized, pharma, perishables), and competes for long-haul Asia–Europe and transatlantic air freight volumes.
• Korean Air Cargo: Korean Air Cargo is the cargo division of Korean Air, operating a large dedicated freighter fleet alongside passenger belly cargo from Seoul Incheon. It competes with CSL on Asia–North America and intra-Asia routes and offers comparable special-cargo products including CEIV PHARMA-certified pharma transport.

Broad incumbents

• FedEx Express: FedEx is a global integrator with an existing hub at Guangzhou Baiyun, and recently signed an MOU with CSL. It is a competitor in international express cargo and air freight but operates an integrator network covering pickup, customs, line-haul, and delivery far broader than CSL's trunk-heavy model.
• DHL Express: DHL Express is a global integrator offering door-to-door time-definite international air shipping with strong Asia–Europe and transpacific capabilities. It competes with CSL on premium express and pharma logistics and is among the global CEIV PHARMA certified carriers in the same regulatory league.

Emerging players

• Cainiao Smart Logistics Network: Cainiao is Alibaba's logistics arm operating a tech-driven cross-border e-commerce logistics network including charter air freight capacity. While not a direct airline competitor, it is reshaping the cross-border China air cargo demand profile and partnering/competing with traditional carriers like CSL for e-commerce shipper volumes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/china-southern-airlines

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about China Southern Air Logistics