Cargolux
Cargolux is Europe's largest all-cargo airline, operating a dedicated Boeing 747 freighter fleet across 90+ scheduled and 250+ trucking destinations. It serves enterprise shippers, freight forwarders, and e-commerce customers with eight specialized CV cargo products and priority service tiers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersLuxembourg, Luxembourg
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cargolux does
Cargolux Airlines International S.A. is Europe's largest all-cargo airline, founded in 1970 in Luxembourg and privately held by a shareholder group led by Luxair (35.10%), HNCA (35.00%), BCEE (10.90%), SNCI (10.67%), and the Luxembourg State (8.32%). The company operates a 30-aircraft all-Boeing 747 freighter fleet (747-8F and 747-400), with 10 Boeing 777-8F on order, and is the only operator of the 747-8F and the only carrier with a nose door loading capability, enabling transport of cargo that competitors cannot accommodate. Its eight branded CV product lines (CV classic, alive, precious, jumbo, pharma, power, hazmat, fresh) are layered with four priority service tiers (Saver, Standard, Select, Select+) and are supported by a 90+ destination scheduled network, a 250+ destination trucking network, third-party 747 maintenance, and ground handling via subsidiary Luxcargo Handling.
Cargolux generates revenue through transaction-based freight charges (higher of actual or volumetric weight plus fuel and security surcharges and product-specific fees), charter services for project and e-commerce cargo, third-party aircraft maintenance, and ground handling. Distribution is hybrid: direct enterprise sales via my.cargolux.com, digital marketplace listings on cargo.one, CargoAi, and WebCargo by Freightos, code-share/interline with Japan Airlines, and trucking partner networks. In FY2025 the company reported $3.4B in revenue and $465M in net profit, ranking 10th in IATA's top 20 international scheduled cargo carriers and holding a four-year streak as Air Cargo News "Best All Cargo Airline."
Recent strategic activity centers on digital transformation (Electronic Flight Folder with Cathay Technologies, June 2026), partnership deepening (JAL code-share from April 2026; SAF agreement with AIT and Microsoft in May 2025), alternative-fuel ground operations (hydrogen trucking trial with Arthur Welter from July 2024), and consolidation of hub ground handling (Luxcargo Handling absorbed Luxair cargo handling in May 2024). The company is also developing its Aquarius Aerial Firefighting subsidiary, with aircraft deployed in southern Spain in 2024.
Cargolux firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cargolux
- Legal name
- Cargolux Airlines International S.A.
- Website
- https://cargolux.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Cargolux is Europe's largest all-cargo airline, operating a dedicated Boeing 747 freighter fleet across 90+ scheduled and 250+ trucking destinations. It serves enterprise shippers, freight forwarders, and e-commerce customers with eight specialized CV cargo products and priority service tiers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cargolux industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Air Cargo Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Specialized Freight Trucking (4842), Support Activities for Transportation (488)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scheduled Air Cargo Airlines (All-Cargo Carriers) (THABAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Heavy-Lift & Outsize Cargo Airlines (THABAEAG), E-commerce Air Cargo Carriers (TLADAAAK), Air Cargo Charter Specialists (On-Demand) (TLADAAAE)
Keywords
Where Cargolux is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Luxembourg
- HQ country
- Luxembourg
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Cargolux business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Scheduled Freight Services: Core revenue from scheduled all-cargo flight operations using Boeing 747 freighters, charging freight rates based on weight or volume (whichever is higher) plus surcharges for specialized cargo handling.
- Charter Services: Full and part-charter services for oversized, project, and specialized cargo shipments with bespoke handling requirements, including e-commerce charter flights.
- Third-party Maintenance Services: 747 line and hangar maintenance services up to and including C Checks provided at Luxembourg maintenance hangar for third-party customers.
- Trucking and Ground Handling: Extensive trucking network to 250+ destinations and Luxcargo Handling ground handling operations at Luxembourg hub.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | General cargo (CV classic) rates apply to normal palletizable and stackable cargo ready for carriage |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Service priority levels: Saver, Spot, Standard, Select, Select+ |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Cargolux product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cargolux is Europe's largest all-cargo airline, operating a fleet of Boeing 747-8F and 747-400 freighters to transport specialized cargo across 90+ global destinations with a complementary trucking network to 250+ destinations. The company offers eight distinct cargo product lines (CV classic, CV alive, CV precious, CV jumbo, CV pharma, CV power, CV hazmat, CV fresh) plus charter services, four service priority levels, third-party 747 maintenance, and aerial firefighting through its Aquarius subsidiary.
Product overview
Cargolux is Europe's largest all-cargo airline operating a portfolio of specialized cargo products under the CV brand family. The core product line includes CV classic (general cargo), CV alive (live animals), CV precious (artwork and machinery), CV jumbo (oversized cargo), CV pharma (pharmaceuticals), CV power (energy sector), CV hazmat (dangerous goods), and CV fresh (perishables). These products are complemented by service priority levels (Saver, Standard, Select, Select+) that determine booking priority and handling. The airline operates scheduled and charter all-cargo flights using an all-Boeing 747 freighter fleet, supported by an extensive global trucking network covering over 250 destinations. Additional services include third-party aircraft maintenance, flight operations support, and Aquarius Aerial Firefighting subsidiary operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CV classic: General cargo transportation service for everyday cargo shipments
- CV alive
- CV precious
- CV jumbo
- CV pharma
- CV power
- CV hazmat
- CV fresh
Products and services
- CV classic General cargo shipping service for everyday cargo transportation. Covers standard palletizable and stackable freight that does not require special handling.
- CV alive Live animal transportation service for domesticated and exotic species across the world, backed by Cargolux's specialized animal handling expertise.
- CV precious Specialized shipping for artwork and high precision machinery, providing expert handling for valuable and delicate items requiring precision and care.
- CV jumbo Oversized cargo transportation service for commodities of all shapes and sizes, leveraging the unique Boeing 747 nose door loading capability for large or uniquely dimensioned shipments.
- CV pharma Pharmaceutical products transportation service with specialized handling for temperature-sensitive and regulated healthcare cargo.
- CV power Specialized transportation service for the power generation and energy sectors, including heavy industrial equipment and machinery.
- CV hazmat Dangerous goods transportation service providing compliant global movement of hazardous materials in line with international regulations.
- CV fresh Perishable goods transportation service using sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel to deliver fresh products in mint condition globally.
- Charter Services Full and part-charter air freight services using the all-747 freighter fleet, offering tailor-made logistics solutions for oversized, project, and specialized cargo transportation including e-commerce charter flights.
- Trucking Network Solid network of trucking contractors to move valuable and time-sensitive commodities. Operates an extensive global trucking network covering more than 250 destinations to complement air freight services.
- Maintenance Services Third-party maintenance services at Cargolux's modern two-bay maintenance hangar in Luxembourg. Specialized in 747 line and hangar maintenance up to and including C Checks.
- Aquarius Aerial Firefighting Cargolux subsidiary providing aerial firefighting services, deploying aircraft for firefighting missions with current operations based in Southern Spain.
Companies that use Cargolux
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cargolux technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature2 records
Cargolux partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Cathay TechnologiescorePartnership to introduce Electronic Flight Folder (EFF) solution across flight operations. Digitizes and centralizes critical flight information including flight plans, load sheets, and fuel data. Includes Ops Chat real-time communication tool for crew-ground coordination.
- Japan Airlines (JAL)coreCode-sharing operations on Narita-Luxembourg route and interline transportation on Narita-Chicago route starting April 1, 2026. Builds on 30+ years of cooperation dating back to 1994. Connects Luxembourg (major European cargo hub) with Narita Airport (Asia's gateway) creating stable network spanning Asia, Europe, and North America.
- AIT Worldwide LogisticscoreLargest SAF deal in Cargolux history with AIT and Microsoft. Resulting in 66,000 tonnes CO2e savings over three years (2025-2027) for Microsoft Cloud Logistics server rack transportation. Utilizes RSB Registry for transparent SAF tracking.
- MicrosoftcoreEnd customer for historic SAF partnership with Cargolux and AIT Worldwide Logistics for transportation of Microsoft Cloud Logistics server racks using sustainable aviation fuel.
- Valero Marketing & Supply Company / Diamond Green Diesel LLCsupportingSAF producer and supplier for Cargolux-AIT-Microsoft partnership. Produces SAF from used cooking oil and tallow without palm oil, certified under EU/CORSIA standards.
- Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)supportingRegistry used for transparent and credible process of tracking and retiring SAF claims for the AIT-Microsoft partnership.
- Arthur WeltersupportingTwo-year trial collaboration on hydrogen-powered trucking. Arthur Welter vehicle operates five times weekly between Luxembourg and Frankfurt. Vehicle has approximately 400km range and is specially adapted for air cargo requirements.
- LuxairsupportingLuxcargo Handling (LCH) took over Luxair's cargo ground handling activities at Luxembourg airport on May 1, 2024. LCH aims to ensure seamless service with planned investments in technology and infrastructure.
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)supportingPartner in TRANSCEND project (Transport Resilience Against cyber and Non-Cyber Events to prevent Network Disruption). Creates platform centralizing information, guidelines, and best practices to share knowledge and streamline logistics sector processes.
- Aquarius Aerial Firefighting (AFF)supportingSubsidiary of Cargolux Group providing aerial firefighting services. Deployed first mission in Summer 2024 with three aircraft based in southern Spain supporting Spanish government.
- DeugrosupportingProject cargo partner for complex charter shipments including Freeport LNG terminal equipment transport from Thailand to USA requiring 4 charter flights from Pattaya.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cargolux competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Atlas Air Worldwide: Operator of one of the world's largest 747 freighter fleets under ACMI/leasing arrangements, directly competing with Cargolux on outsourced all-cargo lift for forwarders and integrators worldwide.
- Polar Air Cargo: All-cargo carrier operating 747-8F and 777F freighters on scheduled transpacific routes; a near-clone of Cargolux's scheduled all-cargo model serving global forwarders.
- AirBridgeCargo: Russian-headquartered all-cargo carrier with a 747 freighter fleet; direct competitor to Cargolux on Europe–Asia routes prior to operating suspensions.
Broad incumbents
- Cathay Cargo: Cargo arm of Cathay Pacific with dedicated 747-8F freighters, competing with Cargolux on Hong Kong–anchored Asia-Europe and transpacific capacity.
- Korean Air Cargo: Cargo arm of Korean Air, operating dedicated freighters including 747-8F and 777F, competing with Cargolux on transpacific and intra-Asia cargo routes.
- Qatar Airways Cargo: Qatar Airways' dedicated cargo division with a fleet of 747-8F and 777 freighters via Doha hub, competing head-to-head with Cargolux on Europe–Asia long-haul cargo.
- Lufthansa Cargo: Dedicated air freight subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group with 777F freighters and belly-cargo capacity, Europe's largest direct competitor to Cargolux on intra-Europe and transatlantic cargo.
- Emirates SkyCargo: Cargo division of Emirates operating one of the world's largest 777F fleets through Dubai hub, overlapping with Cargolux on Europe–Asia and Asia–Middle East trade lanes.
- FedEx Express: World's largest express carrier with its own 777F and 767F fleet; competes with Cargolux for time-sensitive international air freight, particularly e-commerce and IT/logistics shipments.
- DHL Aviation: Deutsche Post DHL Group's air express arm operating a fleet of dedicated freighters; overlaps with Cargolux on international time-definite shipments and integrator-style air cargo.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cargolux social profiles
Digital presenceCargolux compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Cargolux financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cargolux leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Cargolux subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Cargolux funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cargolux M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cargolux
What does Cargolux do?
Cargolux is Europe's largest all-cargo airline, operating a fleet of Boeing 747-8F and 747-400 freighters to transport specialized cargo across 90+ global destinations with a complementary trucking network to 250+ destinations. The company offers eight distinct cargo product lines (CV classic, CV alive, CV precious, CV jumbo, CV pharma, CV power, CV hazmat, CV fresh) plus charter services, four service priority levels, third-party 747 maintenance, and aerial firefighting through its Aquarius subsidiary.
Is Cargolux a public or private company?
Cargolux is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Cargolux founded?
Cargolux was founded in 1970. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Cargolux based?
Cargolux is headquartered in Luxembourg, Luxembourg, in the Europe region.
How does Cargolux make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Scheduled Freight Services are the primary driver. The others are charter Services, third-party Maintenance Services and trucking and Ground Handling.
Who are Cargolux's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Atlas Air Worldwide, Polar Air Cargo and AirBridgeCargo. Broad incumbents are Cathay Cargo, Korean Air Cargo, Qatar Airways Cargo, Lufthansa Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo, FedEx Express and DHL Aviation.
Does Cargolux have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cargolux.
What industry is Cargolux in?
Cargolux's product category is Air Cargo Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABAEAA, Scheduled Air Cargo Airlines (All-Cargo Carriers), with a secondary code of THABAEAG, Heavy-Lift & Outsize Cargo Airlines. Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4512.