On March 4, 2025, SF Airlines inaugurated a vital air cargo route connecting Urumqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
The B757-200 freighter took off from Urumqi, marking the official opening of the first international air cargo service between the two cities. This new route is set to boost cross-border trade, e-commerce and the transportation of general cargo.
SF Airlines, a key player in China’s logistics sector and a subsidiary of SF Express Group, will operate the route twice a week, providing over 110 tons of air transport capacity between the two cities.
A spokesperson from SF Airlines stated, “The route will build an efficient and stable air logistics channel for Xinjiang products to go overseas.”
With the launch of the Urumqi-Islamabad route, SF Airlines now serves three Pakistani cities: Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. In January 2024, the airline began operating three weekly cargo flights between Ezhou in Hubei Province, China, and Lahore.
Strengthening China-Pakistan Trade and Economic ties
This route is the first all-cargo service launched by SF Airlines, China’s largest air-cargo carrier, in Xinjiang connecting Pakistan, and it aims to cater to the growing demand for cross-border e-commerce and general cargo capacity.
This new air cargo route is an important step in strengthening the economic ties between China and Pakistan, two countries that have long enjoyed close political and strategic relations. While the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) remains a cornerstone of bilateral cooperation, both governments have increasingly encouraged private-sector initiatives aimed at enhancing trade flows.
E-Commerce partnership and supply chain connectivity
The Urumqi-Islamabad air cargo route is set to cater largely to the rapidly growing cross-border e-commerce market, which is playing an increasingly significant role in China’s trade. According to Chinese official data, the total value of e-commerce imports and exports reached 2.38 trillion yuan (around $328.3 billion) in 2023, marking a 15.6% year-on-year increase.
The new air cargo route, which will carry a mix of high-value goods and e-commerce products, is poised to be a significant catalyst for further expanding this trade.
This air cargo route is also poised to improve regional connectivity, particularly for Pakistan’s fresh produce exports. Pakistan faces significant logistical challenges in transporting perishable goods, such as mangoes, to China due to inefficiencies in cold chain logistics.
According to Liu Zongyi, director of the Center for South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, “Establishing a two-way cargo flow on this route would enable faster delivery of Pakistani fresh produce to China, reducing losses and further deepening bilateral trade ties.”
Liu also noted that the launch of the route “will further streamline trade flows, enhance logistics and accelerate the corridor’s development,” adding that it reflects the growing importance of CPEC in shaping regional supply chains.
SF Airlines expands fleet and network
SF Airlines, which operates a fleet of 88 aircraft, has been continually expanding its reach. The company’s most recent addition was its first Boeing 737-800 narrowbody freighter in December 2024, followed by the delivery of its 100th Boeing 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) in February 2025.
The airline’s fleet, which includes a combination of Boeing 737Fs, 747Fs, 757Fs, and 767Fs, enables it to meet the growing demand for air cargo services both domestically and internationally.
As SF Airlines continues to expand its international route network, the Urumqi-Islamabad air cargo service is expected to be a vital link in the evolving global supply chain, driving economic growth in both China and Pakistan.