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DHL Express renews agreement with Atlas Air for 20 freighters

Widebody aircraft help express delivery company keep up with growth in cross-border e-commerce

Eric Kulisch
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Polar Air Cargo aircraft sport the Atlas Air and DHL logos because they co-own the airline. (Photo: Atlas Air Worldwide)

Atlas Air will continue to fly 20 large freighters for DHL Express after the express delivery company extended an existing contract, the companies announced Tuesday.

The arrangement ensures DHL Express has continued access to outsourced airlift to support its fast-growing express business that is increasingly driven by e-commerce. The length of wet leases was not disclosed.

The aircraft are operated globally by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (NASDAQ: AAWW) subsidiaries Atlas Air, Polar Air Cargo and Southern Air. Polar Air Cargo is a 13-year-old joint venture between Atlas and DHL in which DHL holds a 49% equity interest, including a 25% voting share. The strategic arrangement provides DHL Express guaranteed capacity on key trade lanes while Atlas gets a predictable, long-term revenue stream.

Atlas is currently operating four types of aircraft for DHL Express:


  • Six Boeing 747-8 freighters
  • Two Boeing 747-400 freighters
  • Eight Boeing 777-200 freighters
  • Four Boeing 767-300 freighters

“As this agreement indicates, Atlas is capitalizing on the strong global airfreight market conditions as we deepen relationships with our customers,” Atlas Air CEO John Dietrich said.

Last week, Atlas Air finalized a five-year labor contract with its pilots.

 Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

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Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Supply Chain and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He won Environmental Journalist of the Year from the Seahorse Freight Association in 2014 and was the group's 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist by the Seahorse Freight Association. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at [email protected]