# Cargolux (IATA CV · ICAO CLX · AWB 172)

> Cargolux Airlines International S.A. is Luxembourg's all-cargo airline, IATA code CV and AWB prefix 172. The company belongs to no airline group but to a shareholder circle led by Luxair and China's HNCA. It operates Boeing 747 freighters only, complemented by its subsidiary Cargolux Italia. Forwarders get main-deck freighter capacity out of Luxembourg to East Asia, North America, Latin America and Africa, including a GDP-certified pharma chain and nose-door loading for outsize cargo.

## Quick facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Legal | Cargolux Airlines International S.A. |
| IATA | `CV` |
| ICAO | `CLX` |
| AWB prefix | `172` |
| Country | LU |
| Tracking | https://www.cargolux.com/track-and-trace/ |

## Overview

Cargolux Airlines International S.A. is Luxembourg's cargo airline and the largest all-cargo carrier in Europe. Operations began in 1970 from its home base at Luxembourg-Findel; the air operator certificate was issued on 10 May 1970. The company does not belong to an airline group. Its shareholders are Luxair (35.10 percent), China's Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Company HNCA (35.00 percent), Banque et Caisse d'Epargne de l'Etat Luxembourg (10.90 percent), Société Nationale de Crédit et d'Investissement (10.67 percent) and the Luxembourg State (8.32 percent).

Cargolux operates its own freighters exclusively and offers no belly capacity. The group fleet comprises 30 Boeing 747s, of which 14 are Boeing 747-8F and 16 are Boeing 747-400F (as of July 2026); four of these aircraft are operated by subsidiary Cargolux Italia out of Milan-Malpensa. Ten Boeing 777-8F are on order, with delivery not expected before 2029. As a bridge, Cargolux bought four used Boeing 747-400F from China Airlines for delivery from 2027.

The main hub is Luxembourg (LUX), the second hub Zhengzhou (CGO) in China's Henan province. The September 2026 schedule lists more than 70 destinations, with a focus on East Asia, North America and Latin America plus an Africa axis via Nairobi and Johannesburg. A Europe-wide road feeder network out of Luxembourg complements the air network.

For forwarders, the codes are IATA CV, ICAO CLX and AWB prefix 172; Cargolux Italia uses its own prefix 356. The product portfolio covers CV classic, CV pharma, CV fresh, CV alive, CV hazmat, CV jumbo, CV precious and CV power, plus the service levels Saver, Standard, Select and Select+. The fleet and the pharma hub in Luxembourg are GDP certified. In financial year 2025 the group posted total income of USD 3,406 million and a profit of USD 465 million with 4,003 employees.

## Hubs

- LUX
- CGO

## Fleet

- Boeing 747-8F × 14

- Boeing 747-400F × 16

- Boeing 777-8F × 10

- Boeing 747-400F × 4

## Sources

- [Cargolux – Introducing Cargolux](https://www.cargolux.com/introducing-cargolux/)

- [IATA – Airline member record Cargolux](https://www.iata.org/en/about/members/airline-list/cargolux-/273/)

- [IATA/CNS – Airline Directory (Prefix 172)](https://www.iata.org/globalassets/cnsc/airline-directory.pdf)

- [Cargolux Schedule Worldwide September 2026](https://www.cargolux.com/media/0ealiabp/cargolux-schedule-worldwide-september-2026.pdf)

- [Air Cargo News – B777-8F delays behind Cargolux decision (14.07.2026)](https://www.aircargonews.net/freighter-operator/2026/07/b777-8f-delays-behind-cargolux-decision-to-purchase-china-airlines-747-400fs/)

- [Cargolux 55 – Our fleet / Firmengeschichte](https://anniversary.cargolux.com/article/our-fleet)

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