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Kalitta Air starts 777-300ERSF service for DHL
Kalitta Air has launched commercial operations with the Boeing 777-300ERSF for DHL Express.
On October 17, 2025 Kalitta Air operated the 777-300ERSF’s first commercial revenue flight for DHL Express between Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The aircraft is a passenger-to-freighter conversion designed to carry more pallets and longer loads than the previous types it replaces.
The Boeing 777-300ERSF is a converted version of the 777-300ER passenger jet and was delivered to Kalitta by leasing company AerCap in September. Kalitta Air — operating the flight on behalf of logistics giant DHL Express — is the first carrier to put this freighter variant into commercial service.
Why the Kalitta Air 777-300ERSF matters
The move gives DHL extra payload and range for busy North America–Europe lanes and helps the company meet surging e-commerce and time‑sensitive freight demand. Compared with older freighters, the 777-300ERSF offers better fuel efficiency per tonne and larger main-deck volume, improving unit economics on high-density routes.
- Fleet milestone: Kalitta Air 777-300ERSF entered revenue service on October 17, 2025 between CVG and ATL.
- Conversion benefit: the freighter layout increases pallet positions and lower-deck capacity versus the original passenger configuration.
- Supply chain impact: DHL can deploy the type on transatlantic and intra‑continental rotations to handle peak seasonal demand.
Kalitta’s adoption of the 777-300ERSF aligns with broader cargo fleet modernization trends: carriers are converting reliable passenger frames to freighters rather than waiting for new-build cargo types. For DHL, the addition supports network resilience and offers flexibility when spot capacity tightens on key lanes.
Expect Kalitta Air to gradually bring more 777-300ERSFs online as conversions and deliveries continue, with aircraft rotated onto routes where volume and distance best exploit the type’s strengths. Observers will be watching how quickly DHL integrates the 777-300ERSF into scheduled rotations across North America and Europe.
