ANA Holdings has announced the name of its new consolidated cargo airline as "ANA Nippon Cargo," with a planned launch on 1 April 2027. The formal corporate name will be "ANA Nippon Cargo Airlines Co., Ltd.," though the company will initially retain the existing "Nippon Cargo Airlines Co., Ltd." name at launch, with the full name change scheduled for the second half of fiscal year 2027 or later, pending government approval.
The new airline results from the merger of three ANA Group cargo businesses: ANA Cargo, Nippon Cargo Airlines, and NCA Japan. The consolidation was first announced in March 2026 as part of ANA Holdings' broader effort to strengthen its position in the global air freight market. Together, the combined business employs more than 2,100 people across the three entities and maintains a sales footprint spanning offices in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai, Chicago, New York, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt, among other cities.
Nippon Cargo Airlines will serve as the continuing operating entity, retaining its Air Transport Business License and Air Operator Certificate after the merger takes effect. ANA Holdings said the new name and brand reflect three things: the unified identity of the ANA Group, pride in what the company describes as "Nippon Quality" in its service standards, and a commitment to building on the expertise of all three merging businesses. The inclusion of "Cargo Airlines" in the corporate name was intentional, signalling that this is a dedicated cargo carrier operating its own fleet with direct responsibility for safety and service.
ANA Holdings has set a target of generating JPY 30 billion (US$195 million) in integration and synergy effects as part of its Medium-Term Corporate Strategy, with the cargo reorganisation positioned as a key driver of that goal. By combining Nippon Cargo Airlines' dedicated freighter network with ANA's international passenger network, the group said it aims to become Asia's leading combination carrier.
The integration process began ahead of the formal April 2027 merger date. From April 2026, the group unified its international cargo sales structure, creating a single point of contact for customers across the network regardless of which carrier was operating the flight. Warehouse operations were also consolidated at Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) and Kansai International Airport (KIX), allowing centralized cargo drop-off and pick-up. Arrival cargo processing at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) was similarly consolidated as part of the early-stage integration work. The NCA Group first joined the ANA Group in August 2025, with the two sides expanding collaboration through shared cargo capacity and codesharing on routes across North America and Europe. ANA said further details on the new brand will be announced closer to the April 2027 launch.
