This week, FedEx Corporation transported six giant pandas between the United States and China on two separate flights. The roundtrip journey departed Atlanta, GA., and arrived in Chengdu, China, where it delivered four pandas. Then, it returned to Washington, D.C. with two pandas. The pandas travelled aboard a FedEx Boeing 777-F, known as the “FedEx Panda Express.”
Departing Atlanta, FedEx transported four giant pandas from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU). The FedEx Panda Express departed on October 12, local time, and arrived in Chengdu on October 13. The four pandas aboard included 27-year-old female Lun Lun and 27-year-old male Yang Yang, who have resided at Zoo Atlanta since 1999, and their twin female offspring, Ya Lun and Xi Lun, born at Zoo Atlanta in 2016. They have now safely arrived at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
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On the return flight, FedEx transported two pandas from CTU to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) in Washington, D.C. The FedEx Panda Express departed Chengdu on October 15 and arrived at Dulles International Airport on October 15, local time. From there, the pandas were taken by truck to NZCBI. The two pandas aboard included two-year-old male Bao Li and two-year-old female Qing Bao. Bao Li is the grandcub of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, whom FedEx transported to China, along with their cub, Xiao Qi Ji, in November 2023.
For more than two decades, FedEx has worked with the Chinese government and zoos around the world to safely transport giant pandas to and from China. The company is committed to keeping supply chains moving and connecting communities around the world by enabling global trade. FedEx donated the transportation cost as part of its ongoing corporate social responsibility and environmental conservation efforts.
“With a long history of facilitating special deliveries and more than 40 years of operations in China, FedEx has developed deep expertise in transporting pandas—one of the world’s most treasured symbols of conservation,” said Kawal Preet, president, Asia Pacific, FedEx. “Our role in these efforts extends beyond logistics to supporting global conservation initiatives and fostering international collaboration. FedEx is proud to ensure that each of these precious shipments arrives safely and securely, reflecting the trust placed in us to protect what matters most.”
Before their trips, the animals spent time getting familiar with their enclosures to ensure they were safe and comfortable during their journeys. Upon arrival in Chengdu, Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun, and Xi Lun were met by their new keepers on the tarmac before moving to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Once they arrived in Washington, D.C., Bao Li and Qing Bao began their quarantine ahead of their public debut in January 2025.
