France is selling a 49.9 per cent stake in the airport in Toulouse to a Chinese consortium looking to increase international air links in the south of France.
The Toulouse-Blagnac airport is also home to Airbus, which tests some of its largest aircraft there.
Economy minister Emmanuel Macron told La Depeche newspaper that the €308 million stake went to the Symbiose consortium, which includes an aircraft leasing company already among Airbus' clients.
He said the airport itself - runway and buildings - would remain state property.
Macron criticised recent comments attacking the deal, saying he was having a "hard time" understanding why it's OK for the Chinese to buy planes but not part of an airport.