The present invention is to provide an air cathode for air batteries, having excellent high-rate discharge performance, and an air battery comprising the air cathode.Disclosed is an air cathode for air batteries, using oxygen as an active material and configured to form an air battery comprising the air cathode, an anode and an electrolyte layer present between the air cathode and the anode, the air cathode comprising: a catalyst layer which contains at least an electrode catalyst and an electroconductive material; an oxide as the electrode catalyst, which is active against at least oxygen reduction reaction; and at least one kind of metal carbide as the electroconductive material, selected from the group consisting of a tungsten carbide, a titanium carbide and a molybdenum carbide.