On June 17, Vietnamese budget airline VietJet announced a major deal with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to supply up to 150 A321neo aircraft. The deal is estimated to be worth $9.4 billion. The deal involves a memorandum of understanding that includes the supply of 100 aircraft with an option for an additional 50 in the future.

VietJet CEO Nguyen Thi Phiong Thao called the deal a "landmark event" for the company, which is actively transforming into a multinational aviation group. According to her, the new narrow-body aircraft will play a key role in expanding its route network, improving transportation efficiency and taking VietJet to the international market.

Deliveries of the A321neo aircraft will begin in 2030. The company has confirmed its financial capacity to fully execute the deal. The contract is also part of Airbus’ broader strategy to grow its global sales, which it is actively promoting, including at the Paris Air Show, one of the world’s largest.

VietJet’s fleet is almost entirely Airbus, with the exception of two Chinese regional models. Despite having an order for around 200 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, none of these aircraft have been delivered yet. In this context, Airbus currently holds the lead in the Vietnamese aviation market, with around 86% of the aircraft supply market share.

However, VietJet’s cooperation with Airbus comes against a backdrop of geopolitical pressure from the United States. As an export-oriented country, Vietnam is facing calls from Washington to buy more American goods, including aircraft. This creates some tension in the distribution of future contracts between Airbus and Boeing.

Interestingly, this large-scale deal comes just weeks after VietJet’s other major order for 20 Airbus A330neo wide-body aircraft. Taken together, these contracts underscore the Vietnamese carrier’s aggressive expansion and ambitions to become a global player in the air travel industry.