VietJet and Airbus have announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to purchase 20 A330-900neos. The announcement was made on February 22 at a signing ceremony at the Singapore Airshow, Asia's largest aerospace event. This agreement is one of the largest deals announced at the event, alongside larger orders by Thai Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, and several other Asian carriers. The new aircraft will replace the current fleet of leased A330-300s, with the deal being VietJet's first-ever purchase of wide-body aircraft.

Dinh Viet Phuong, VietJet's CEO, said about the order: 

"The new A330neo aircraft is a strategic addition to comprehensively modernize Vietjet's fleet, enhancing operational capabilities to support our global flight network expansion plan … With the introduction of the A330neo, passengers can look forward to longer-range, well-equipped flights with excellent services at more competitive fares."

The A330neos will feature the Airspace cabin design, which features more individual space, enlarged overhead bins, a new lighting system, and the latest in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems. Other airlines with the A330neo in their fleet include Virgin Atlantic, Condor, and Kuwait Airways. 

Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines will power the VietJet A330neos, with a range of 7,200 nautical miles (13,300 km). The planes will play a role in VietJet's planned network expansion. The airline plans to expand to additional destinations in Australia, India, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand. The budget airline currently operates a fleet of 110 aircraft on about 30 international routes. The new aircraft are expected to be utilized on the carrier's long-range network and high-capacity regional flights.

The new-generation A330neo into Vietjet's fleet will also play an important role in the airline's sustainable development strategy. It plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, according to CEO Dinh Viet Phuong.

Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus' commercial aircraft business, added:

"We are excited to work with Vietjet on the next phase of the carrier's expansion. The A330neo will enable the airline to achieve the lowest possible operating costs per seat and to continue to offer its customers the best possible value wherever they fly. It will also be the perfect complement to the A321XLRs already on order with the airline, as it spreads its wings to more far flung destinations."

During a briefing at the airshow, Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus' executive vice president of sales at Airbus's commercial aircraft business, said he expects the deal to be finalized "in the next few weeks" and the first deliveries will come in 2026. The agreement did not include the deal's value, but the Vietjet order would be worth $5.9 billion at list prices.

At the end of January 2024, firm orders for the A330 Family had totaled 1,771 from more than 130 customers worldwide. Airbus hopes to extend the life of the A330 line while the A350 eventually replaces it.

VietJet began service in 2011 to compete in a market dominated by Vietnam's flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines. In 2022, the latest year for which figures are available, the Vietnamese government estimates that the airline's share of domestic passenger travel will be around 40 percent. VietJet is the country's first budget carrier and is owned by Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Vietnam's only female billionaire. VietJet first caught the world's attention with its series of racy marketing campaigns featuring nearly naked models. Inaugural flights included air hostesses wearing bikinis working alongside the more conventional cabin crew.

Demand for wide-body jets is surging as air travel rebounds after the pandemic. However, some regional industry participants are signaling that overcapacity and lower fares may be on the horizon. Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand have announced delays in deliveries of Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 jets, respectively, as supply chain issues plague manufacturers.

VietJet also has an order with Boeing for 200 737 MAX jets. The first 12 737 MAXs will be delivered this year, and the full order is scheduled to be completed over the next five years. VietJet's affiliate carrier, Thai VietJet Air, will use these aircraft.