Vietnam Airlines has signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for five additional A350-900s, expanding a long-haul fleet that is currently almost evenly divided between Airbus and Boeing widebody aircraft.
The preliminary agreement was signed on September 10 at the Élysée Palace in Paris during an official visit by Vietnamese leader Tô Lâm. French President Emmanuel Macron attended the ceremony alongside the Vietnamese delegation.
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The five aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2033 and 2034. Neither Vietnam Airlines nor Airbus disclosed a value for the proposed transaction, which has not yet been converted into a firm order.
Vietnam Airlines already operates 14 A350-900s. According to Planespotters.net, its long-haul fleet also includes 17 Boeing 787s, comprising 11 787-9s and six larger 787-10s.
30 more widebodies
The new agreement comes as Vietnam Airlines prepares another expansion of its widebody fleet. The carrier said it has identified the acquisition of 30 aircraft beyond 2030 as a priority in its long-term fleet plan.
In September 2025, Vietnam Airlines had already approached the market seeking proposals for up to 30 A350-900s or 787-9s. That process contemplated deliveries between 2028 and 2032 and allowed suppliers to propose purchases, leases, subleases or other arrangements.
The five A350s announced in Paris have a later delivery schedule, in 2033 and 2034, and Vietnam Airlines has not said whether they should be considered part of the same 30-aircraft requirement.
The competition between Airbus and Boeing therefore remains open for a much larger portion of the airline's future long-haul fleet. Both manufacturers are already represented in similar numbers at Vietnam Airlines, with 14 A350s against 17 Dreamliners.
Boeing deal followed U.S. visit
Vietnam Airlines has also recently made a major commitment to Boeing for its short- and medium-haul fleet. In February, the carrier finalized an order for 50 737-8s, its first order for Boeing single-aisle aircraft.
That deal originated in a commitment announced in September 2023 during then-U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Hanoi. Vietnam Airlines took more than two years to convert it into a firm order.
Vietnamese authorities also cited aircraft purchases as one way to increase imports from the United States. In June, the government instructed domestic airlines to review existing agreements with U.S. aerospace companies and consider additional purchases while Hanoi was negotiating trade issues with Washington.
The five A350s emerged in a different diplomatic setting. The memorandum was signed during Tô Lâm's visit to France and was one of several aviation agreements associated with the trip. Vietravel Airlines separately signed a letter of intent for 20 A220s and 30 A321-family aircraft, while France and Vietnam said they were close to completing an agreement involving three Airbus Helicopters NH90s.
