Virgin Atlantic Adds New Routes to Riyadh, Accra, and Toronto

Virgin Atlantic has announced the addition of three new routes from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to its network, with services set to begin ahead of the summer season in 2025. These new destinations include Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Accra in Ghana, and Toronto in Canada. The airline is expanding its reach to capitalize on growing markets and reestablish connections with previously served locations.

Virgin Atlantic’s First Entry into Saudi Arabia

For the first time in its 40-year history, Virgin Atlantic will launch a daily service to King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This move aligns with Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 program, which aims to boost tourism and business travel through significant infrastructure investments, including new airports and the establishment of Riyadh Air, a second national carrier.

According to Virgin Atlantic, the UK-Saudi Arabia trade relationship was valued at £17.1 billion in 2023, with a goal to increase this to £30 billion by 2030. Air travel between the two countries is expected to grow by 24% between 2019 and 2035, a key factor in the airline’s decision to introduce this route.

The Riyadh service will operate daily using Virgin Atlantic’s Airbus A330neos, which offer 262 seats and 30 tons of cargo capacity per flight. The inaugural flight is scheduled for March 30, 2025. This route will not only cater to business travelers but also target the growing market of Saudis living in the UK, whose numbers increased by 500% between 2000 and 2018.

Virgin Atlantic will leverage its partnership with SkyTeam member Saudia, offering onward connections from Riyadh to destinations like Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, as well as other locations within Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and China.

Return to Accra, Ghana

Virgin Atlantic will return to Accra, Ghana, with daily flights from London Heathrow to Kotoka International Airport (ACC) starting May 1, 2025. This marks the airline’s first service to Accra since it discontinued the route in 2013.

The UK is home to the third-largest Ghanaian diaspora globally, making this a strategically important route. Virgin Atlantic expects that around 10% of passengers on this route will connect through Heathrow to the airline’s New York JFK service. The flights to Accra will be operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with 252 seats and 30 tons of cargo capacity.

Relaunching Toronto Service

In addition to the new routes to Riyadh and Accra, Virgin Atlantic is resuming flights between London Heathrow and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) for the first time in over a decade. The service, set to begin on March 30, 2025, will be operated by a variety of aircraft and will provide strong connectivity for passengers traveling from India via London, complementing Virgin Atlantic’s existing services to Mumbai, Delhi, and the newly launched Bengaluru.

Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Commercial Officer, Juha Jarvinen, expressed excitement about the new routes, stating, “Riyadh and Accra join Toronto as new routes for summer flying in 2025, and we see huge opportunities to connect friends, relatives, and businesses with our new services. We look forward to introducing the iconic, inclusive Virgin Atlantic brand, award-winning experience, and our amazing people to new customers in Saudi Arabia, Ghana, and Toronto.”

These new routes underscore Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to expanding its global footprint and offering more options to travelers across key markets, strengthening its position as a leading international airline.

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