• Daily service during our W24 season (Oct 24 - Mar 25).

Dubai, UAE: Virgin Atlantic is delighted to fly between London Heathrow and Dubai, as the airline touched down in Dubai last week. The four times a week service operates seasonally from now through to March and will ramp up to a daily service in winter 2024.

The airline expects the new route to be hit with leisure customers and aims to capture the increased demand for premium winter sun getaways.  The UAE’s year-round warm weather with just a three-hour time difference is set to appeal to couples and families alike.

Liezl Gericke, Head of International at Virgin Atlantic, commented: “We’ve long wanted to return to Dubai when the time was right, and we know our customers will be over the moon with the reintroduction of this popular route. Nothing sets our hearts soaring like a new destination or reintroducing an old favourite. We look forward to welcoming our customers back on board, whether travelling for business or leisure or heading back to the United Kingdom to reconnect with friends and family.”

Rob Whitehouse, Vice President of Research at Dubai Airports said, "We’re thrilled to welcome Virgin Atlantic to Dubai International (DXB), the world's busiest and one of the most iconic aviation hubs. Dubai Airports’ partnership with Virgin Atlantic goes back many years and this launch marks an exciting chapter in our joint vision of providing travellers with an exemplary guest experience, on the ground and in the air. This new addition strengthens our connectivity and enhances the global appeal of Dubai as a destination and gateway to other cities.” 

The route commenced on 30th October operating on the airline’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft boasting 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium and 192 Economy Delight, Classic and Light seats.  The new service will offer seamless connections and a consistent long-haul onboard experience for those customers connecting from Dubai via London Heathrow to destinations throughout North America across both the Virgin Atlantic and Delta networks, including New York, Seattle, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

As well as flying customers, Virgin Atlantic will offer 20 tonnes of cargo capacity on each flight. This fast cargo service will offer new opportunities for companies looking to export and import goods such as fresh produce and high-tech products between the Middle East and prime markets in the UK and US.  

Virgin Atlantic last operated flights to Dubai in March 2019.

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For more information, please contact the Virgin Atlantic Press Office on 01293 747373 or email press.office@fly.virgin.com

About Virgin Atlantic      

Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2022, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the sixth year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs more than 7,500 people worldwide, flying customers to 31 destinations across four continents throughout the year. Virgin Atlantic recently continued its expansion in the US, launching new routes to Austin, Texas and Tampa, Florida.

Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. In February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers.  Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in March 2023 as the global airline alliance’s first and only UK member airline, enhancing the alliance’s transatlantic network and services to and from Heathrow and Manchester Airport.  

Virgin Atlantic has been pioneering sustainability leadership for more than 15 years, committing to Net Zero by 2050 and continuous action that reduces environmental impact.  The airline operates one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the skies and has reduced its absolute carbon emissions by 35% over the last decade. In October 2022, Virgin Atlantic welcomed the first of 16 A330-900neos to the fleet, continuing its transformation towards 100% next generation aircraft by 2027.  Later in 2023, Virgin Atlantic is leading an industry consortium to deliver the first 100% SAF flight across the transatlantic. Demonstrating that 100% SAF can be used safely as a drop in fuel in existing infrastructure, engines and airframes. The need to scale production is an industry imperative and Virgin Atlantic is committed to radical collaboration across the energy chain to support commercialisation ahead of 2030.

For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com or via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @virginatlantic.