British carrier Virgin Atlantic has announced plans to increase its flight services between London Heathrow and Dubai to meet the growing demand for leisure tourism between the two cities. The airline recently resumed its flights to Dubai and launched a seasonal winter service on October 30, initially operating four flights a week. Virgin Atlantic now intends to expand its service to a daily offering from October 2024 to March 2025.
Virgin Atlantic, owned by billionaire Richard Branson, previously operated flights to Dubai until March 2019. The London-Dubai route is considered one of the busiest air routes globally, ranking as the fourth busiest in 2022 with over 2.697 million seats, as per OAG data. It also stands as Dubai Airport’s second busiest route after Jeddah.
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With the aviation industry’s ongoing recovery, airlines are unveiling new routes. Air India, Air Canada, Cyprus Airways, and Maldives-based Beond, among others, have added Dubai to their list of new destinations, reinforcing the emirate’s status as a global aviation hub.
Virgin Atlantic aims to capitalize on the increased demand for premium winter sun getaways by expanding its Dubai services. Additionally, it will provide connectivity to long-haul passengers, facilitating travel from Dubai through London Heathrow to destinations across North America.
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Liezl Gericke, Head of International at Virgin Atlantic, expressed enthusiasm about the return of the popular route, stating, “We look forward to welcoming our customers back on board, whether traveling 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, noted that this addition strengthens Dubai International Airport’s connectivity and enhances the emirate’s global appeal as a destination and gateway to other cities.
