One Stop to Seoul or Riyadh: Virgin Atlantic Unlocks New Routes for U.S. Flyers

Virgin Atlantic is deepening its eastbound reach with two new routes that tap into major commercial growth corridors in Asia and the Middle East—adding Seoul and Riyadh to its global network while strengthening one-stop links for U.S. and Canadian travelers connecting through London Heathrow.

The new destinations—daily service to Riyadh is now underway and flights to Seoul are launching in March 2026—aim to capitalize on growing business and leisure demand across key markets, while reinforcing Virgin Atlantic’s role as a transatlantic carrier with serious global ambitions.

Virgin Enters the Saudi Market

Virgin Atlantic’s first flight to Riyadh touched down this week, marking its entry into the Saudi market. The daily service to King Khalid International Airport, operated daily with the airline’s brand-new Airbus A330neo, aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 development plan and targets both business travelers and connecting leisure passengers.

The city is becoming a magnet for corporate travel, with its rapidly expanding downtown, growing financial sector, and major infrastructure projects.

Photo: Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic expects the Riyadh route to generate strong Saudi-origin traffic while offering onward connections via SkyTeam partner Saudia to Jeddah, Dammam, Al Ula, and Medina. For this reason, the airline is offering culturally attuned onboard service, including Arabic coffee and dates in Upper and Premium cabins, halal meals across all classes, and a Traveler’s Prayer prior to the safety video.

Virgin also anticipates closer collaboration with Riyadh Air, which is expected to begin operations later this year. The two airlines signed a strategic cooperation agreement in 2024 to explore joint benefits and potential code-sharing arrangements.

Direct Link to Seoul from 2026

Virgin Atlantic will launch daily flights to Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul on March 29, 2026, operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

The route is designed with North American travelers in mind. Passengers departing from New York JFK, for example, will benefit from a short layover of under 90 minutes at Heathrow before continuing to South Korea. For U.S. and Canadian travelers heading to Asia, the route offers an alternative to existing trans-Pacific options while capitalizing on the strong demand for leisure and business travel to Korea.

Photo: Courtesy of Boeing Commercial Airplanes

Seoul’s appeal extends beyond its role as a major commercial center. Virgin Atlantic’s partnership with SkyTeam member Korean Air opens codeshare access to 15 destinations across the region—including Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka in Japan; Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam; Sydney and Brisbane in Australia; and Auckland, New Zealand.

“This is a significant addition to our portfolio,” said Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic. “We’re incredibly excited to expand our network in the east, offering customers the opportunity to fly in style for business or to visit friends and relatives.”

India Operations Scale Up

India remains central to Virgin Atlantic’s eastbound strategy. In 2025, the carrier will mark 25 years of service to the subcontinent. Its current schedule includes five daily flights—one to Bengaluru and two each to Mumbai and Delhi—representing a 350 percent increase in capacity since 2019.

The growth is especially relevant to business travelers connecting from key North American cities, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, and Toronto.

Photo: Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic now offers more than one million annual seats to India and over 40 million kilograms of cargo capacity, which has become increasingly valuable for time-sensitive shipments in the tech and pharmaceutical sectors.

Further connectivity is provided through Virgin’s partnership with IndiGo, India’s largest airline, enabling connections to 36 domestic destinations such as Goa, Varanasi, Lucknow, and Srinagar. Since its September 2023 launch, the partnership has facilitated over 130,000 customer connections.

“Providing seamless connections is a real focus for us,” said Jarvinen. “By leveraging commercial cooperation with Korean Air, Saudia, IndiGo, and Riyadh Air, our customers can trust Virgin Atlantic to take them where they need to go—with a consistent long-haul experience and the service they expect.”

Heathrow: Transfer Hub for Business Travel

Virgin Atlantic’s latest network developments further enhance Heathrow’s role as a strategic transfer point for east-west travel. The new flights provide one-stop access from North America to key commercial hubs in Asia and the Middle East, featuring short layovers, consistent onboard service, and expanded codeshare options.

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, London Heathrow / Photo: Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic

For business travelers looking for reliable connections and competitive flight times to destinations like Seoul, Riyadh, and major cities in India, Virgin Atlantic’s improved offerings are a strong alternative to U.S. and Gulf carriers.

By adding Seoul in 2026, Virgin Atlantic continues to develop a focused long-haul network that aligns with the changing travel preferences of its North American premium customers.