Virgin Atlantic Unveils New Route for Summer 2023

Virgin Atlantic has announced an abundance of new route launches, including the resumption of its London Heathrow-Dubai service, which was paused in 2019. The airline is capitalizing on the demand for premium travel by expanding its route network with more leisure destinations. 

The relaunch of the route is expected to go hand in hand with the British carrier’s other newly announced premium destinations— the Maldives and Turks and Caicos. All three new routes aim to appease leisure travelers looking to escape the colder temperatures.  

Photo: Dubai, UAE. Courtesy of Wael Hneini / Unsplash

“We’ve long wanted to return to this incredible city when the time was right, and this year presents the perfect opportunity,” says Rikke Christensen, Vice President of Network & Alliances at Virgin Atlantic. “Dubai will complement our growing collection of winter sun destinations, bolstered by The Maldives and Turks and Caicos later this year alongside our new services between Manchester and Las Vegas in Summer 2024 and the soon-to-be-commenced inter-Caribbean flights.” 

Service to Dubai will run four times weekly and operate seasonally from October through March. It will begin on October 28 onboard the airline’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which has 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium, and 192 Economy seats. In addition, the new service intends to offer connections through London to North American destinations across the Virgin Atlantic and Delta networks. 

Manchester To Vegas Service 

From Summer 2024, Virgin Atlantic will expand services from Manchester—the airline’s Northern hub—to Las Vegas. The service is intended to expand travelers’ options to other North American destinations such as Orlando and Barbados. 

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000. Courtesy of Aric Cheng / Unsplash

The new flight to Vegas will be operated by the airline’s new Airbus A350-1000, which boasts Virgin’s unique social space, The Booth. The new area is designed for Upper-Class passengers and provides a space to sit, relax, and socialize during long-haul flights. 

Caribbean Expansion 

Meanwhile, the airline also intends to reaffirm its position as the leading transatlantic airline in the Caribbean by launching inter-island flying. From June 14, Virgin Atlantic will allow passengers to hop from Barbados to Grenada or Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 

All the inter-island services are intended to provide international and local customers with more opportunities to explore the different Caribbean islands. 

Compared to 2019, the airline has grown its regional presence by offering unique flight offerings and 150% more seats in its premium cabins. In addition to the inter-island expansion, Virgin Atlantic is increasing its flights to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which will operate thrice weekly starting this winter. 

Onboard programming updates 

This year, the airline has also launched various new initiatives to improve the onboard experience, including new kids’ amenities and increased training to better accommodate blind and visually impaired passengers. 

The new kids’ activity packs will be handed out to youngsters this summer at the gates of every Virgin Atlantic flight in U.K. airports. In addition, Virgin Atlantic also refreshed the spring and summer menu with new onboard offerings. Options such as seafood tortellini, Pimm’s pudding, iced tea, and rosé will be available during the warmer months within the premium cabins.