Virgin Atlantic is expanding its London-Heathrow offering for the summer 2025 season with new services to Accra in Ghana and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The carrier is strengthening its Middle East network by landing in Saudi Arabia for the first time. In addition to capturing the leisure and business traveler market, his new service will focus on the VFR (visiting friends and relatives) market, which has seen a five-fold increase in Saudis residing in the UK between 2000 and 2018.
Customers will access Virgin Atlantic’s transatlantic services to Atlanta, New York-JFK, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, Boston and Detroit. Air travel between the UK and Saudi Arabia is estimated to grow by 24% between 2019 and 2035.
Riyadh is a hub for its Skyteam partner Saudia. This partnership will enable connections to Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, as well as further domestic destinations in Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Mainland China. All flights operated by Saudia from London Heathrow and Manchester to Riyadh and Jeddah are already marketed by Virgin Atlantic and are available for purchase through all its regular channels.
Virgin Atlantic flight schedule between London Heathrow (LHR) and Riyadh (RUH)
Starts on 30 March 2025.
- Flight 403: LHR 14:45 – RUH 23:55 daily flights.
- Flight 404: RUH 01:25 – LHR 07:00 daily flights.
The route will be operated on Airbus A330-900neo aircraft with a capacity of 262 passengers in three classes: 32 Business Class, 46 Premium Economy, and 184 in Economy. Virgin Atlantic will offer 30 tonnes of cargo capacity on each flight for companies looking to export and import goods. After more than a decade, the operator returns to Ghana since its last operation in 2013. The airline will provide a non-stop service between London-Heathrow and Accra, offering a new travel alternative as the route is monopolised by rival British Airways.
This route will cater to the growing demand in the VFR (visiting friends and relatives) market. It is estimated that around 10% of customers will connect via London with Virgin Atlantic’s New York-JFK route.
Flight schedule between London Heathrow (LHR) and Accra (ACC)
Starts on May 1, 2025.
- Flight VS 243: LHR 14:45 – RUH 23:55 daily flights.
- Flight VS 244: RUH 01:25 – LHR 07:00 daily flights.
The route will be operated on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft with a capacity of 258 seats in three classes: 31 Business Class, 35 Premium Economy and 192 in Economy. Virgin Atlantic will also offer 30 tons of cargo on each flight to move goods between Ghana and strategic markets in the United Kingdom and the United States.
