For the first time, Virgin Airlines will service a daily, direct route between London Heathrow and Riyadh.
This announcement came yesterday as the airline confirmed three new flight paths that have been approved for take off in 2025. In May 2025, Virgin Atlantic will relaunch their route from London Heathrow to Accra, Ghana for the first time since 2013. And, the Richard Branson owned airline recently signed off on plans to reconnect the British capital to Toronto, Canada, this will be Virgin's first Canadian route in a decade.
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Connecting London Heathrow and Riyadh
A daily return route, the flights to Riyadh will be operated on Virgin Atlantic's state-of-the-art A330neo aircraft, specifically operating on long-haul routes, this Airbus aircraft offers passengers a comfortable and luxurious travel experience.
With the first flight scheduled to depart London Heathrow on March 30, 2025, the new flight route between the two cities will be bookable from September 12 of this year.
Offering four classes; Economy, Economy Delight, Premium and Upper Class, the A330neo has a standard 2-4-2 configuration in both Economy and Economy Delight, with the aft seating reducing to a 2-3-2 set up. With less than 50 seats in Premium (equal to business), guests can expect a 2-3-2 configuration, and in Upper Class a suite of capsulated single seats for the utmost privacy and comfort.
Flight Details
Tentative flight details have been revealed, however they are subject to change by government, airspace authorities and airport slot approvals.
London Heathrow (LHR) to Riyadh (RUH) - VS242: 14:45 -> 23:35
Riyadh (RUH) to London Heathrow (LHR) - VS243: 01: 25 -> 07:00
Why Riyadh? Why Saudi?
According to an announcement released by Virgin Atlantic, the decision to launch the London-Riyadh route is driven by the significant growth in trade, and the increased demand for travel between the UK and Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, has be the location of rapid development in recent years, and the city has seen transformative growth and recognition on an international scale, in part thanks to the continued success of recent Riyadh Season celebrations and events. The city boasts an expanded downtown business district, theme parks, and numerous shopping and entertainment complexes, and a host of internationally renowned dining establishments.
Supporting the connectivity and tourism goals, alongside the shared business aspirations of Vision 2030, and relations between both Saudi and the United Kingdom, this new route is set to play a part in the expected 24% increase in air travel between the two nations over the next decade.
Beyond the capital, the Kingdom offers visitors a wealth of cultural attractions, including UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the old town of Al Balad in Jeddah, the incredible Hegra found in AlUla, and the stunning ancient Rock Art in Hima.
Daily direct flights from London Heathrow - Riyadh,
Bookable from September 12, 2024
Taking off from March 30, 2025
@virginatlantic
