Virgin Atlantic to open new Saudi link

LONDON - As Virgin Atlantic withdraws from Shanghai the airline has been looking for 2025 network opportunities beyond its US catchment: Virgin Atlantic will add the two new destinations of Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and Accra (Ghana) to its network for summer 2025 and restore an idle Canada route.

For the first time, Virgin Atlantic will launch a daily service to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"The service aims to participate in the growth expected from Saudi Vision 2030," Virgin said. "In 2023, annual trade between the UK and Saudi Arabia was worth £17.1 billion with an ambition to reach £30 billion of trade by 2030. Accordingly, air travel between the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia is forecast to grow 24% between 2019-2035."

Flights to Riyadh will operate daily on A330neo aircraft with the first flight departing London Heathrow on 30 March 2025.

Virgin Atlantic will also return to Ghana for the first time since 2013, with daily flights to Kotoka International Airport in the nation’s capital, Accra, from May 2025.

Virgin Atlantic recently announced expansion in North America with its return to Canada. The airline’s first route to the country in more than a decade will commence on 30th March 2025 with direct flights between London Heathrow and Toronto Pearson International Airport.