Sun-drenched Silicon Valley is to get a direct service to Heathrow when British Airways starts offering non-stop flights to San José in summer 2016.

San José is the world’s software power-house and home to household hi-tech giants such as Adobe, Apple, Cisco, eBay, Google and Intel, as well as thousands of tech start-up companies and world-famous Stanford University in nearby Palo Alto.

British Airways will offer daily flights on the only service between Europe and San José, to the airline’s fourth Californian destination, after Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, on its brand new 787-9 Dreamliner, which features its very latest First cabin.

Customers can already fly daily to Los Angeles and San Francisco in comfort and style on British Airways’ super-jumbo, the A380, the world’s largest passenger aircraft.

Stephen Humphreys, British Airways, head of global sales, said: “There’s no better place to fly the world’s most advanced passenger aircraft than to the world’s home of hi-tech and innovation, San José.

“Our new daily service will offer fantastic direct flights between Silicon Valley and London, with onward connections to scores of destinations around the globe on our extensive world-wide network.

“We’re sure this new service will prove just the business for Californian-based companies looking to expand into Europe and will strengthen London’s strong commercial ties with the West Coast.

“It also offers a brilliant starting point for visitors to nearby Carmel and Monterey on the rugged central coast along highway one, and easy access to the unrivalled splendour of Yosemite National Park.”

The new British Airways daily service starts on May 4th, 2016.

The BA279 will touch down in San José for the first time, just after 6pm in the evening, after a ten hour 50 minute flight from Heathrow.

The airline’s 787-9 Dreamliner will offer eight seats in its new First cabin, 42 seats in Club World, 39 in World Traveller Plus and another 127 for those seated in World Traveller.

The British Airways 787-9 Dreamliner, which will make its first commercial flight from Heathrow to Delhi in October, will be the most technologically advanced aircraft in British Airways’ fleet.

Sam Liccardo, mayor of San Jose, said: “San José and Silicon Valley tech companies have committed to Mineta San José International as being their airport of choice, and have expressed strong support for a direct flight to London for several years.

“British Airways’ announcement to launch services between San José and London Heathrow will be well received by both business and leisure travellers in our region.”