Virgin Atlantic is delighted to continue its expansion East as it announces new daily flying to Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, with the first flight taking to the skies on 29th March 2026.

South Korea is the world’s 13th largest economy and a global leader in high-tech manufacturing, R&D and home to thriving technology and beauty industries offering new business opportunities for Virgin Atlantic Cargo. Whilst the route will attract important corporate travel as well as visiting friends and relatives (VFR), the new service is expected to attract a predominantly leisure customer driven by the foody culture, amazing shopping and also the “Korean Wave”, which refers to the increasing worldwide popularity of South Korea’s pop culture encompassing music (K-pop), TV and films. Easy connections to Japan will attract tourists looking to explore exciting Tokyo, Kyoto temples close to Osaka, mud baths in Fukuoka, the beaches of Okinawa and the world-renowned powder snow in Hokkaido. These destinations offer unique new opportunities for Virgin Atlantic Holidays and Flying Club loyalty members, and offer new routing opportunities for our leisure travel trade partners.

This new service will create new East Asian connections, in collaboration with SkyTeam members Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines, China Eastern, China Airlines, Garuda Indonesia and Xiamen Airlines. Through Seoul Incheon, customers will be able to connect to 15 cities through codeshare agreements with Korean Air throughout South Korea, including the beautiful coastal city of Busan as well as Osaka, Nagoya, Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita, Fukuoka, Okinawa and Hokkaido in Japan, Sydney and Brisbane in Australia, Auckland in New Zealand, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang in Vietnam and Hong Kong. 

Virgin Atlantic flights will take place on the Boeing 787-9 and will go on sale on 14th May 2025.

Touchdown in Riyadh

Virgin Atlantic has touched down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the airline’s first ever flying into the ever-expanding Kingdom. Joining other Virgin brand Virgin Mobile Saudi, the new daily service to King Khalid International Airport will capitalise on business expected from the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030. Riyadh is in growth mode, with an expanded downtown business district, F1 circuit, theme park, shopping and entertainment complexes. The city is also the perfect base to explore this vast country and in partnership with Saudia, flights can connect customers on to the UNESCO World Heritage sites of historical Jeddah, the gateway to Mecca, the second holiest city in Islam Medinah, Al Ula, Damman, the stunning Rock Art in Hima, as well as the luxurious resorts in the stunning Red Sea.

The market is expected to have a predominantly Saudi Arabian point of sale, which will see customers visiting the UK, as well as seamlessly connecting to twelve destinations throughout North America, on Virgin Atlantic and Delta networks, including Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Las Vegas, Seattle, Boston and Detroit.  Alongside business travellers, the route will serve the VFR market, which has seen a fivefold increase in Saudis living in the UK between 2000 and 2018.

Riyadh is also home to the airline’s SkyTeam partner, Saudia and this exciting partnership offers onward connections to Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi in Pakistan. Virgin Atlantic also looks forward to deepening its partnership with Riyadh Air, when it takes to the skies in 2025. In September 2024, Virgin Atlantic signed a Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding, with the goal of introducing an array of benefits for customers traveling between London, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond. The agreement, is the first stage in the strategic partnership that will enable both airlines to strengthen connectivity, expand their networks and enhance customer experience.

To ensure our new Saudi customers feel at home onboard, Virgin Atlantic has tailored its award-winning experience creating a dedicated ‘Riyadh core crew’ who have undertaken specialist training to become experts in Saudi culture.  Arabic coffee is served as part of the pre departure drinks service alongside a selection of dates in the Upper and Premium cabins, Halal meals are available throughout, and the Travellers Prayer also plays before the safety video