Virgin Atlantic announces return of Dubai flights

Virgin Atlantic is to return to Dubai after a gap of more than four years with flights from Heathrow starting on October 28.

The four-times-a-week service will operate from October to March on the airline’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium and 192 Economy Delight, Classic and Light seats.

Flights can be booked from June 7, with return fares from £505.

The reinstated service will bring Virgin Atlantic into direct competition with British Airways and Emirates between the London hub and the Gulf state.

The carrier stopped serving Dubai in March 2019 after 12 years following a review of its network in the previous year.

The airline said the Dubai relaunch will complement Virgin Atlantic’s two other recently announced destinations: the Maldives and Turks and Caicos.

New Virgin Atlantic Manchester-Las Vegas service

Virgin Atlantic has also announced an expansion to services from Manchester airport, with new services to Las Vegas starting in summer 2024.

The new Manchester service will operate on one of Virgin Atlantic’s newest aircraft, the Airbus A350-1000, with 16 Upper Class, 56 Premium, and 325 Economy Delight, Classic, and Light seats. Fares start from £770 per person in Economy.

Furthermore, Virgin Atlantic will offer inter-island flying in the Caribbean from June 14.

It said it will be the only UK airline allowing travellers to hop from Barbados to Grenada or St Vincent and the Grenadines.

This will be complemented by an increase in flights to St Vincent and the Grenadines, which will operate thrice-weekly this winter, with seats to St Lucia increasing by 33% since last year.

Rikke Christensen, Virgin Atlantic network and alliances vice-president, said: “I’m thrilled to be returning to Dubai – a destination we know our customers and people love. Its inviting climate during the cold UK winter, combined with its first-class collection of hotels and experiences, make Dubai a must-visit destination for sunshine hungry Brits.

“We’ve long wanted to return to this incredible city when the time was right, and this year presents the perfect opportunity.

“Dubai will complement our growing collection of winter sun destinations, bolstered by the Maldives and Turks and Caicos later this year alongside our new services between Manchester and Las Vegas in summer 2024 and the soon-to-commence inter-Caribbean flights.”