Virgin Atlantic Cuts Flights on 3 U.S. Routes This Winter

Virgin Atlantic Reduces Flights on Key US Routes This Winter

Virgin Atlantic, a prominent British airline, has made significant reductions in its flight schedules on several major US routes for the upcoming winter season. According to data from aviation analytics company Cirium, the most notable cuts will affect services from London Heathrow to Orlando, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

Earlier this year, Virgin Atlantic had already warned about a slowdown in demand for transatlantic travel to the United States. Despite launching two new North American connections in Cancun and Toronto, the airline is still grappling with over $1 billion in debt accumulated during the pandemic. However, 2024 marked a milestone for the airline as it recorded its first profitable year since 2016.

Winter Schedule Adjustments

Looking at the schedule from November 2025 to March 2026, Virgin Atlantic's biggest reduction will be on its London Heathrow (LHR) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) route. The frequency of flights on this route will be halved in November, followed by a drop from ten to seven weekly flights for the rest of the winter season. This decision contrasts with earlier reports that suggested Virgin might consider adding peak daily flights to SFO.

The airline will also reduce flights from Heathrow to Orlando International Airport (MCO), starting in December, with the number of weekly flights decreasing from ten to seven. Additionally, the daily connection between Heathrow and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) will see one or two weekly flights removed between January and March.

There have also been minor adjustments on other routes, such as some flights being dropped from the London Heathrow and Manchester (MAN) to New York JFK (JFK) services during the winter months.

Signs of Slowing Demand

Virgin Atlantic has indicated that it has started to see signs of slowing demand in the US market. This has prompted the airline to scale back some of its US routes, including reducing the frequency of flights to JFK and Seattle-Tacoma (SEA). Other European carriers, such as Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, and IAG (the parent company of British Airways and Aer Lingus), have also experienced similar declines in demand, particularly during the summer period.

Experts attribute much of the decline in demand to the weakening US economy, which has had a more pronounced effect on the premium market. The return of Donald Trump to the presidency, growing diplomatic tensions, and stricter border checks have further added to the uncertainty in the market.

A Legacy of Transatlantic Travel

Virgin Atlantic has been serving the United States for over 41 years, beginning with its inaugural service—a 747-200-operated route from London Gatwick to Newark Liberty in the summer of 1984. Today, the airline operates flights to nearly a dozen US destinations, with the majority of its flights originating from its London Heathrow base.

As one of the 'Big Five' transatlantic airlines—alongside British Airways, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines—Virgin Atlantic holds the second-highest number of flights across the Atlantic, trailing only British Airways. Recently, the airline launched flights to Toronto Pearson (YYZ), operating daily during the summer and reducing to four weekly flights during the winter. This is the only Canadian destination in Virgin Atlantic’s network, offering passengers the benefit of a codeshare agreement with WestJet.