Virgin paused flying to the Saudi capital from Heathrow last month with the Foreign Office continuing to advise against all but essential travel to parts of Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh. It has now scrapped the route after less than a year citing the evolving situation in the Middle East.
Heathrow-Riyadh services will end on Tuesday (7 April). The destination will continue to be served by SkyTeam alliance and codeshare partner Saudia, which also flies to Jeddah.
Virgin said the decision was based on "the latest intelligence and regulatory guidance", as well as demand, and the need to be able to operate "a stable and reliable scheduled".
Virgin's seasonal Dubai service, which operates from October to March, was also last month paused owing to the war in Iran. However, it does plan to return during winter 2026/27, subject to safety assessments and sufficient demand, The Independent reports.
'Show of confidence'
The changes have allowed Virgin to redeploy capacity elsewhere. One major beneficiary is Jamaica, which will see its current four times weekly Heathrow-Montego Bay service go up to daily from 1 June for the remainder of the summer season through to 24 October, delivering more than 15,000 additional seats.
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) said the decision reinforced strong demand for the destination and its "sustained long-term growth potential within the UK market" as it bounces back from the effects of Hurricane Melissa.
Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s minister of tourism, said: "The UK remains one of our most important source markets, and this increased airlift will be instrumental in driving our continued recovery and growth.
"We are particularly encouraged by this show of confidence at such a pivotal time, and we look forward to working closely with our airline partners to ensure Jamaica remains front of mind for British travellers.”
The JTB said bookings for Q1 2026 had got off to a strong start, "with travel agents and tour operators experiencing a major surge in demand". It added this reflected "continued confidence in Jamaica’s appeal among British holidaymakers" at "an important time for the island's tourism sector".
"We are pleased with the confidence Virgin Atlantic continues to have in the destination," said Donovan White, JTB director of tourism. "This expansion also speaks to the demand for Jamaica in the UK and is in alignment with our growth strategy for the region."
India and US
Elsewhere, Virgin's Bengaluru route will go up from seven to 13 flights a week, complementing year-round double-daily Mumbai and Delhi services. Virgin also plans to deploy larger A350 aircraft on its Mumbai route, increasing capacity by 30%.
In addition, Virgin will up its Las Vegas service from seven to 10 flights a week, starting from 31 August, "driven by strong demand in September and October".
