Virgin Atlantic lands in Saudi

Wednesday, 23 Apr, 2025 0

Virgin Atlantic has touched down in Riyadh, Saudi for the first time.

Virgin Atlantic’s first ever flight into the country, operated by an Airbus A330neo, landed with founder Sir Richard Branson onboard.

The airline’s newest route operates daily to King Khalid International Airport.

Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister for Tourism, hailed the new airlift: “Virgin Atlantic’s arrival into Saudi signifies the next chapter in the country’s emergence as a premier global destination. It opens the doors for more tourists from the UK and beyond.”

“Virgin Atlantic’s launch into Saudi is more than just a new route—it’s a perfect complement to Saudi’s growing global tourism appeal.

The UK is one of Saudi’s top priority markets, the minister said.

Branson added: “I know our new Saudi customers are going to love the Virgin Atlantic experience, and I can’t wait for our wonderful teams to welcome them onboard very soon.”

Saudi is the world’s 20th largest economy, the largest in the Middle East and air travel between the UK and Saudi is forecast to grow 24% between 2019-2035.

Saudi travellers can connect to twelve destinations throughout North America, on Virgin Atlantic and Delta networks, via Heathrow including Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, Boston and Detroit.

Saudi flights offer Upper Class fully flat beds and the Retreat Suite which is the airline’s largest ever business class seat.

Learn more about : Virgin Atlantic ( United Kingdom )

below social share icons

TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

Home to America’s Best Beaches, a vibrant arts community and amazing outdoor experiences, St. Pete/Clearwater is a sunny destination that...

Discover Sarawak Revealing a side of Asia unlike anywhere else, Sarawak offers an alternative for those seeking humble authenticity far...

Local spices spike the fragrant air of Morocco. Cradled by the dunes of the Sahara, the Kingdom has been inhabited...

We make travel accessible for everyone We believe everyone should be free to experience the world. For us, there’s no...

Here at Elegant Resorts, luxury travel is in our DNA. True pioneers in the industry, we were the first specialist...

River cruising is a treat for the senses, allowing you to see, touch, feel and experience the world like never...

WANDERERS WELCOME to MISSISSIPPI Mississippi is a state for all those who are wanderers at heart. From lush, forested Appalachian foothills to...

Rakuten is a global powerhouse, with deep roots in Asia, and dominance in Japan. We enable our clients globally to...

For over 18 years and over 106 completed events, the Travel & Adventure Show has connected over 2.5 million travel...

Ensuring our guests have an unforgettable experience while sailing with us is paramount; however, your health and safety remains our...

It’s easy to find perfection in Santa Barbara, but what if there was even more of your favorite finds, activities,...

STA was established to support the growth of the travel and tourism sector by serving the needs of tourism companies...

Offering the most powerful portfolio in the industry, our 30 brands and 8,000+ properties across 139 countries and territories give...

Air Transat is Canada’s number one leisure airline. It flies to some 60 international destinations in more than 25 countries...

Arival advances the business of creating amazing in-destination experiences. We provide events, insights, and community for creators and sellers of...

SAINT LUCIA IS NO ORDINARY ISLAND Equal parts beauty and mystique, Saint Lucia captivates anyone who sets foot on her...

Holiday Extras is the UK market leader in airport parking, airport hotels, worldwide airport lounges, destination car hire, airport transfers...

Family-owned Olympic Holidays has been arranging holidays to Greece, the Greek islands and Cyprus for more than half century. The company is unrivalled...