Virgin Atlantic’s Winter 2025/26 schedule is getting a good old reshuffle think more Maldives, less Manhattan, and a quiet farewell to the Caribbean (again). Here’s what’s hot, what’s not, and what’s getting a full-on frequency facelift.
In This Post
Maldives: Daily Dreams Come True
Let’s start with the sunny side. Virgin Atlantic is going all in on paradise, upping its London Heathrow–Malé service from 3x to 7x weekly flights in Winter 2025. That’s right daily hops to the Maldives.
These winter seasonal flights initially launched on 22 October 2023 and have clearly proved to be a hit:
- VS384 LHR 17:35 – 08:55+1 MLE (Wed, Fri & Sun)
- VS385 MLE 10:45 – 17:05 LHR (Mon, Thu & Sat)
Expect those frequencies to stretch across the whole week in 2025. Sand, sea, and seven chances a week to escape the British drizzle.
JFK Gets a Haircut, SFO Grows, and Orlando Gets Buff
Now for the tweaks. Virgin is fine-tuning some of its big-name routes from Heathrow this winter:
- New York JFK – trimmed from 5x to 4x daily flights
- Orlando – no extra flights, but a 160% year-on-year increase in seat capacity (hello, bigger birds)
- San Francisco – up from 7x to 10x weekly because who doesn’t want more fog and burritos?
So, while JFK loses frequency, other cities are basking in more Virgin love.
Delta + Virgin = Seattle Still Safe
Worried about the London–Seattle link? Don’t be. While Delta will drop its 2x daily Seattle–LHR flights in Winter 2025, this is purely a time swap, not a cut in service.
Virgin Atlantic and Delta will each maintain a daily flight between Seattle and Heathrow throughout the season. As always, smooth transatlantic cooperation.
St Lucia: Sun-Soaked Farewell
It’s official: Virgin Atlantic will not resume flights to St Lucia in Winter 2025/26. The route, which had a brief comeback for Winter 2021/22, is now scrubbed from sale.
To reminisce:
- VS221 LHR–UVF operated Tues, Thurs & Sat
- VS222 UVF–LHR returned overnight on the same days
- The last seasonal run ended on 23 April 2022
It was sweet while it lasted, but it looks like Virgin’s St Lucia affair has truly fizzled out.
The Bigger Picture
Virgin Atlantic’s Winter 2025/26 schedule is a clear signal: more Maldives, more West Coast, and strategic shifts to maximise demand and profitability. The loss of St Lucia will sting some, but with beefed-up Orlando seats and daily Malé magic, Virgin keeps its red tail pointed firmly toward sun and surf.
H/T Sean M on X
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