Virgin

In a few weeks the new route will be whisking holidaymakers away to their dream destination

Virgin Atlantic is opening its newest route, offering travellers a direct 14-hour flight from London Heathrow to the largest island in Thailand. It will become the only direct route between London and Phuket, with most other direct flights to Thailand ending in Bangkok instead.

Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and a popular resort destination famous for its long sandy beaches, jaw-dropping scenery and rich culture. Phuket International Airport itself is a tourist attraction as the runway sits right next to Mai Khao Beach, making for some iconic photographs as beachgoers can watch planes coming in for landing just overhead.

Virgin’s new route is expected to launch on October 18, 2026, after being announced last autumn. The Boeing 787-9 planes hold more than 250 seats and will be taking flight seasonally to Phuket three times a week.

Phuket’s winter season runs from November to February, but even these cooler months can see average daytime highs hitting over 30°C and cooler evenings rarely dipping below 20°C. This is also the dry season for the island, following the heavy summer rains and monsoon season.

The new route adds to the winter sun destinations Virgin offers British travellers, with other hotspots including the Maldives, Dubai, Cape Town and year-round Caribbean options.

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic, said when the route was announced last year: “We’re thrilled to introduce our new direct service to Phuket, giving our customers a flavour of one of Southeast Asia’s most captivating destinations.

“As well as making the trip more convenient, they can enjoy exploring Thailand’s unique heritage, natural beauty and delicious cuisine. We can’t wait for our customers to experience our trademark hospitality on their next unforgettable journey.”

Virgin has also partnered with Bangkok Airways, allowing travellers to use the new Phuket route and get easy connections over land and sea to Thailand’s other islands, including Bangkok, Koh Samui and Krabi.

The London to Phuket flights will be taking off every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday this winter, with return flights leaving the island on Thursday, Saturday and Monday.

Travellers wanting to head to the Andaman Sea before October 18 are still able to book their holiday with Virgin Atlantic Holidays, but they will be flying on an Emirates plane with a connection in Dubai.

Seats on Virgin’s inaugural Phuket flight are currently priced around £1,300 for a one-way in economy and up to £4,097 for upper class seats.

VIRGIN Trains has been given the green light to launch European train services from the UK.

The operator will run routes from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

The announcement comes as the Office of Rail and Road pre-approved the outline for track access via St Pancras and HS1, right up to the entrance of the Channel Tunnel.

This access would contribute to Virgin Trains operating 20 daily return services between the UK’s capital and the three European cities.

The agreement for services will be from October 1, 2030 to December 31, 2040.

Next, Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed will look to make an agreement on services by September 4.

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Then Virgin Trains will need to purchase trains, gain access to other rail networks and make sure safety measures are met.

The operator then hopes to get services up and running in 2030.

While there are no announcements on prices, the launch could see cheaper tickets what with more competition.

Martin Jones, deputy director, access & international, said: “This is an important next step in bringing competition and growth to the market for international rail services, and we welcome the progress Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed have made.

“While there is still more work to do, we are supporting Virgin and the wider industry to grow international services.”

Back in October, the Office of Rail and Road approved Virgin Trains’ application for access to Temple Mills International depot – which will help them to launch international services.

Other operators’ applications including Evolyn, Gemini and Trenitalia, were rejected.

At the time, Jones said: “With this decision we are backing customer choice and competition in international rail, unlocking up to £700million in private sector investment and stimulating growth.

“While there is still some way to go before the first new services can run, we stand ready to work with Virgin Trains as their plans develop.”