VS Bulletin: Winter 2026 Network Update – 06 May 2026

• 06 May 2026
• News

Due to evolving customer demand, Virgin Atlantic is making some changes to their winter 2026 flying programme. 

Virgin Atlantic is pleased to announce a significant increase in capacity to South Africa for the upcoming winter 2026 season, reinforcing their long-standing commitment to the market and meeting growing demand for both leisure and business travel.

From October 2026 through March 2027, Virgin Atlantic will operate up to 10 flights per week between London Heathrow and Johannesburg, alongside 11 weekly services into Cape Town. Virgin Atlantic’s existing daily Johannesburg service will also operate daily on an A350-1000 for the winter season. The updated flight schedule enhances convenience for travellers, with earlier morning arrivals into South Africa allowing passengers to maximise their time on the ground, and later evening departures offering a more seamless overnight journey to London. 

Unfortunately, Virgin Atlantic have taken the difficult decision to temporarily suspend their seasonal winter service to Dubai for the winter 2026 season, while services to Seattle will be temporarily suspended for the Winter 2026 season only, before resuming in March 2027. Customers can continue to travel to Seattle with Virgin Atlantic's partner Delta Air Lines who will offer daily services from London Heathrow. 

Virgin Atlantic’s schedule and any affected bookings will be updated in the GDSs by Sunday 10 May 2026.

Virgin Atlantic is very sorry for the disappointment caused to their customers. For further details on the rebooking options for Seattle and Dubai, please visit Partner Hub for the latest information. If however a refund is preferred, you can request this immediately, referring to the refund guidelines in the schedule change policy.