Virgin Atlantic. צילום: Shutterstock Virgin Strengthens Its Hold in Asia: New Routes to Saudi Arabia and South Korea.
Virgin Atlantic continues to expand its network in the East, with the launch of daily flights to two strategic destinations: Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, and Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
Riyadh: First Landing in the Kingdom
On Tuesday, Virgin Atlantic's flight landed in Riyadh for the first time, a historic step in opening the new route to King Khalid International Airport.
The Riyadh route is expected to primarily serve business travelers and Saudi residents visiting the UK and North America, as part of market development under Saudi Vision 2030.
In collaboration with the national airline Saudi Arabian Airlines and Riyadh Air, which will launch later this year, Virgin will also offer connections to destinations within the kingdom and neighboring countries such as Pakistan.
To provide a culturally adapted flying experience, the company has developed a dedicated "Riyadh Core" team that has been trained in Saudi culture. Additionally, Arabic coffee with dates is served in premium classes, halal kosher meals are available, and a passenger prayer is recited before the safety video.
Seoul: Strategic Move Into East Asia
The new route to Seoul, South Korea, will be launched on March 29, 2026, providing a direct connection to Incheon International Airport - one of the busiest and most central in Asia.
This route is expected to attract both business travelers and tourists who enjoy Korean culture (K-Pop, cinema, fashion, cuisine) and the travel opportunities to Japan, Vietnam, Australia, and New Zealand.
Through partnerships with airlines in the SkyTeam alliance, including Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines, and China Eastern, connections to more than 15 destinations within Korea and Japan will be offered, including Busan, Osaka, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Sydney, Auckland, and more.
The flights will be operated on Boeing 787-9 aircraft, and public sales will begin on May 14, 2025.
Milestone in India: 25 Years of Flights and 5 Daily Flights
Virgin celebrates 25 years of operations in India and currently offers five daily flights to New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Through cooperation with IndiGo, the airline provides connections to 36 additional cities across India.
Furthermore, the flight menu has expanded with traditional dishes and entertainment tailored to the Indian market.
Juha Yarvinen, Commercial Vice President of Virgin Atlantic:
"While transatlantic flights remain our core business, we are excited to expand our network in the East with the launch of routes to Seoul and Riyadh. The combination of regional partnerships, premium service, and diverse routes will allow our customers to travel anywhere in style".