News and competitions

Posted 15 May

Avoid the peak hours at check in - Grab extra sleep before an early flight thanks to our Terminal 2 Twilight check in service, available between 4:00pm and 8:00pm the day before you fly.

All you have to do is arrive 90 minutes before boarding the next day with your boarding pass and passport. It's that easy.

 What you need to do:

• Use our Online Check In service or visit one of our Twilight check in desks in the terminal at Manchester to check in between 4:00pm and 8:00pm on the day before your flight.
• If you have used Online Check In, just drop off your bags at the Twilight desks.
• Everyone in your party will need to be present with your documentation.
• Arrive at the airport with your passport and boarding card at least 90 minutes before your scheduled flight departure time.

Posted 18 April

We understand that Jet Airways has suspended their operations temporarily. We're offering our Flying Club members travelling with Jet Airways the options to rebook, reroute or refund their tickets. This applies to Virgin Atlantic ticketed bookings only.

Please note that your Jet Airways flights must have been booked and ticketed before 18 April 2019.

Posted 12 April

Virgin Atlantic is thrilled to be partnering with Air France and KLM. Along with opening up a fantastic network of destinations that our customers can connect to, our Flying Club members will also have the opportunity to earn miles in more ways than ever before.

Air France serves more than 150 destinations in 78 countries worldwide, and our codeshare partnerships means our customers can connect through a range of airports in France and beyond.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the oldest scheduled airline in the world still operating under its original name – and Virgin Atlantic are very proud to welcome such a prestigious partner. Having a codeshare partnership with KLM means our customers can connect through more than 80 European destinations to cities all around the world.

Posted 12 April

Marking our first move into South America, we’re excited to announce that in 2020, we’re launching a brand new daily, direct Virgin Atlantic service to São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport, Brazil. The 11hr 55 flight will operate on a Boeing 787 aircraft and offer Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, Premium and Economy Delight, Classic and Light.

São Paulo is the commercial capital of Brazil and one of the top 20 global economic cities. It’s also the largest city in the Americas (after New York) for multinational companies to have offices. Our new service aims to capitalise on the fast-growing Brazilian economy and allow us to offer even more choice as you fly around the world on business.

Posted 13 March

2019 is going to be our biggest year in Manchester yet. Brand new to our flying schedule will be a direct service to Los Angeles, three times a week from 31st May 2019 – perfect for holidays on the West Coast, as well as a fantastic hub to connect with Delta Air Lines® flights to other destinations. In fact, the Los Angeles service will provide the only one stop connecting flight to Hawaii from Manchester.

Until the 31 March we’ll be continuing to operate daily flights between Dubai and London Heathrow as planned, with new bookings available until the last flight. Virgin Holidays will continue to provide holiday packages to Dubai. It offers an extensive range of hotels throughout the region and has launched the ‘v-hub’ arrival lounge at the Atlantis Dubai, allowing customers to truly kick off their holiday in style.

Posted 13 February

We’re sad to say that we’ve made the difficult decision to stop flying between Dubai and London from 31 March 2019. After a thorough review of our network and due to a combination of external factors, we’ve found the flying to Dubai is no longer economically viable.

Shai Weiss, Chief Executive Officer for Virgin Atlantic, said: “It‘s never an easy decision to withdraw a route, and we’d like to thank our customers and dedicated team in Dubai for their loyalty over the last 12 years. We’ll continue to offer daily flights between Dubai and London Heathrow until 31 March 2019, and will be sad to say goodbye to this fantastic city.”

Until the 31 March we’ll be continuing to operate daily flights between Dubai and London Heathrow as planned, with new bookings available until the last flight. Virgin Holidays will continue to provide holiday packages to Dubai. It offers an extensive range of hotels throughout the region and has launched the ‘v-hub’ arrival lounge at the Atlantis Dubai, allowing customers to truly kick off their holiday in style.

Posted 13 February

US Customs and Border Protection have stated that due to changes in ESTA application processing, with immediate effect real-time approvals will no longer be available.

Citizens of participating Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries traveling to the United States are strongly encouraged to apply for an ESTA at the time of booking their trip and no later than 72 hours prior to departure. 

Applicants who apply on the same day of their flight's departure risk not having an approved ESTA prior to their scheduled departure.  International travellers without an approved ESTA will not be authorised to board their flight.

Further information about the Visa Waiver Program and the ESTA process can be found on the US Customs and Border Protection website.