Sir Richard Branson has touched down in Toronto to mark Virgin Atlantic’s return to Canada, launching a brand-new direct service between London Heathrow and Toronto Pearson International Airport.  

The airline’s first Canadian route since 2014 will connect London to Toronto, Canada’s financial and cultural centre. Operating on a Boeing 787-9, the new daily service is expected to carry over 165,000 customers annually, while also offering up to 20 tonnes of cargo capacity for high-tech goods and e-commerce.

Virgin Atlantic’s return supports its growing transatlantic presence, building on recent expansion in India to now offer seamless one-stop connections via London Heathrow to key Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, with an average transit time of just 1 hour and 20 minutes. Customers can also connect effortlessly to Johannesburg, Lagos, Tel Aviv, and Beirut via codeshare and interline partnerships.

The new service will also offer greater connections within Canada as part of an expanded codeshare partnership with WestJet. The two airlines will be conveniently co-located at Toronto Pearson International Airport’s Terminal 3, allowing customers to connect through Toronto to 13 destinations across Canada, including Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Ottawa with loyalty programme benefits across Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and WestJet Rewards expected to launch later this year.

The launch also strengthens Virgin Atlantic’s Joint Venture with Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM, who together operate over 100 flights per week between Europe and seven Canadian gateways, reinforcing transatlantic choice and flexibility for customers.

Sir Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic and Founder of Virgin Group said:
"Canada, we’ve missed you! It’s been more than a decade, but we’re back and here to do it properly. I’m delighted to see Virgin Atlantic's return to Toronto, a city with so much spirit and energy. With our incredible crew, exceptional service, and a strong network of partners, we can’t wait to welcome customers onboard."

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be back in Canada. We’ve long wanted to return – and this time, we’re here to stay. Toronto is not only a thriving financial hub, but also a gateway to one of the most vibrant and diverse countries in the world. With our strong transatlantic focus, expanded connectivity to India, and exciting new partnership with WestJet, the timing couldn’t be better.”

John Weatherill, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, WestJet, added:
"We are proud to welcome Virgin Atlantic back to Canada! Through our expanded partnership, together we are able to deliver unmatched value and convenience to our guests. With our co-location at Toronto-Pearson Terminal 3 our guests can enjoy a smooth journey on one ticket with through baggage check-in across both of our networks, connecting all of Canada with Virgin Atlantic’s global network to London and beyond.”

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For further information please contact the Virgin Atlantic press office on +441293 747373 or email press.office@fly.virgin.com    

About Virgin Atlantic       

Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2024, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the eighth year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs 8,500 people worldwide, flying customers to 30 destinations across four continents throughout the year.       

Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. In February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers.  Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in March 2023 as the global airline alliance’s first and only UK member airline, enhancing the alliance’s transatlantic network and services to and from Heathrow and Manchester Airport.         

Virgin Atlantic has been pioneering sustainability leadership for more than 15 years, committing to Net Zero by 2050 and continuous action that reduces environmental impact.  The airline operates one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the skies, with an average age under seven years. In October 2022, Virgin Atlantic welcomed its first A330-900’s to the fleet, continuing its transformation towards 100% next generation aircraft by 2028.  In November 2023, the airline led a consortium to deliver the world’s first flight across the Atlantic on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), demonstrating that 100% SAF can be used safely as a drop in fuel in existing infrastructure, engines and airframes. The need to scale production is an industry imperative and Virgin Atlantic is committed to radical collaboration across the energy chain to support commercialisation ahead of 2030.         

For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com or via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @virginatlantic.