From October 2026, a string of airlines will launch new flight routes from London airports, offering travellers fresh options for European getaways and long-haul adventures. These include Virgin Atlantic's first-ever direct flight from London to Phuket, Thailand, and British Airways' new services to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Barbados.
Heathrow to Phuket and Colombo
Virgin Atlantic will launch its first-ever direct flight from London to Phuket, Thailand's largest island, starting October 18. Flights will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with return flights on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays, departing at 9.20am and landing at 4pm. The new route is expected to take around 13 hours, compared to the current 17-22 hour journeys with stops in Beijing, Shanghai, or Kuala Lumpur. One-way fares start from £647.
British Airways will launch a new route from London Gatwick to Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital, on October 23. The service will feature three 10-hour flights per week, with economy return fares starting from £620. This route will only run during the winter season, with the final inbound flight scheduled for March 27, 2027.
Caribbean and Central American additions
British Airways will also launch new direct daily flights from London Gatwick to Barbados from October 25. Return economy flights start from £522, with a journey time of eight and a half hours. This service complements BA's existing year-round flights from London Heathrow and will feature onward connections to Grenada, Guyana, and Tobago.
From October 25, BA's flights to Costa Rica will depart from London Heathrow instead of London Gatwick. Flights to the capital, San José, will run five times a week during the winter season and three times a week in the summer, operating as a year-round service. Return flights in economy class start from £654 in November and will take 11 hours.
US and European routes
BA's service to Tampa, Florida, will also swap from Gatwick to Heathrow from October 25. Flights will operate five times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, down from the daily Gatwick services, but will be upgraded to a Boeing 787-10 featuring four service cabins. Nine-hour return flights start from as little as £450.
Wizz Air will launch three new Spanish routes from London Luton in late October 2026: Malaga on October 25, and Granada and Asturias on October 27. Malaga flights will take off four times a week, Granada twice weekly, and Asturias three times per week. One-way fares start from £17.99.
Jet2.com will launch a new route from London Stansted to La Palma in the Canary Islands on October 26, with one-way fares starting from £30. easyJet will also launch a new Southend to Budapest route on October 26, running on Mondays and Fridays from £24 one-way, or with Jet2 package breaks from £260 per person.
