South Korea hopes Virgin Atlantic arrival will help boost tourism ties

Virgin Atlantic has become the only British airline to fly direct between the UK and South Korea.

The new daily service between Heathrow and Seoul’s Incheon International Airport is being operated by three class Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

A partnership with Korean Air allows passengers to connect via Seoul to a range of destinations in Asia such as Osaka, Nagoya, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Okinawa and Hokkaido in Japan; Sydney and Brisbane in Australia; Auckland in New Zealand; Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang in Vietnam and Hong Kong.

The service started on March 29 and chief executive Corneel Koster joined a flight to mark the start of the route.

He said: "South Korean culture is having a real moment and we’re delighted to be part of it. 

“Our new direct London Heathrow to Seoul service marks an exciting new chapter as we expand our passenger and cargo network, strengthening the UK’s ties with South Korea – the world’s 12th largest economy and home to thriving ‘K’ industries spanning travel, tech and beauty.

“As the only British flag carrier flying between our two capital cities, we’re opening up new opportunities for collaboration, customer choice and seamless connections with our SkyTeam partners across the Indo-Pacific and introducing our award-winning premium experience, delivered by our amazing crew.”

Kyung Soo Yang, Korea Tourism Organisation international tourism division executive vice president, added: “We are committed to broadening Korea’s international visitor base by expanding our presence in long-haul markets such as Europe.

“The launch of Virgin Atlantic’s new route marks an important milestone in strengthening tourism ties between the UK and Korea.

“Building on this momentum, we will work closely with airline and travel industry partners to drive continued growth in visitor arrivals from the UK in 2026 and beyond.”