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Virgin Atlantic to launch London-Cancún flight from Heathrow

MND Staff
By MND Staff
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View of the tail of a Virgin Atlantic plane.
The new route will enhance connectivity for passengers traveling from the British capital to Latin America. (Virgin Atlantic/Facebook)

British airline Virgin Atlantic will resume direct flights between Cancún and London for the first time since 2019, the company announced in a statement.     

Starting on Oct. 19, 2025, Virgin Atlantic will operate the flight three times per week from London Heathrow (LHR) on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays during the winter season. 

The carrier emphasized that the new route will enhance connectivity for passengers traveling from the British capital to Cancún, thanks to codeshare partner LATAM and SkyTeam partner Aeroméxico. The partnership will increase access to various destinations in Latin America, including capital cities like Mexico City, Santiago (Chile), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Lima (Perú).  

The route will be operated on the Airbus A350, featuring 16 Upper Class, 56 Premium and 325 Economy seats. 

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama reacted to the announcement by saying, “This triumph in tourism will bring more shared prosperity … and will also position Quintana Roo as one of the preferred destinations in the world.”

Panoramic view of Cancún's beaches.
The new flight results from negotiations between Virgin Atlantic and Mexican officials during the World Travel Market 2024. (Mylo Kayes/Pexels)

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, also praised the agreement: “We’re delighted to be returning to Cancún, offering customers a new destination for some winter sun,” Jarvinen stated. “We can’t wait for more of our customers to enjoy Virgin Atlantic’s trademark fiesta and flair on their way to Mexico.” 

More airlines to offer nonstop service to Cancún

According to Bernardo Cueto, Quintana Roo’s tourism minister, the new route results from negotiations between Virgin Atlantic and Mexican officials during the World Travel Market 2024, which took place in London from Nov. 5-7.  

Mexican media have reported that local officials reached other agreements with airlines, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways and Iberojet, to boost direct connectivity to the Mexican Caribbean. 

The new route will be the only nonstop service between LHR and Cancún. British Airways currently serves Cancún on a seasonal basis from London Gatwick Airport.

Cancún is one of Latin America’s most visited destinations. In 2023, the beach resort city saw 32.7 million visitors, up 7.9% compared to 2022. According to official data, last year was Cancún’s best-performing year since the city’s foundation 53 years ago.

With reports from Aviation Week, AviationA2Z and Excelsior

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