Virgin Atlantic to offer direct flights from Tampa to London in the fall

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa International Airport announced Wednesday Virgin Atlantic will begin offering direct flights to London's Heathrow International Airport in the fall.

According to airport officials, Heathrow was TPA's largest unserved market and the Bay Area was Heathrow's largest unserved market, so the connection made perfect sense, especially with the region's business economy booming.

"We know that there are already 100 UK-based firms that are doing business here in Tampa Bay and any time that you add new global connectivity, it makes it easier for business travelers to go back and forth," said Chris Minner, Tampa International Airport’s executive vice president.

Virgin Atlantic's first flight to Heathrow will take off on November 3. TPA will be the fourth airport in the U.S. to offer direct flights to both major airports in London.

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Minner said every daily nonstop European flight added at Tampa International brings an estimated $150 million into the local economy and creates about 1,200 jobs.

Despite the impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry, TPA will still have added 16 new stops since the beginning of the pandemic.