Virgin Atlantic
United KingdomFull-service carrierSkyTeam memberSince 1984
Virgin Atlantic (IATA VS, ICAO VIR) is a British long-haul airline flying mainly from London Heathrow, owned by Virgin Group and Delta Air Lines. It joined SkyTeam in March 2023 and runs a transatlantic joint venture with Delta, Air France and KLM. In 2025 it flew about 5.9 million passengers to 32 destinations with 43 widebody aircraft.
- Founded
- 1984
- First flight
- 1984
- Headquarters
- Crawley, West Sussex, United Kingdom
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Main hubs
- London Heathrow (LHR)
- Airline type
- Full-service carrier
- Alliance
- SkyTeam
- Loyalty
- Flying Club
- Parent
- Virgin Atlantic Limited
- Ownership
- Owned by Virgin Group and Delta Air Lines, both represented on the group board. Delta bought its 49% stake from Singapore Airlines in 2014.
- Callsign
- VIRGIN
- Website
- virginatlantic.com
How travel agents book Virgin Atlantic
GDS distribution
Virgin Atlantic content is sold through the GDSs. Travelport renewed its distribution agreement covering all Virgin Atlantic content in December 2023, including future NDC through Travelport+, and Amadeus renewed and expanded its agreement in April 2023 to cover future NDC content. EDIFACT GDS channels remained available during the 2026 NDC transition.
NDC
Virgin Atlantic was certified at IATA NDC Level 3 on schema 18.1 in August 2018 and runs an NDC developer portal with 21.3 API documentation. Its NDC rollout for travel agencies in England started on 15 October 2026 with direct connections and the aggregator Travelfusion, with GDS aggregation and more aggregators planned through 2027.
Direct channels
Direct channels include virginatlantic.com, the Virgin Atlantic app and Virgin Atlantic Holidays. Trade partners use the Partner Hub, which verifies agents with their IATA number.
Notes for travel agents
From 1 September 2026, ticketing deadlines for selected fare products, including IT fares, moved from 30 to 42 days before departure; unticketed segments may be cancelled and an ADM issued. Check the Partner Hub ticketing policy for the fare products covered.
On ReservationHub
ReservationHub gives agencies GDS content from Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport plus NDC and low-cost channels in one platform. See the full list on our integrations page.
History of Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic flew its first service, VS1 from London Gatwick to Newark, in June 1984, with Richard Branson's Virgin Group behind the new airline. It moved into London Heathrow in July 1991, which became the centre of its network.
In 1999 Branson sold a 49% stake to Singapore Airlines, and in 2014 Delta Air Lines bought that stake, starting a close transatlantic partnership. That partnership grew into a joint venture with Delta, Air France and KLM, launched in January 2020. The airline retired all its four-engine aircraft by the end of 2020 and now flies only twin-engine widebodies.
Virgin Atlantic was an early NDC adopter: in August 2018 it became the first airline certified at IATA NDC Level 3 on schema 18.1. On 2 March 2023 it joined SkyTeam as the alliance's first UK member. In October 2026 it began rolling out NDC content to the English travel trade, while keeping GDS channels open during the move.
Milestones
- 1984First flight, VS1 from Gatwick to Newark, in June.
- 1991Began operating from London Heathrow in July.
- 2014Delta bought Singapore Airlines' 49% stake.
- 2018First airline certified at IATA NDC Level 3 on schema 18.1.
- 2020Joint venture with Delta, Air France and KLM launched in January.
- 2023Joined SkyTeam on 2 March as its first UK member.
- 2026Began NDC rollout for the travel trade in England on 15 October.
Fleet
Aircraft types in service as of 2025
At the end of 2025 Virgin Atlantic had 43 aircraft: 17 Boeing 787-9s, 12 Airbus A350-1000s, 8 A330-900neos and 6 A330-300s, with an average age of 7.5 years. Four more A330neos are due in 2026 and seven in 2027, and the airline expects an all next-generation fleet by 2028.
Network and hubs
Virgin Atlantic's network runs mainly from London Heathrow, with further long-haul services from Manchester and Edinburgh. In 2025 it served 32 destinations in 17 countries, with the US, the Caribbean, India, Africa and the Middle East as key markets.
Through its joint venture with Delta, Air France and KLM, customers can book a combined transatlantic network on one ticket, and SkyTeam membership adds connections to the other member airlines. Virgin Atlantic Holidays sells flight and hotel packages.
Virgin Atlantic: frequently asked questions
What are Virgin Atlantic's airline codes?
Virgin Atlantic's IATA code is VS and its ICAO code is VIR, with the radio callsign VIRGIN. Flight numbers start with VS, and many transatlantic flights are also sold under Delta, Air France or KLM codes through the joint venture.
Is Virgin Atlantic in SkyTeam?
Yes. Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam on 2 March 2023, becoming the alliance's first UK member airline. Flying Club members can earn and redeem on SkyTeam partners, and SkyTeam member flights can be booked together on one ticket.
Does Virgin Atlantic offer NDC to travel agents?
Yes. Virgin Atlantic reached IATA NDC Level 3 in 2018 and began rolling out NDC content to travel agencies in England on 15 October 2026, through direct connections and Travelfusion. GDS EDIFACT booking stays available during the transition, with GDS aggregation planned through 2027.
Who owns Virgin Atlantic?
Virgin Atlantic is owned by Virgin Group and Delta Air Lines, and both sit on the group board. Delta bought its 49% stake from Singapore Airlines in 2014, and the two airlines run a transatlantic joint venture with Air France and KLM.
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Book a meetingSources
- Virgin Atlantic — Annual Report 2025
- Virgin Atlantic — Press kit 2023
- Virgin Atlantic — Our story
- Virgin Atlantic — First airline to achieve NDC Level 3 on 18.1 (August 2018)
- Virgin Atlantic NDC portal — Virgin Atlantic and Amadeus extend partnership (April 2023)
- Virgin Atlantic — Partner Hub news
- Travelport — Virgin Atlantic signs renewed distribution agreement including NDC (December 2023)
- Travel Extra — Virgin Atlantic rolls out NDC for England's travel trade (October 2026)
- Aviation Week — Virgin Atlantic makes it official, joins SkyTeam (March 2023)
- IATA — Airline code search (Virgin)
- FAA — JO 7340.2 Contractions, ICAO aircraft operator designators