Virgin Atlantic launches new Tampa-London route
Virgin Atlantic will add a new route connecting Tampa International Airport (TPA) with London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) beginning Nov. 3.
The flights, announced Wednesday, will operate year-round, beginning with service four times a week and expanding to daily flights as of Nov. 28. Tickets go on sale July 13, with basic economy fares starting at about $520, according to Virgin's announcement.
“We are delighted to continue our expansion in the U.S. with this new daily service to Tampa, Florida, offering even more choice for customers on both sides of the Atlantic to connect between the U.S. and the U.K.," Juha Jarvinen, chief commercial officer at Virgin Atlantic, said in a statement.
New flights a boon for Florida tourism -- and London connections
The expansion is welcome news for Florida passengers looking for direct flights to England, but also for the increased opportunities to make connections for farther destinations.
Currently, only British Airways operates flights from Tampa to London, but the carrier flies to London Gatwick Airport (LGW), which lacks the connections that Heathrow offers to passengers.
These new Virgin Atlantic flights via Heathrow will provide Tampa passengers with better service to long-haul destinations such as Cape Town, Hong Kong and Mumbai, India.
Virgin says its daily service will serve 190,000 passengers annually, supported by the strong popularity of Florida as a destination for British travelers and a large Tampa Bay-area expat community.
Local tourism officials are delighted with the announcement.
“Expanding flight options and exposure to destinations throughout Florida is vital to maintaining and strengthening the U.K.’s position as our No. 1 market for overseas visitation,” said Visit Florida CEO Dana Young in a statement.
Tampa's airport authority also struck an optimistic tone about the service.
“We at Tampa International Airport are thrilled to offer our first-ever nonstop route to Heathrow and launch this new partnership with Virgin Atlantic," said Joe Lopano, TPA's CEO.
"Not only does this create another Tampa-London option for our leisure travelers, but there’s a huge upside for our thriving business community to now have a direct connection to the world’s premier business airport. We expect this to be a popular route during what we know will be a very busy winter travel season at TPA.”
Related: Why Flying Blue is the best way to book award tickets on Virgin Atlantic
Virgin to fly 787-9 Dreamliner on new route
Virgin will fly 258-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on the route.
Virgin has configured the planes to seat 192 economy passengers, 35 Premium passengers and 31 Upper Class passengers. Economy fares will start at about $520, Premium fares begin at about $1,115, and Upper Class will start at about $2,686 per person, according to the Virgin Atlantic announcement.
Virgin Atlantic will also offer package Florida vacation deals for inbound passengers.
Delta Air Lines' SkyMiles passengers will benefit from the announcement thanks to the airline's joint venture partnership with Virgin. SkyMiles passengers can earn at least 4,400 miles on the flight.
Flight time is scheduled to be about 10 hours on the westbound leg and eight hours, 25 minutes on the eastbound. The flights will be (all times local):
- VS129, departing London at 1:25 p.m. and arriving in Tampa at 6:35 p.m.
- VS130, departing Tampa at 8:50 p.m. and arriving in London at 10:15 a.m. the following day.
This will be Virgin Atlantic's second new U.S. destination added for this year. In January, it announced a new Austin service with flights beginning in May.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.