London Heathrow Brings Costa Rica, Phuket and Tel Aviv into Focus with New Flights for Winter Shake-Up Q4

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September 9, 2026 1:16 PM

Heathrow Airport will have a big aviation reshuffle during the Winter 2026/2027 season as airlines bring in new services, restore long-haul routes, increase frequencies, and move routes from Gatwick Airport. This means a significant change in international flight offerings at Heathrow Airport. British Airways will bring services from Gatwick to Heathrow on routes to San Jose (Costa Rica), Tampa (Florida) and Fuerteventura (Canary Islands). Virgin Atlantic will start flying to Phuket, Thailand on the 18th October, a new winter route. British Airways also plans to start daily flights to Tel Aviv from Heathrow on the 25th October, if the airspace situation allows. This will also incorporate a short-term Cologne service and a daily Melbourne service via Kuala Lumpur, in the future. Meanwhile, higher frequencies will be offered to Abu Dhabi, Houston, New Orleans, Baltimore, Cape Town and Tokyo Haneda. This will mean a big winter expansion of the routes available at Heathrow offering more direct routes to Europe, Asia, North America, Middle East and Australia.

Heathrow Prepares for Winter 2026/2027 Flight Changes

The upcoming Winter 2026/2027 schedule is bringing a significant number of changes to the international network at Heathrow.

The adjustments cover three main areas: route relocations, new or resumed services and frequency increases.

For passengers, the most immediate change will be the movement of several routes traditionally associated with London Gatwick Airport.

From 25 October 2026, British Airways is scheduled to relocate services to San José and Tampa from Gatwick to Heathrow.

Fuerteventura will also move to Heathrow, with the winter service scheduled to begin on 13 December 2026.

These changes are being accompanied by new international opportunities, including Virgin Atlantic’s planned Heathrow-Phuket service.

Three British Airways Routes Move From Gatwick to Heathrow

British Airways is making some of the most significant network adjustments.

Three routes are being repositioned from Gatwick to Heathrow, bringing additional long-haul and leisure connectivity into the UK’s largest airport.

The routes are:

• San José, Costa Rica
• Tampa, Florida
• Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

The San José service is scheduled to operate five times weekly using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.

The Tampa service is also scheduled for five weekly flights.

Fuerteventura will receive a twice-weekly winter service, beginning on 13 December 2026.

Heathrow Route Relocations

For travellers, the changes mean that checking the departure airport will become particularly important when booking winter journeys involving these destinations.

Virgin Atlantic Adds Phuket From Heathrow

A major new long-haul leisure connection is also scheduled to arrive at Heathrow.

Virgin Atlantic is planning to launch its new Heathrow-Phuket service on 18 October 2026.

The route is particularly relevant to travellers seeking winter sun, placing Thailand directly into the Heathrow winter network.

Phuket is one of Thailand’s most established international leisure destinations, and the new service provides another option for passengers travelling from London to Southeast Asia.

The timing also places the route at the beginning of the winter travel season, when demand for warmer destinations traditionally increases.

British Airways Plans Tel Aviv Return

British Airways is also scheduled to resume daily nonstop Heathrow-Tel Aviv operations from 25 October 2026.

However, the planned service remains subject to airspace conditions.

That qualification is important because aviation operations on the route can be affected by changing regional circumstances.

Travellers planning to use the service should therefore check the latest airline and airport information before departure.

If operated as planned, the return of daily flights would restore an important direct connection between London and Israel from Heathrow.

Cologne Gets a Temporary Winter Service

British Airways is also introducing a shorter seasonal connection to Cologne, Germany.

The temporary service is scheduled to begin on 23 November 2026 and operate through 28 December 2026.

The timing places the route directly within the busy winter and Christmas travel period.

For passengers travelling between London and Cologne during that period, the temporary Heathrow service could provide an additional option alongside existing connectivity.

The limited operating window also means that travellers will need to check the exact dates carefully when planning their journey.

Melbourne Returns to the Heathrow Network

A significant long-haul change is scheduled for early 2027.

British Airways has planned a daily return service to Melbourne, Australia, via Kuala Lumpur, beginning on 9 January 2027.

The route extends the winter schedule beyond the end of 2026 and gives Heathrow another important connection to Australia.

The service also highlights the breadth of the planned network changes, which stretch from European short-haul routes to long-distance services connecting the UK with Australia and Asia.

Abu Dhabi Returns to Daily Winter Operations

The Middle East is also receiving additional Heathrow capacity.

British Airways is scheduled to return Abu Dhabi to a planned daily winter service from 25 October 2026.

The increase provides greater frequency for travellers heading between London and the United Arab Emirates.

Abu Dhabi is an important destination for both leisure and business travel and can also serve as a gateway for wider regional journeys.

United States Routes Receive Frequency Increases

Several important US routes are also being strengthened as part of the Heathrow winter timetable.

Houston is scheduled to increase to 12 flights per week.

New Orleans will rise to four flights per week, while Baltimore is planned to become a fully daily service.

These increases expand the number of travel opportunities available to passengers heading between London and the United States.

The changes are particularly relevant to travellers seeking greater flexibility around departure dates.

US Frequency Changes

The increases demonstrate the continued importance of the US market within Heathrow’s international network.

Cape Town Capacity Expands Significantly

South Africa is another major beneficiary of the winter schedule changes.

British Airways is scheduled to expand Cape Town to three daily flights from Heathrow.

The increase comes during the northern hemisphere winter, when Cape Town is particularly attractive to travellers seeking warmer weather.

The destination combines leisure demand with strong international connectivity, making additional Heathrow capacity significant for the UK-South Africa market.

Three daily flights also provide travellers with greater choice when selecting departure times and planning onward travel.

Tokyo Haneda Moves to Double-Daily Service

One of the most important Asian frequency increases will involve Tokyo Haneda.

British Airways is scheduled to increase Heathrow-Haneda operations to twice daily.

Haneda’s location closer to central Tokyo makes it an important airport for international travellers, particularly those prioritising convenient access to the Japanese capital.

The additional service provides more flexibility for both leisure and business passengers.

It also strengthens Heathrow’s connectivity with one of Asia’s most important aviation markets.

Heathrow Winter Schedule at a Glance

The scale of the changes becomes clearer when the new routes and frequency adjustments are considered together.

What the Changes Mean for Heathrow Travellers

The winter schedule will give passengers more options, but it will also make airport and flight-number checks increasingly important.

Travellers who previously used Gatwick for San José, Tampa or Fuerteventura will need to account for the move to Heathrow.

For passengers booking Phuket, the Virgin Atlantic service creates a new direct winter option.

Those travelling to Tel Aviv will need to monitor operational updates because the planned service remains dependent on airspace conditions.

Meanwhile, the frequency increases to destinations such as Houston, Cape Town and Tokyo Haneda can provide greater flexibility for passengers who need specific travel dates.

Why Winter Is Important for Airline Networks

Airlines frequently adjust schedules according to seasonal demand.

Winter creates particularly strong demand for destinations offering warm weather, including Thailand, Florida, the Canary Islands and South Africa.

At the same time, business and diaspora travel can maintain demand on routes to North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

The Heathrow changes reflect this combination.

Leisure destinations are being repositioned or expanded, while major business and international gateway cities are receiving additional frequencies.

The result is a network designed to serve several different travel patterns simultaneously.

A Major Heathrow Network Reshuffle Is Taking Shape

The London Heathrow Winter 2026/2027 schedule is set to deliver a broad range of changes from October onwards.

British Airways is moving several routes from Gatwick, adding and restoring services and increasing frequencies across some of its most important international markets.

Virgin Atlantic is adding Phuket, strengthening Heathrow’s winter-sun offering.

The planned return of Tel Aviv, subject to airspace conditions, adds another significant connection, while the future Melbourne via Kuala Lumpur service expands the network into 2027.

At the same time, higher frequencies to Abu Dhabi, Houston, New Orleans, Baltimore, Cape Town and Tokyo Haneda will give passengers additional scheduling choices.

For travellers, the changes represent more than a collection of individual route announcements.

They signal a substantial reshaping of Heathrow’s winter international network, with airlines placing greater capacity on key leisure, business and long-haul markets.

From October 2026 onwards, passengers departing London will therefore face a significantly changed choice of routes, frequencies and departure airports as the winter aviation season takes effect.