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Virgin Atlantic adds a second daily Mumbai flight

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Virgin Atlantic is adding a fifth daily flight to India with the addition of a second daily service to Mumbai, starting on 27th October 2024.

The flight is part of the airline’s increasing focus on India with 350% capacity growth since 2019, the year in which it re-launched flights to the country after a four year break. This week also saw the inaugural Virgin Atlantic flight to Bengaluru.

Virgin Atlantic to double flights to Mumbai

The new flight is enabled by a new air service agreement between the UK and India which increases the number of weekly flights between London Heathrow and Delhi and Mumbai from 56 to 70 (ie 10 per day). Additional British Airways flights to Delhi are also expected.

Timings are as follows:

  • VS358 departs Heathrow at 11:15 and arrives in Mumbai at 1:55am the following day
  • VS359 departs Mumbai at 4:10am and arrives in Heathrow at 8:55am the same day

The new service will be the only flights to India operated by Virgin Atlantic’s A350 fleet. This is a major improvement over the increasingly ancient ‘coffin class’ business class seat found on the Boeing 787s. In this case, it is being operated by an A350-1000 in the ‘leisure’ configuration, which features The Booth rather than The Loft social space.

Virgin Atlantic expects to use an average of four Indian cabin crew on each flight to assist with Indian passengers.

You can connect easily onto 36 other Indian destinations via Virgin Atlantic’s codeshare agreement with local airline IndiGo.

Flights go on sale on Wednesday 10th April.

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How to earn Virgin Points from UK credit cards

How to earn Virgin Points from UK credit cards (April 2025)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Virgin Points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

You can choose from two official Virgin Atlantic credit cards (apply here, the Reward+ card has a bonus of 18,000 Virgin Points and the free card has a bonus of 3,000 Virgin Points):

Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard

18,000 bonus points and 1.5 points for every £1 you spend Read our full review

Virgin Atlantic Reward Mastercard

3,000 bonus points, no fee and 1 point for every £1 you spend Read our full review

You can also earn Virgin Points from various American Express cards – and these have sign-up bonuses too.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for a year and comes with 20,000 Membership Rewards points, which convert into 20,000 Virgin Points.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 30,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with 50,000 Membership Rewards points, which convert into 50,000 Virgin Points.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

Small business owners should consider the two American Express Business cards. Points convert at 1:1 into Virgin Points.

American Express Business Platinum

50,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Virgin Points. 

Category

Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club

Comments (28)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Mohamed says:
    5 Apr5 April 05:52

    The hotel Princess a Sofia used to be InterContinental before 2005.

  • HH says:
    5 Apr5 April 06:19

    Surprising move by Hilton but one that will pay off I think. FYI the NYC NoMad ended up reopening as The Ned (presumably with a similar ownership structure as in London).

  • Track says:
    5 Apr5 April 06:28

    Grand Hyatt Barcelona is a Category 5 property, standard room awards start at 17,000 points.

    • memesweeper says:
      5 Apr5 April 06:34

      I stayed last year — was great then, so I guess it can only be better now?

  • Sri says:
    5 Apr5 April 07:48

    A bit confused by this statement: “The new service will be the only flights to India operated by Virgin Atlantic’s A350 fleet.” I have a booking with Virgin from Delhi to London in Sep 2024, which is on the A350-1000. I’ve also checked their most recent 10 flights and they’re all flying A350-1000.

    • Ian Molloy says:
      5 Apr5 April 09:27

      Yes you’re correct. 1 of the LHR to DEL flights is the A350-1000 ( the other is the 787)as is the existing Mumbai flight. Both in the leisure config. I suspect the new flight for Mumbai will be the 787 or moving another A350-1000 from another location

    • Rhys says:
      5 Apr5 April 09:42

      This was based on official guidance from Virgin – so they either got it wrong, are changing the aircraft or perhaps it’s based on seasonality!

  • 1958 says:
    5 Apr5 April 07:59

    Gosh. The timing of these Virgin flights is very inconvenient. Arrive and depart the middle of the night.

    • Ian Molloy says:
      5 Apr5 April 08:02

      The flight that already runs departs 5:15pm arrives 7:50am into BOM

      Returns into LHR at 2:40pm after taking off at 10:05am.

      So just offers more flexibility.

      I’m currently booked on the above flights but will change to the night flight home when released.

    • Froggee says:
      5 Apr5 April 08:36

      I still remember checking in to the Taj after midnight to be told our rooms weren’t ready.

      It subsequently transpired that they were running occupancy above 100% which shouldn’t be possible but apparently is when you have guests arriving and departing at all hours.

      • Ian Molloy says:
        5 Apr5 April 08:41

        We arrived at the Taj at 9am, our room wasn’t ready but they gave us a leader room for a few hours until it was to rest in which was great

    • Chris W says:
      5 Apr5 April 10:22

      Agreed, but a lot of flights to and from India are in the middle of the night.

      You’d ideally want about a 7pm departure from London for a 9am arrival….

  • Ian Molloy says:
    5 Apr5 April 08:06

    You mention in the Virgin article this will be the only service using the A350. Does that mean the existing LHR-BOM flights are moving to the 787’s ?? I really hope not as I’m booked on that service upper both ways. Would look to swap my return flights to the new service to make use of the arrivals lounge on return to LHR though

  • Jim Utd says:
    5 Apr5 April 08:24

    That’s not right Rob, one of the two daily LHR to Delhi flights is on an A350 Leisure config, it has been for some time and is scheduled to continue on this for the rest of the year, VS302

    • Ian Molloy says:
      5 Apr5 April 08:43

      As is the existing Mumbai flight on leisure config. I believe they only have 2 of these in this config so something is gonna change

      • Jim Utd says:
        5 Apr5 April 16:05

        Ian they have got 4 in this config, G-VLIB, G-VEVE, G-VNVR, and G-VBOB

    • Rhys says:
      5 Apr5 April 09:45

      I’m just repeating what Virgin told me!

  • Dan says:
    5 Apr5 April 08:33

    I don’t hate Hilton, but not feeling good to have them anywhere near The Ned membership.

    That’s a sad news.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      5 Apr5 April 13:19

      They aren’t are they?

      It’s a majority stake in group that works with soho house to co develop hotels Soho House is publicly listed anyway and I haven’t looked if they do already invest but if Hilton wanted they could snap up shares and have a seat at the table anyway.

      Whats interesting is they have bought a majority stake in the company but only the NoMad brand is mentioned they have a few others will they stay independent?

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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