LONDON- British Airways (BA) has announced a major expansion of its long haul network for the Winter 2026 season, introducing new routes to Melbourne Airport (MEL) in Australia and Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo (CMB) in Sri Lanka.
The airline will also increase flight frequencies from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to several high-demand destinations, including Cape Town International Airport (CPT), Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND), Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI), and Norman Manley International Airport (KIN).
British Airways Flights to Two New Destinations
British Airways plans a nine percent increase in its long haul flight network for Winter 2026 compared with the previous winter schedule. The expansion includes two new destinations and increased capacity across several established routes.
The airline will begin operating flights to Melbourne, Australia, from 9 January 2027. The service will depart from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and operate via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL). Flights will run daily throughout the year.
Melbourne serves as the capital of Victoria and is widely recognized as Australia’s cultural center. The city is known for its arts scene, coffee culture, and proximity to major tourist attractions such as the Great Ocean Road, Grampians National Park, and the vineyards of Victoria’s High Country.
Passengers will be able to choose from four cabin classes on the Melbourne route. These include World Traveller, World Traveller Plus, Club World, and First. Return fares start from £1,130 including taxes and carrier charges.
British Airways will also launch a new seasonal route to Colombo, Sri Lanka, starting 23 October 2026. The service will operate three times weekly from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB).
Colombo serves as the main international gateway to Sri Lanka. The destination attracts travelers with its beaches, wildlife reserves, historic sites, and well-known cuisine. The service will operate during the winter season and offer three cabin classes, including World Traveller, World Traveller Plus, and Club World. Return fares begin from £620, including taxes and carrier charges.
Increased Frequencies on Popular Long-Haul Routes
Alongside the new destinations, British Airways will expand service frequencies on multiple long-haul routes across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Americas.
Flights from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) will increase to three daily services starting December 2026.
Service between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) will expand to double daily flights from the end of March 2026 and continue throughout the winter schedule.
In the Caribbean, a new daily service between London Gatwick Airport (LGW) and Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) in Barbados will begin on 25 October 2026. The route will also offer onward connections to Grenada, Guyana, and Tobago.
Flights to Hewanorra International Airport, St Lucia (UVF) will become a dedicated daily service from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) starting on the same date.
The airline will also increase flights from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Juan Santamaría International Airport, San José (SJO) in Costa Rica, to five per week, while the route will shift from Gatwick to Heathrow.
Caribbean routes from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston (KIN) in Jamaica, and Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) in the Dominican Republic will increase to four weekly services.
In the United States network, flights to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) will increase to four weekly services, Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) will operate daily, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston (IAH) will increase to twelve weekly flights.
Flights between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi (DEL) will continue to operate three times daily during the winter season.
The airline will also resume daily winter services between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Zayed International Airport, Abu Dhabi (AUH), starting 25 October 2026.
Additional Capacity to Meet Short-Term Demand
British Airways has also added short-term capacity to Southeast Asia routes due to shifting travel demand linked to the situation in the Middle East.
The airline introduced seven additional return services between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and both Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok (BKK), and Singapore Changi Airport (SIN). These flights added more than 3,300 extra seats between 10 and 19 March 2026.
At the same time, British Airways has extended temporary flight suspensions to several Middle East destinations. Services to Amman (AMM), Bahrain (BAH), Dubai (DXB), and Tel Aviv (TLV) remain suspended until 31 May 2026, while flights to Doha (DOH) remain suspended until 30 April 2026.
Strong Travel Demand Driving Network Changes
Travel demand for leisure destinations remains strong. British Airways Holidays reported significant increases in search activity for several vacation markets.
Searches for Antigua increased by 63 percent, while Gran Canaria saw a 50 percent rise. Interest in Barbados rose by 46 percent compared with the previous year.
Indian Ocean destinations also recorded growth. Searches for the Maldives increased by 32 percent, and Mauritius rose by 42 percent.
Flight searches show similar trends. Interest in Maldives flights rose by 74 percent, Barbados increased by 18 percent, and St Lucia rose by 26 percent compared with February 2026. Overall, searches for flights from the United Kingdom to the Caribbean, South West Pacific, and South Asia increased by 40 percent.
British Airways Melbourne Flight Schedule
| Route | Flight Number | Frequency | Departure | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow (LHR) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – Melbourne (MEL) | BA33 | Daily | 21:10 (LHR) | 18:05+1 (KUL) |
| Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – Melbourne (MEL) | BA33 | Daily | 19:45 (KUL) | 06:40+1 (MEL) |
| Melbourne (MEL) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – London Heathrow (LHR) | BA34 | Daily | 16:35 (MEL) | 21:35 (KUL) |
| Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – London Heathrow (LHR) | BA34 | Daily | 23:15 (KUL) | 05:20+1 (LHR) |
British Airways Colombo Flight Schedule
| Route | Flight Number | Frequency | Departure | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Gatwick (LGW) – Colombo (CMB) | BA2045 | Mon, Wed, Fri | 17:30 | 09:00+1 |
| Colombo (CMB) – London Gatwick (LGW) | BA2044 | Mon, Wed, Fri | 11:00 | 17:00 |
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