This winter, Virgin will fly its largest schedule from Manchester, with the headline addition of a third weekly Barbados service.
It will also deploy Boeing 747 aircraft on a greater number of services to New York JFK, increasing Manchester-JFK capacity 65% year-on-year.
Virgin is also planning to bring its Clubhouse experience to Manchester for the first time, as well as a refurbished Virgin Holidays v-room.
The additions to its flight schedule represent a 92% increase in Virgin flights from Manchester since 2014.
The airline has also promised “further new flights and destinations” are to follow “in the near future”.
Elsewhere, Virgin will increase its Gatwick-Barbados service with its eighth and ninth weekly flights for winter 2019.
Both Gatwick and Manchester, meanwhile, will gain additional Orlando capacity “during peak travel periods”, Virgin has said.
Virgin says it is now “reviewing options to add further flights and new destinations to its winter 2019/summer 2020 schedule”.
Its Clubhouse lounge will open at Manchester in spring 2020 complete with a la carte dining, full-service bar, quiet working spaces and a spa, while its v-room will offer a buffet and play areas for younger travellers.
Juha Jarvinen, Virgin executive vice-president commercial, said: “As one of our three core hubs in the UK alongside Heathrow and Gatwick, Manchester is Virgin Atlantic’s home in the north.
“As part of our growth strategy, we have long held an ambition to expand in Manchester and that is reflected in a significant 92% increase in seat capacity since 2014. Schedule expansion this winter, coupled with our first ever Clubhouse in the north, demonstrate our clear commitment to the region.
“There is a huge opportunity for Virgin Atlantic here; we want to be the airline of choice for customers travelling from Manchester airport and we’re eager to build on our announcement with a greater number of new flights and destinations to follow in the near future.”
Virgin operates Airbus A330-200 and Boeing 747 aircraft from Manchester, serving the US and the Caribbean.
