Virgin Atlantic Named Official Airline Partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB for LA28

Virgin Atlantic has been named the Official Airline Partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with Virgin Atlantic Holidays becoming the Official Holiday Partner.

The partnership was announced in London on 4 September 2026, with Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson joining Team GB gymnast Jake Jarman and ParalympicsGB athlete Kadeena Cox at Heathrow to officially open the “check-in” for LA28.

With the Games now less than two years away, Virgin Atlantic says it will provide extensive travel support for Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes and their teams travelling between London and Los Angeles.

The airline currently operates three daily flights between London Heathrow and Los Angeles, with the partnership set to include tailored airport and check-in support, additional baggage provision and specialist handling for sporting and accessibility equipment.

Virgin Atlantic Holidays will also support fans travelling to California, offering curated itineraries designed around the Games.

A new focus on the passenger journey

The partnership will extend beyond simply getting athletes and supporters to Los Angeles.

Virgin Atlantic says it will work with elite athletes and customer experience teams to bring performance-focused ideas into the passenger journey, with the aim of helping customers arrive feeling rested and ready for their destination.

One of the first initiatives will be a new post-flight recovery experience at Virgin Atlantic’s Heathrow Revivals Lounge, scheduled to launch in November.

The airline is partnering with 3 Peaks Health (3PH) on the experience, which will feature the Lumati Recharge Portal. The 15-minute treatment combines light therapy, vagus nerve stimulation and molecular hydrogen and is designed to support recovery following long-haul travel.

Compression boots will also form part of the experience.

Virgin Atlantic says the programme has been developed with 3PH co-founder Dr Mark Mikhail, an Imperial-trained doctor specialising in longevity and performance medicine with experience in elite sport.

Making air travel more accessible

Accessibility will also be a key part of the partnership.

Virgin Atlantic and ParalympicsGB will work together on an accessible travel programme designed to help customers feel more confident and informed when travelling.

The programme will draw on the experiences of ParalympicsGB athletes, disability-inclusion specialists and people with lived experience. Areas covered will include colleague learning, accessibility guidance and the wider travel experience.

Virgin Atlantic says the work will build on its wider aim of making air travel accessible to everyone.

The airline will also support athletes and teams on the ground in Los Angeles, with Virgin Atlantic crew expected to take part in programmes celebrating the athletes competing at the Games.

Following the Games, Virgin Atlantic plans to work with Team GB and ParalympicsGB on special “Welcome Home” moments at Heathrow for returning athletes.

Virgin StartUp innovation challenge

The partnership will also see Virgin Atlantic work with Virgin StartUp on a nationwide search for entrepreneurial ideas that could improve the customer journey.

The innovation challenge will look at areas including accessibility, wellness and performance, with the initiative expected to launch in early 2027.

Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson said the airline was “thrilled” to play an important role in the athletes’ journey to the Games.

He added that the partnership would support Team GB and ParalympicsGB “from check-in and take-off” through to their journey home, while bringing fans closer to the athletes.

ParalympicsGB CEO David Clarke said the organisation was delighted to welcome Virgin Atlantic as an Official Airline Partner and Gold Partner, highlighting the work the two organisations will undertake to make air travel more accessible and inclusive.

Virgin Atlantic’s role in LA28

This is the first time Virgin Atlantic has partnered with Team GB and ParalympicsGB in this capacity, with the previous airline partner having held the role since 2008.

For Virgin Atlantic, the partnership provides an opportunity to connect its existing London–Los Angeles operation with one of the UK’s biggest sporting events, while also testing new ideas around accessibility, passenger wellbeing and the airport experience.

With LA28 now approaching, the airline says the journey starts today — not when the athletes arrive in California.

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Source: Virgin Atlantic press release supplied to Aviation News UK. The partnership details and statements above are based on the release. Current Virgin Atlantic information also confirms its London–Los Angeles operation and ongoing investment in the Heathrow passenger experience.