When it comes to sustainability, we know that our biggest impact is from flying to our destinations. 80% of our Virgin Atlantic Holidays flights are operated by Virgin Atlantic. As an airline, carbon reduction is our top environmental priority, and we’re on a mission to reach net zero by 2050.
For the last decade, we’ve been investing in new aircraft, with 74% of our fleet being next generation, we now have one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets across the Atlantic (with an average aircraft age of 6.5 years). In the last 10 years, we have reduced our absolute carbon emissions by 35%.
We’ve also been proudly pioneering support for wider industry use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) for over 15 years - our most recent milestone being that we became the first commercial airline to fly across the Atlantic with 100% SAF.
Beyond fleet and fuels, we’re working to take action to reduce our impact everywhere we can. As a holiday and tour operator, we have a broad range of partners and suppliers, including airlines, hotels and attractions, that all help to make every holiday a reality. Our Responsible Supplier Policy sets out expectations that our products and services are sourced as sustainably as possible, that the people who work in any one of our destinations are treated well and local communities benefit from tourism.
As part of this, in 2019 we supported the development of the ABTA Animal Welfare Guidelines, which set out basic welfare requirements and unacceptable practices, such as elephant shows and performances, ostrich riding, and performances or tourist interactions involving animals where training involves punishment or food deprivation, causes the animal fear, injury or distress, or the tasks are not based on normal behaviour.
We also encourage all hotels to get certified by an organisation recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. This means they should meet minimum standards and are measuring and managing their performance to keep improving. We believe this creates a better experience for you, a better experience for local communities and a more positive impact on the planet overall.
Take re-useable shopping bags if you’re picking up a few treats, or re-usable water bottles (or filter bottles) to fill up if you’re going somewhere drinking water isn’t available on tap. A portable, re-useable coffee cup will also save on the need for plastic-lined paper cups too.
Treat your hotel as a home-from-home and avoid wasting water and energy where you can.
Avoid buying souvenirs made from shells, turtle shell, coral or any other wildlife — you'll be contributing to their exploitation and some of it will be illegal to bring home.
Think before you throw. Take your rubbish to a bin or back to your hotel with you and look for local recycling opportunities. Toxic waste like used batteries should be bought back to the UK where they can be safely recycled.
Book your dream holiday with confidence. We provide financial protection for our holidays with ATOL and ABTA protection, giving you peace of mind that if anything doesn’t go to plan, we’ll make sure you’re looked after.
As part of Virgin Atlantic, you can expect a seamless journey to your destination, with our fabulously faultless service at every step.
We've been arranging holidays since 1985 and are the largest, most successful transatlantic tour operator, and market leader for travel to the USA and the Caribbean.
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Once you've made it to your destination, our Resort Experts and Support Teams are on hand for any questions or concerns. Your holiday is our priority.
