British Airways' winter 2026 schedule: more Baltimore, Houston and New Orleans, plus Colombo

British Airways' winter schedule starts on October 25, and it's a big one. In its March 16 announcement, BA said it would fly 9% more long-haul flights from London than last winter. That counts the number of flights, not seats.

Here is what changes, and where you can wait before you fly.

More flights to three US cities

Three US routes to Heathrow get more flights from October 25:

• Baltimore goes from six flights a week to daily, the same as in summer.
• New Orleans goes from three to four flights a week.
• Houston goes from 11 to 12 flights a week.

All three use the Boeing 787. Lounge Frog doesn't list a BA lounge at any of these three airports, so check the airport page before you go. BA passengers with status or a Club World ticket may have partner lounge options. See our British Airways page for every lounge BA runs.

Two new long-haul destinations

Colombo, Sri Lanka starts on October 23, 2026. Flights leave London Gatwick three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. BA2045 leaves Gatwick at 5:30 p.m. and lands in Colombo at 9:00 a.m. the next day. The route runs only in winter. It has three cabins: Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller.

Melbourne, Australia follows in January 2027. It runs daily from Heathrow with a stop in Kuala Lumpur. We covered that route separately.

The Caribbean and Latin America

BA is adding more winter sun:

• Barbados: a new daily winter route from Gatwick starts October 25. Some flights continue on to Grenada, Guyana and Tobago. The existing Heathrow to Barbados route keeps flying.
• St. Lucia: becomes a daily nonstop from Gatwick. It no longer shares a plane with other islands.
• Kingston, Jamaica and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: both go from three to four flights a week from Gatwick.
• San José, Costa Rica: moves from Gatwick to Heathrow and goes from three to five flights a week.

Africa, Asia and the Middle East

• Cape Town: a third daily flight starts December 13.
• Tokyo Haneda: stays at twice daily all winter.
• Delhi: stays at three times daily.
• Abu Dhabi: returns as a daily flight from October 25, as planned.

BA notes that the final schedule depends on airport slots. Check your booking if you're counting on one of the new flights.

Where to wait in London

Most BA long-haul flights from Heathrow leave from Terminal 5. Club World passengers, BA Silver members and oneworld Sapphire members can use the Galleries Club lounges. First passengers can use the Concorde Room.

Many of the new winter routes leave from Gatwick, including Colombo, Barbados, St. Lucia, Kingston and Punta Cana. BA's Club Lounge (South) is one of the highest-rated BA lounges on Lounge Frog, at 4.9 out of 5. The First Lounge (South) serves First passengers and oneworld Emerald members. Check your boarding pass for your terminal before you head to a lounge. See every lounge at London Gatwick and London Heathrow.