Gatwick Is About to Lose Its Last Tampa Flight

From October 25, 2026, British Airways moves its London to Tampa service from Gatwick to Heathrow. The switch, first reported in August, takes effect as the winter schedule begins and leaves Gatwick without any Tampa flight.

The aircraft changes along with the airport. A 256-seat Boeing 787-10 with 56 premium seats replaces the 332-seat 777-200ER, lifting the premium share of the cabin from about 10 percent. BA will fly five times a week in winter and daily in peak seasons.

Gatwick takes the loss: Orlando becomes BA’s only U.S. route from the airport this winter. The route’s 2025 load factor from Gatwick was 69.8 percent, and Virgin Atlantic already flies Heathrow to Tampa. Reporting on the schedule puts combined capacity on the route down 31 percent in November 2026.

For Florida-bound travelers, the trade-off is connections versus capacity. Heathrow offers far easier links from across the BA network and a more premium cabin, while Gatwick passengers lose a direct option. Anyone booked on the old Gatwick flights after October 25 should confirm which airport their ticket now lists before heading out.

Sources: InsideFlyer, Deep Arrival