Photo courtesy British Airways
St. Louis is gaining another connection to global markets.
This week, during the Growing Global event organized by the World Trade Center St. Louis at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, British Airways announced plans to expand its nonstop service to London to daily flights during portions of the 2027 summer season. The move will create new opportunities for business, tourism, conventions, and investment.
“British Airways’ decision to introduce a daily service demonstrates growing international confidence in the St. Louis region,” Ron Kitchens, Managing Partner of Greater St. Louis, Inc., said in a press release. “This expansion will strengthen our economy by connecting local businesses to European markets and providing new opportunities for our industries to compete on the global stage.”
Kitchens said the expanded service also will strengthen St. Louis’ ability to attract international visitors and make the region more accessible to international business and investment opportunities.
“By making it easier for more tourists to enjoy our region, it will also strengthen our competitive edge as a destination for new visitors, conventions, and investment,” Kitchens said. “We thank British Airways for their support, and we look forward to continuing to show the world what makes our region a great place to live, work, and build a business.”
The Sept. 22 event brought together representatives from British Airways, Lufthansa Group, Southwest Airlines, and Air Canada, who all shared plans to expand either regional, national, or international flights.
The biggest news came from, British Airways, though, which will increase its seasonal nonstop service between St. Louis Lambert International Airport and London Heathrow Airport to seven flights per week for four months of the 2027 summer season.
The expansion represents an 80% increase in total seats compared with summer 2026, adding more than 35,400 seats between St. Louis and London next summer. The route launched April 19, 2026, with four flights per week.
The airline will increase service to five flights per week beginning March 28, 2027, before moving to daily service from April 19 through June 28 and again from Sept. 6 through Oct. 30. Flights will be operated using British Airways’ Boeing 787 fleet.
For the St. Louis region, the additional flights extend beyond convenience for travelers. Greater international air access can help businesses reach overseas markets while making the region more accessible to international visitors and companies considering St. Louis for investment.
International visitors also tend to stay longer and spend more, according to Explore St. Louis President and CEO Brad Dean. That spending reaches hotels, restaurants, attractions, retailers, and cultural institutions throughout the region.
“British Airways’ decision to increase service just months after the route launched is an important sign of the momentum behind this connection and the opportunity ahead for the St. Louis region,” said Brad Dean, President and CEO of Explore St. Louis, in the release. “Growing this route is about growing the St. Louis economy.”
British Airways is the only U.K. airline offering nonstop service between St. Louis and London. From Heathrow, travelers can connect to destinations throughout Europe and the airline’s global network of more than 200 destinations.
Hubert Frach, British Airways’ Head of Sales for North America, said the airline has seen a strong response to the route since its launch and that the expanded schedule will give customers more choice and flexibility.
“We’re delighted to be significantly growing our presence in St. Louis for summer 2027 with daily flights to London Heathrow for more than four months of the season,” Frach said in the release. “The response to this route has been tremendous since launch only five months ago, and this expansion gives customers even greater choice and flexibility, while strengthening connections from St. Louis to London, Europe, and our global network of more than 200 destinations.”
The announcement also comes after Explore St. Louis and its regional partners spent months promoting St. Louis in the U.K. and Ireland through trade outreach, media engagement, and destination marketing.
The expanded service represents another step in efforts to strengthen St. Louis’ position as an international destination while increasing the region’s connections to global markets.
“This announcement is fantastic news for St. Louis,” Ambassador Kevin F. O’Malley, Chair of the St. Louis County Port Authority, said in the release. “This partnership has continued to grow, and we are thrilled that British Airways sees the strength of the St. Louis region in the global economy.”