As of 28 November 2025, British Airways has confirmed two new short‑haul routes from London Heathrow – to Guernsey in the Channel Islands and Tivat in Montenegro – reshaping both UK regional connectivity and summer holiday options for 2026. Britishairways
The airline’s 2026 schedule will see a year‑round Heathrow–Guernsey service and a seasonal Heathrow–Tivat route, taking BA’s short‑haul network from Heathrow to nearly 100 destinations and coming at a time of major upheaval in regional aviation around the Channel Islands. Britishairways
What exactly has British Airways announced?
British Airways set out the core details in a press release on 21 November 2025 and subsequent schedule filings:
- Two new destinations from London Heathrow for 2026
- Guernsey (GCI) – Channel Islands
- Tivat (TIV) – Montenegro Britishairways
- Start dates
- Guernsey: from 19 April 2026
- Tivat: from 14 May 2026 Britishairways
- Frequencies and terminals
- Guernsey – daily, year‑round, operating from Heathrow Terminal 5
- Tivat – three times weekly in summer, from Heathrow Terminal 3 Britishairways
- Sample schedule (Guernsey)
- BA1344: Heathrow 11:55 → Guernsey 12:55
- BA1345: Guernsey 13:50 → Heathrow 14:55 AeroRoutes
BA says both routes will be the only direct services from Heathrow to these destinations, reinforcing the airport’s role as the airline’s main global hub. Britishairways
Economy return fares are currently advertised from around £101 to Guernsey and £172 to Tivat, depending on dates, with Club Europe (short‑haul business class) available on both routes. Britishairways
Heathrow–Guernsey: a “new era” for the Channel Island
First direct Guernsey–Heathrow link
The new Guernsey route is arguably the bigger strategic story.
From 19 April 2026, British Airways will run at least one daily year‑round flight between Guernsey and Heathrow, restoring a direct link to the UK’s busiest airport and plugging the island straight into BA’s global network. Britishairways
Guernsey Airport and the island’s government say this multi‑year agreement with BA is designed to strengthen both business and tourist traffic. The flights will use Airbus A319 and A320neo aircraft, and are timed to give smooth same‑day connections from Heathrow to more than 20 European cities (including Rome, Madrid, Geneva) and major North American gateways such as New York, Los Angeles and Toronto. Guernsey Airport
Local officials have framed the deal as part of a wider reset of how Guernsey connects to the outside world. Deputy Sasha Kazantseva‑Miller, who leads the island’s Economic Development Committee, has said the partnership with BA will “help shape a new era for air connectivity” following a turbulent period for regional airlines. Guernsey Airport
A route backed by subsidies and “essential” status
The new Heathrow link doesn’t sit in isolation. It is part of a package of measures to stabilise air links after the collapse of Eastern Airways and Blue Islands, which sent shockwaves through the UK regional market this autumn. Soleil Radio
Key background points:
- Blue Islands’ collapse has forced Guernsey and other regional authorities to rethink how lifeline routes are provided.
- Skybus (Isles of Scilly Skybus) has stepped in on the Newquay–Gatwick public‑service‑obligation (PSO) route and is also operating aircraft on behalf of Aurigny for Alderney services. Soleil Radio
- The States of Guernsey’s Economic Development Committee has confirmed that BA will receive a mix of route incentive discounts and subsidy support for the Heathrow flights, with funding agreed over multiple years. Soleil Radio
According to industry outlet ch‑aviation, the route will be designated “essential” from 15 January 2026, with traffic rights reserved for a single airline. That status, often used for PSO‑style lifeline services, is designed to guarantee continuity of service after the regional airline failures. ch-aviation
How does Aurigny fit in?
Guernsey’s home airline Aurigny – which already operates frequent services to Gatwick and London City – has welcomed the decision in principle but also warned about the financial impact of new Heathrow capacity.
The BBC reports that BA’s lunchtime Heathrow service will boost seat capacity between Guernsey and London by up to 30%, under a three‑year deal, with tickets already on sale on BA’s website. BBC Feeds
Channel 103 radio adds that Aurigny worries the extra capacity could undermine its carefully built network, particularly after it added a London City route in response to lobbying from the island’s finance sector. Channel 103
Aurigny’s chairman Kevin George has nonetheless pledged to remain the “natural airline of choice” for islanders, continuing up to nine flights a day to London across Gatwick and City, totalling more than 5,500 flights a year. BBC Feeds
In practice, Guernsey residents and visitors are likely to see a two‑tier London offering from 2026:
- Heathrow with BA – jet service, global connections, hub access, higher frequency over time.
- Gatwick and London City with Aurigny – high frequency point‑to‑point links that remain crucial for commuters and short‑break travellers.
Tivat: British Airways bets on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast
While Guernsey is about connectivity, Tivat is about pure leisure demand.
From 14 May 2026, BA will operate three weekly flights between Heathrow Terminal 3 and Tivat, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, using Airbus A320 family aircraft. Britishairways
Tivat sits on Montenegro’s increasingly fashionable Bay of Kotor, close to resort developments and historic towns such as Kotor and Budva. BA highlights the area’s “stunning coastlines”, “dramatic mountain landscapes” and access to national parks like Durmitor for hiking and adventure tourism. Britishairways
Tourism data underscores why BA is moving in: Montenegro recorded around 2.6 million tourist arrivals and 15.6 million overnight stays in 2024, with over 96% of overnights from international visitors – a clear sign that demand is already global rather than just regional. Britishairways
Return fares to Tivat are currently advertised from roughly £172, positioning the route as a mid‑market summer sun option rather than a deep‑discount beach shuttle. Britishairways
How these routes fit into BA’s wider 2026 strategy
The Guernsey and Tivat launches are part of a broader 2026 network expansion:
- New long‑haul: Direct Heathrow–St. Louis service from April 2026, giving BA a fresh US Midwest gateway. Britishairways
- New and returning short‑haul:
- Graz and Rabat have joined the network in late 2025. Britishairways
- Additional leisure markets such as Salerno, Rimini and Tbilisi are part of BA’s push into high‑growth, primarily leisure‑driven destinations. British Airways
BA says that with Tivat and Guernsey, its Heathrow short‑haul network will reach nearly 100 destinations, with customers able to connect onto more than 200 destinations worldwide when long‑haul and partner airlines are included. Britishairways
This short‑haul build‑out also dovetails with Heathrow’s own long‑term plans: earlier this week the UK government endorsed a multi‑billion‑pound expansion including a third runway, intended to lift Heathrow’s capacity to around 150 million passengers a year by the mid‑2030s. Reuters
Key details for travellers: dates, terminals, aircraft and fares
Here’s a concise rundown of what passengers need to know right now.
1. Start dates
- Heathrow–Guernsey (GCI)
- First flight currently scheduled for 19 April 2026. Britishairways
- Heathrow–Tivat (TIV)
- First Tivat service currently scheduled for 14 May 2026, running through the summer season. Britishairways
2. Frequencies & terminals
- Guernsey
- At launch: daily year‑round service.
- From Heathrow Terminal 5, BA’s main long‑haul hub. Britishairways
- BA’s consumer site suggests an ambition to ramp up to twice‑daily, all‑year‑round flying from summer 2026, though only a daily lunchtime flight is loaded in timetables so far. British Airways
- Tivat
- Three flights per week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) in the summer season.
- Operating from Heathrow Terminal 3, where many of BA’s leisure and oneworld partner flights are based. Britishairways
3. Aircraft types
- Guernsey – primarily Airbus A319, with the island and BA also flagging use of the newer A320neo on some rotations. Guernsey Airport
- Tivat – scheduled with Airbus A320 aircraft, giving a standard Euro Traveller/Club Europe cabin layout. Britishairways
4. Typical flight times
- Heathrow–Guernsey: around 1 hour each way. AeroRoutes
- Heathrow–Tivat: roughly 2.5–3 hours, depending on direction and routing. Britishairways
5. Fares & cabins
- Indicative launch fares
- Guernsey: BA currently quotes from ~£101 return; local media have seen one‑way launch fares from about £98. Britishairways
- Tivat: BA and travel media report returns from around £172. Britishairways
- Cabins
- Euro Traveller (economy) and Club Europe (short‑haul business) on both routes, with lounge access at Heathrow, extra baggage and complimentary food and drink in Club Europe. Britishairways
All fares remain subject to availability and dynamic pricing; what’s on sale today may change closer to departure.
6. Connections via Heathrow
Thanks to the schedule, Guernsey passengers in particular will be able to connect same‑day at Heathrow to:
- European hubs such as Rome, Madrid, Geneva, Vienna and Lisbon, and
- long‑haul destinations including New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Bangkok and multiple Caribbean routes, depending on the day of travel. Britishairways
For Guernsey residents, this means far fewer awkward overnight stays on the mainland when travelling beyond London – one of the main selling points cited by both BA and local officials. Guernsey Airport
What this means for Guernsey – and for UK travellers
For Guernsey and the wider Channel Islands:
- The BA deal is intended to stabilise connectivity after regional airline failures and to spread risk across more operators. Soleil Radio
- Designating Heathrow–Guernsey as an “essential” route and supporting it with incentives should make it harder for airlines to pull out abruptly, though it also raises questions about competition and public subsidies. ch-aviation
- Aurigny remains crucial, especially for high‑frequency shuttles to Gatwick and London City, but will now operate alongside a global flag carrier on the London market. BBC Feeds
For UK and international travellers:
- Tivat offers a fresh alternative to the usual Mediterranean favourites, with Montenegro’s visitor numbers surging even before BA’s arrival. Britishairways
- Guernsey becomes an easier weekend‑break or short‑stay option from Heathrow, particularly attractive for travellers who want to combine a Channel Islands trip with long‑haul journeys on the same ticket. Britishairways
If you’re planning 2026 travel, the big takeaway from today’s news cycle is simple:
British Airways is using Heathrow’s growing muscle to open both a lifeline island link and a glossy new Adriatic escape – and tickets for both are already on sale.
