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British Airways (BA) has announced it will suspend all flights between London Gatwick Airport (LGW) and New York’s JFK Airport starting October 25, aligning with the launch of its winter schedule. This long-running daily transatlantic service will be discontinued, with passengers from southern England redirected to use London Heathrow Airport (LHR), where BA intends to concentrate and expand its transatlantic operations.
The move forms part of British Airways’ broader strategy to centralize high-demand routes at Heathrow. BA clarified that this is not a cancellation, as tickets for the Gatwick-JFK service were never sold for the winter season. Instead, the airline will add a ninth daily departure from Heathrow to JFK in summer 2026, reinforcing Heathrow’s role as the primary gateway for flights to New York.
A spokesperson highlighted that focusing on Heathrow will allow BA to allocate resources more efficiently and expand leisure routes, notably adding extra flights to Bangkok and Jamaica in response to increasing demand.
For travelers living closer to Gatwick, the suspension means longer journeys and higher out-of-pocket costs. Getting to Heathrow from Gatwick can add significant expenses—such as the £25 one-way fare for the Heathrow Express—which for a family of four could mean an extra £100 before considering airfare increases. Travel experts anticipate that the reduced competition on the Gatwick-New York route, now served only by Delta Air Lines and Norse Atlantic Airways, is likely to drive fares higher during peak periods and last-minute bookings, making holiday travel potentially more expensive for families in southern England.
Industry specialists suggest travelers can still mitigate rising costs by using savvy booking strategies. For instance, searching flights under “All London” instead of selecting a single airport may uncover cheaper tickets. Additionally, flying into Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) rather than JFK can save families over £150 on long-haul fares.
Travel advisor Paul Gillooly recommends flexibility with airport choices, dates, and times to reduce expenses, emphasizing that early planning and comparing multiple routes are key to managing the financial impact of Gatwick’s reduced transatlantic capacity.
While BA’s suspension of the Gatwick-New York route may inconvenience some passengers, the airline believes the reallocation of aircraft enhances its overall offering, particularly by enabling growth in leisure destinations. Heathrow’s consolidation of transatlantic flights aligns with customer preferences for the airport, and BA expects to deploy its assets more efficiently through this strategy.
Airlines do not foresee a resumption of BA flights between Gatwick and New York before March 2026, leaving a considerable gap in direct service from one of the UK’s busiest airports. Meanwhile, Delta and Norse Atlantic are expected to see increased demand on this corridor, impacting local competition. This development reflects broader trends in aviation where efficiency and market demands shape network changes, often at the expense of convenience for some passengers.
For families and frequent travelers, adapting booking habits and maintaining flexibility will be crucial to navigating higher travel costs and fewer choices in the coming months.