In January 2025, seven aircraft types flew from London Heathrow Airport to locations in the United States. Six of these aircraft were wide-bodied, while one was narrow-bodied.
Cirium data shows that there were 82,734 flights between Heathrow and the United States, with a total capacity of 22.14 million seats. Air traffic has rebounded after the COVID-19 epidemic and is approaching new highs.
In May 2024, Simple Flying stated that Heathrow was on track for its busiest year yet. Four US carriers (Delta, United, American, and JetBlue) fly to Heathrow (American carriers operates the most). Here are seven aircraft types utilized on the Heathrow-United States transatlantic route.
Heathrow is the world’s most connected airport, according to OAG. LHR is the world’s fourth largest airport in terms of scheduled one-way capacity in the year to August 2024.” Here are the seven aircraft that will fly between Heathrow and the United States in January 2025.
Airbus A321
186 Heathrow-US A321 flights
| Seats: | 25,668 |
|---|---|
| Airlines: | JetBlue |
| Sub-types: | A321neo |
The Airbus A321neo was the only narrowbody aircraft that flew between the United States and London Heathrow. JetBlue, the sole airline flying that aircraft type, flew a total of 186 transatlantic flights to and from Heathrow with 25,668 seats.
The A321neo is not a long-range aircraft, but it can fly from the East Coast to Western Europe. There were just two A321neo destinations in the United States:
Boston Logan and New York JFK. Simple Flying stated in December 2024 that JetBlue and Delta were unable to get additional Heathrow slots (JetBlue already serves London Gatwick Airport). The A321neo has a maximum range of 4,000 nautical miles and can transport up to 244 passengers.
The A321neo is powered by the new CFM International LEAP high-bypass turbofan engine (a joint venture between GE Aerospace and France’s Safran). These engines replace the CFM56 and compete with the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engines.
They power the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo families (together with China’s COMAC C919). Separately, sanctioned Russia has struggled to service these engines, with around half of its A320neo/A321neo family aircraft already grounded.
Airbus A380
294 Heathrow-US A380 flights
| Seats: | 137,886 |
|---|---|
| Airlines: | British Airways |
| Subtypes: | A380-800 |
British Airways is the only airline that flies the famed Airbus A380 from Heathrow to the United States. BA has 12 A380s in service, and while some airlines are retiring their A380 fleets, BA will upgrade them with all-new seating classes by late 2026.
In total, British Airways plans to operate 294 flights between Heathrow and the United States, with a capacity of 137,886 seats. They serve Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Francisco, and Miami. The most frequent trip in January is to Miami, where BA operates two A380s each day.
British Airways describes its A380s as “the world’s largest commercial passenger aircraft, with an upper deck that extends the entire length of the fuselage.
” It is also one of the most environmentally friendly, with fewer community noise and emissions per passenger than the Boeing 747-400, but having over 50% more floor area and 60% more headroom.”
Only 251 production models of the Airbus 380 were ever manufactured (with Emirates purchasing roughly half of them). The A380 was the final passenger quad-engine jet constructed (the Boeing 747-8 was produced for a little longer as a freighter while Russia attempted to revive production of the quad-engine Ilyushin Il-96).
Airbus A350
714 Heathrow-US A350 flights
| Seats: | 237,750 |
|---|---|
| Airlines: | British Airways, Virgin Atlantic |
| Subtypes: | A350-1000 |
January 2025 will feature 714 Airbus A350 flights with 237,750 seats (a significant increase from the 650 flights with the aircraft in January 2024). With the A380’s production ending, the A350 is now Airbus’ largest aircraft and the longest-range passenger aircraft in operation.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are the two carriers to fly the A350 from Heathrow to the United States.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic operate the A350-1000 to Boston, Austin, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Washington-Dulles, Atlanta, New York-JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other US locations. This signifies the plane is heading to the East and West Coasts of the United States.
Airbus A330
768 Heathrow-US A330 flights
| Seats: | 194,882 |
|---|---|
| Airlines: | Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines |
| Subtypes: | A330-200, A330-300, A330-900neo |
The Airbus A330 is a medium-sized, wide-bodied airliner that competes with the Boeing 767 (along with smaller versions of the Boeing 777 and Boeing 787).
The A330 is now the second most delivered wide-body airliner, after only the Boeing 777. Airbus adds, “The A330neo version was launched in 2014.
” It brings together upgraded wing technology from the A350 with extremely efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, resulting in lower operating costs and a double-digit decrease in fuel burn CO2 emissions.”
Boeing 767
862 Heathrow-US Boeing 767 flights
| Seats: | 161,704 |
|---|---|
| Airlines: | United Airlines, Delta Air Lines |
| Subtypes: | Boeing 767-300, 767-400 |
The Boeing 767 is a medium-wide-body airplane that operates on numerous medium-haul routes. The only two carriers that fly Boeing 767s from the United States to Heathrow are United carriers and Delta Air Lines.
Unsurprisingly, the majority of United’s B-767 flights (213 one-way) depart from New York Newark Liberty International Airport (where United accounts for almost 70% of aviation traffic). United also flies 767 between Heathrow and Washington Dulles.
As expected, Delta Air Lines flies 767s from its enormous Atlanta hub to Heathrow, as well as from New York-JFK and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
The Boeing 767 started service in 1982 and is still quite popular in the United States among both passenger and cargo airlines. More over 1,300 Boeing 767s have been produced.
Boeing 787
1,303 Heathrow-US Boeing 787 flights
| Seats: | 329,788 |
|---|---|
| Airlines: | British Airways, United Airlines, American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic |
| Subtypes: | Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 787-10 |
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, in service since 2011, is one of the world’s most popular wide-body aircraft. The Dreamliner was a significant upgrade over previous generations of aircraft and is notable for its composite fuselage.
The aircraft can service routes of up to 8,500 nautical miles and has played an important role in the transition to a point-to-point model (rather than the old hub-and-spoke model for which the A380 was designed).
The Dreamliner will perform 1,303 trips between Heathrow and the United States (with a total capacity of 329,058 seats). According to Boeing, the Dreamliner’s lighter and more resilient composite structure enables airlines to reduce fuel use and emissions by 25%, while range flexibility allows carriers to profitably launch new routes.
Innovative interiors offer roomy cabins, improved views through the widest windows available on any commercial jet today, and cabin upgrades that help passengers to arrive at their destinations feeling more refreshed. ” The 787’s composite fuselage allows for a higher cabin pressure, which helps to alleviate symptoms of jet lag.
Boeing 777
2,140 Heathrow-US Boeing 777 flights
| Seats: | 573,788 |
|---|---|
| Airlines: | American Airlines, British Airways |
| Subtypes: | B777-200/200ER, B777-300ER |
The Boeing 777 is the world’s most produced widebody airplane, with more than 1,700 delivered. It will continue to be constructed for many more years, as the new Boeing 777X is still being developed.
In January 2025, only British Airways and American Airlines fly the Boeing 777 to Heathrow. In 2024, destinations in the United States included Atlanta, Boston, Denver, New York-Newark, Washington-Dulles, New York-JFK, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and other cities.
