British Airways is setting its sights on St. Louis.
Next spring, the U.K.-based carrier will launch nonstop flights from St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR).
The new flight, set to launch in April 2026, will give travelers in the St. Louis region a second nonstop route across the Atlantic, three years after German carrier Lufthansa launched nonstop service from STL to Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
The new Heathrow flights will also offer a new way to both reach London and connect to an extensive array of destinations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East served by British Airways and its partners.
As for British Airways, STL will be the carrier’s 27th U.S. airport.
Here’s what its U.S. route map will look like come next summer, per Cirium. Note that it serves nearly every destination from its Heathrow hub — save for Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Tampa International Airport (TPA), which connect to the smaller London Gatwick Airport (LGW).
What to know: British Airways’ new St. Louis-London flight
British Airways will fly its STL-LHR route four times each week starting April 19 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Here’s how the itinerary shakes out:
- STL-LHR: Departs 10 p.m., arrives 12:05 p.m. the next day
- LHR-STL: Departs 4:25 p.m., arrives 9:30 p.m.
Related: Is British Airways premium economy worth it?
How to book British Airways with points and miles
Travelers hoping to book British Airways flights with points and miles have a ton of options.
If you’re a U.S. traveler with a large sum of American Airlines AAdvantage miles, you can use those to book seats on British Airways, since the two airlines are partners in the Oneworld alliance (just watch out for taxes and fees, which can run quite high on London trips).
Alternatively, a myriad of credit card and/or transferable currency programs allow you to move points directly to British Airways Club, including:
While Citi ThankYou Rewards doesn’t offer direct transfers to British Airways, you can move points to Qatar Airways Privilege Club — which uses the same Avios award currency — and then use a free tool to transfer those Avios to British Airways.
Related reading:
- When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
- The best airline credit cards
- What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- What are points and miles worth? TPG’s monthly valuations
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
