St. Louisans looking to hop across the pond next year without stops will have another option as British Airways lands its first flights out of St. Louis Lambert International Airport, St. Louis officials and business leaders announced Wednesday.
British Airways will begin nonstop flights to London Heathrow Airport starting April 19. The airport will initially support seasonal flights through late October with four flights a week taking off on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
“When I first took this job over 16 years ago, the business community came and they said, ‘Rhonda, you have one priority, it's to get London service back,’" St. Louis Lambert International Airport Director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge said. “Sixteen years later, we've answered that plea.”
Flights are already on sale though a terminal and gate for British Airways has yet to be determined. Hamm-Niebruegge said European nonstop flights could bring $50 million to $100 million to the region annually. She said she’s hopeful the season flights will turn into year-round treks depending on the success of the first year.
Federal and state funds were not used for this deal, Hamm-Niebruegge said. The St. Louis County Port Authority agreed to a $4.5 million incentive for about three years for British Airways, said Kevin F. O’Malley, St. Louis County Port Authority chairman and ambassador. The airline will have to meet certain flight performance criteria for the payout.
Airport officials said they’ll work with British Airways to discuss any necessary upgrades to the terminal. The company is investing $9 billion to transform its customer service, said Senior Vice President Gloria Chow-Vanderwell.
“With four flights a week, we are destined to bring people together,” she said. “This is not just a flight. This is a way to connect people, be it family traveling, visiting friends or business travelers.”
Airport officials have started emphasizing direct European flights over the past several years. Lufthansa added flights between Lambert and Frankfurt, Germany, in 2022. Hamm-Niebruegge said about 450 passengers depart from Lambert to Europe a day through nonstop and connecting flights during summer months.
“The numbers are there,” Hamm-Niebruegge said. “And I think that's what helped to sell this, knowing that today, all of those customers are going to have the option to book those nonstops, which is great.”
British Airways will use Boeing Dreamliners, 787 jets with a capacity of about 250 people.
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer and St. Louis County Executive Sam Page praised the partnership with British Airways, and other regional leaders cited the economic benefits. The city will host the VEX Robotics World Championship next year, a student robotics competition that leaders say will boost the economy.
Flights will begin as preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup kick off in the United States. Kansas City is one of the host cities, with six matches next summer. Explore St. Louis President and CEO Brad Dean said this announcement will make it easier for European travelers to head into St. Louis and learn what the region has to offer.
“There's a real simple message: Come to KC for the cup, but come to St. Louis for the fun,” Dean said jokingly.
Hamm-Niebruegge said that for her, success for this expansion means St. Louisans are taking advantage of this opportunity.
“The airport is just here to serve the public,” Hamm-Niebruegge said. “I think success for us is knowing that we brought this ask home and that this community is going to prove it to be successful.”
