Virgin Atlantic is launching a new service from Belfast to Orlando in Florida

Sir Richard Branson's airline Virgin Atlantic is to fly from Northern Ireland for the first time.

Virgin will operate a total of eight services between Belfast and Orlando in Florida in June and July 2015.

The service augments the existing Virgin service between Glasgow and Orlando, with the first Belfast-Orlando flight leaving on June 25 next year.

Virgin is also expanding its existing Las Vegas services by operating flights to the Nevada gambling city from Glasgow in autumn 2015.

There will be eight flights, with the first leaving Glasgow on September 10 2015.

Virgin chief executive Craig Kreeger said: "I am delighted we are able to offer customers in Northern Ireland and Scotland the opportunity to travel on Virgin Atlantic to two of our most popular leisure destinations next summer."