British Airways said it will start new daily flights between Heathrow and Inverness on May 3.
It will operate an Airbus A319, with up to 143 seats, on the route.
One way hand baggage-only fares are available from £47 from Inverness to Heathrow and from £60 from Heathrow to Inverness.
The new flight is the latest boost for the area following the announcement in March that Inverness and the wider Highland region is to benefit from a £315 million “City Deal” investment package over 10 years.
The City Deal is an agreement between the Scottish Government, UK Government and The Highland Council to improve the area’s infrastructure including transport and digital networks, create a Northern Scotland Innovation Hub, and promote tourism and housing.
Alex Paterson, Highlands and Islands Enterprise chief executive, said: “This (new flight) is excellent news, which will open up new economic opportunities for the region.
“We are sure it will be of great interest to existing businesses and potential inward investors, and look forward to welcoming British Airways back to Inverness in 2016.”
Denize McGregor, British Airways’ head of UK customer service and operations, said: “We are very pleased to be starting our new service to Inverness.
“As the capital of the Highlands, Inverness has a strong and diverse economy and has developed into a major centre for life sciences, commercialisation and research.
“British Airways’ daily flights will benefit the Inverness economy by linking the business community of the city and its environs with our global network of more than 130 destinations, and help boost the area’s vital in-bound tourism sector by bringing even more visitors to this beautiful and historic city, with its unique environment, scenery and culture.”
Derek Mackay, Scottish Minister for Transport and the Islands, said: “This is particularly important for Scottish businesses looking for improved access to global markets.
“It’s also a major boost for local tourism, making it even easier for visitors to get a taste of the fantastic experiences on offer in the Highlands.”