Further Transatlantic travels continue to be Aer Lingus’s future, with the airline planning a route to Raleigh-Durham Airport.
Aer Lingus’s first Airbus A321XLR – Image, Airbus
It’s a big win for Raleigh-Durham travellers, with the airport noting that Dublin is one of the most sought-after destinations that is not currently served.
Aer Lingus will launch the route from Dublin on 13th April 2026. The route will operate five times a week, flying on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
For passengers, they’ll experience the newest aircraft in the Aer Lingus long-haul fleet, with a two-class Airbus A321XLR planned to operate the route.
Aer Lingus also offers connections from Dublin to England, Scotland, France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands through its Irish hub.
In Quotes
Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, said:
“Dublin is a high-demand international destination for travelers from the Research Triangle region, and we are proud that Aer Lingus has chosen RDU for nonstop service,”
“The Aer Lingus flight will provide a quick and convenient journey to Ireland and beyond for tourism, business and educational opportunities.”
Lynne Embleton, CEO of Aer Lingus, said:
“We’re delighted to be adding Raleigh-Durham International Airport to our growing North American network. It’s a vibrant and thriving region with well-established links to Ireland, that will be further strengthened with our new direct service. By connecting important cities like Raleigh and Durham to Ireland, and with Dublin as the ideal gateway to Europe, we continue to meet the needs of underserved markets and the demand for travel.
Our 2026 plans reflect another year of growth, with new destinations, increased frequency on our established network, and more choice for our customers. We’ll be serving 26 routes across North America in 2026, reinforcing Aer Lingus as a popular choice for North Atlantic travel.
To enable this growth, we have invested significantly in our fleet and we look forward to welcoming the people of North Carolina onboard our new Airbus A321 XLR aircraft next April.”
Utilising Long and Thin, Whilst Growing the Network
For Raleigh-Durham Airport, it’s going to be a busy summer with the airport seeing 20 airlines operating nonstop service to 15 international destinations when Aer Lingus launches next spring.
Meanwhile, for Aer Lingus, it’s going to exercise the thin and long characteristics of transatlantic travel between Dublin and Raleigh-Durham. With a booked time of 7 hours 20 minutes in the air, it further adds connections from the airline’s Irish hub to North America, whilst offering passengers further choices in destinations.
Given that there are five planned flights a week, the airline is confident in this route.
We’ll have to see if that confidence is matched by seats being filled and premium fares paid.
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