Aer Lingus adds Raleigh-Durham flights to Ireland in latest US expansion

Aer Lingus is ramping up service between the U.S. and Ireland in a big way, with more flights to major U.S. cities — and an all-new destination on the East Coast.

The Irish flag carrier on Wednesday announced it will launch nonstop flights between Dublin Airport (DUB) and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) beginning in April 2026.

It’ll be the airline’s 26th North American route, and will connect the Irish capital with North Carolina’s second-largest airport — one that’s quickly growing its list of international destinations.

New flights between North Carolina and Ireland

Aer Lingus’ RDU flights will launch April 13, 2026, and will operate five times each week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

The flights will continue during the quieter winter months, with one fewer weekly round trip.

A nonstop route facilitated by a new aircraft

This new nonstop service between Raleigh and Dublin is Aer Lingus’ latest new route to a medium-size U.S. market, owed in part to the arrival of its newest plane: the Airbus A321XLR, an all-new long-range, single-aisle aircraft capable of flying long-haul international routes. Aer Lingus’ A321XLR features 16 lie-flat business-class seats up front.

Read more: On board the world’s first Airbus A321XLR, the aircraft that could revolutionize transatlantic travel

Aer Lingus was one of the first carriers in the world to debut the jet, which also helped it launch new flights in 2025 to Nashville and Indianapolis.

Up next: North Carolina’s Research Triangle, home to a host of major universities — including the University of North Carolina, which, Aer Lingus pointed out, will compete next August in a college football game in Dublin.

“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,” Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton said in a statement Wednesday.

RDU’s fast global expansion

Gaining Ireland service is the latest big win on the international stage for Raleigh-Durham.

RDU is my home airport, and I’ve seen the rapid growth in flights, each day, to international destinations. In 2025, airlines were set to offer 62% more seats to cities outside the U.S. than two years ago, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Recent years have seen the airport gain service from a host of new international airlines, including Air France, Lufthansa, Copa Airlines and Aeromexico.

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American Airlines continues to offer its daily Boeing 777 flight to London. And low-cost Avelo Airlines recently launched Caribbean service from RDU.

Aer Lingus bolsters existing US routes

On top of adding new North Carolina service, Aer Lingus will also bolster its weekly flying on several U.S. routes.

• Indianapolis International Airport (IND) and Nashville International Airport (BNA) service to Dublin will run five times weekly during the summer of 2026 — up from four times weekly in 2024.
• Orlando International Airport (MCO) flights to Dublin will run daily next summer.
• Nonstop service from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Shannon, Ireland, will run 10 times each week during the peak summer months.

All told, Aer Lingus said its summer 2026 schedule will be its largest ever over the Atlantic.

That’s after the carrier’s U.S. departures in 2025 were up some 36% over prepandemic 2019, per Cirium.

Booking Aer Lingus with points and miles

If you’re hoping to use points and miles to fly Aer Lingus to Ireland, there are many options — even if you don’t currently have any award currency with the carrier.

You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points, Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Bilt Rewards Points directly to Aer Lingus AerClub.

Also important to note: The airline shares the same Avios award currency as British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways and Finnair (and others). If you have Avios with any of those airlines, there’s a new tool that will help you transfer those Avios right over to Aer Lingus.

To that same end: If you’re a Capital One cardholder, you can transfer your miles to British Airways Club, and then move those Avios over to Aer Lingus.

Citi ThankYou Rewards members can do the same via Qatar.

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