Aer Lingus adds Raleigh-Durham route and biggest transatlantic summer yet

Published on Oct 2, 2025, 2:44 pm CDT

5 min read

Aer Lingus will launch a new nonstop between Dublin and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in April 2026 while rolling out its largest-ever transatlantic summer schedule. The carrier plans third daily flights from Dublin to both New York JFK and Boston, more frequencies on Nashville and Indianapolis, a daily Dublin-Orlando peak schedule, and an expanded Shannon-Boston program. The Raleigh-Durham service will operate year-round up to five times weekly on Aer Lingus' new A321XLR, advancing the airline's Dublin Hub strategy.

Key points

Why it matters: New Raleigh-Durham link deepens Ireland-North Carolina ties and expands one-stop Europe access for the Research Triangle.
Travel impact: Later departures add day-of-travel flexibility on JFK and Boston routes.
What's next: Tickets and schedules will firm up as the A321XLR program enters service and summer 2026 draws closer.
Third daily Dublin-JFK and Dublin-Boston flights planned for summer 2026.
Nashville and Indianapolis increase to five weekly; Orlando goes daily in peak; Shannon-Boston rises to 10 weekly in peak.

Snapshot

Starting April 2026, Aer Lingus will connect Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Dublin Airport (DUB) up to five times weekly on the long-range Airbus A321XLR, providing one-stop access to Britain and Europe via the Dublin Hub. For summer 2026, Aer Lingus also intends to operate its largest transatlantic schedule to date: third daily services from Dublin to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS); frequency bumps on Dublin-Nashville International Airport (BNA) and Dublin-Indianapolis International Airport (IND); daily peak service on Dublin-Orlando International Airport (MCO); and a peak uplift to 10 weekly on Shannon Airport (SNN)-Boston. The airline says it will serve 26 North American destinations in 2026.

Background

Aer Lingus has added 10 new transatlantic routes in the past four years and continues to build its Dublin Hub as a transatlantic gateway linking North America with Ireland, the UK, and Europe. The Raleigh-Durham launch will be RDU's first direct connection to Ireland, supporting strong business, academic, and heritage links with a state population of over 11 million. The timing also precedes the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, where the University of North Carolina will face Texas Christian University on August 29, 2026. Event organizers reported nearly 23,000 U.S. visitors for the 2025 edition, underscoring the tourism draw of the series.

Latest developments

Aer Lingus Raleigh-Durham route details and A321XLR deployment

Aer Lingus confirms the new Dublin-Raleigh-Durham service begins in April 2026 and will run year-round up to five times weekly, operated by the Airbus A321XLR. The narrow-body's extended range underpins the route's viability while offering a transatlantic product consistent with Aer Lingus' North America network. RDU officials welcomed the addition as a high-demand international link for the Research Triangle, with convenient onward connections across Europe via Dublin. Public schedules and fare filings typically finalize closer to launch, but Aer Lingus' booking pages and media statements already promote spring 2026 start-of-service and Dublin Hub connections.

Expanded summer 2026 transatlantic schedule

For summer 2026, Aer Lingus plans third daily rotations on Dublin-JFK and Dublin-BOS with late-evening departures designed to maximize productive time on both ends of the trip. New routes launched in 2025, Dublin-Nashville and Dublin-Indianapolis, each rise from four to five weekly next summer as demand builds. Dublin-Orlando is slated to run daily in peak, and Shannon-Boston increases by three weekly flights to 10 in peak season. Collectively, these changes support a 26-destination North America network in 2026, aligned with the carrier's growth posture on the North Atlantic.

College Football Classic tie-in and visitor demand

The 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic, UNC vs. TCU at Aviva Stadium on August 29, 2026, adds a timely leisure and alumni demand bump for the new Raleigh-Durham route. Organizers reported a 2025 sell-out with 47,226 fans and nearly 26,000 international visitors, including about 22,900 from the United States, and an economic impact estimated above €130 million. With established momentum and a high share of U.S. attendees, the 2026 matchup should further stimulate seasonal travel between North Carolina and Ireland.

Analysis

Aer Lingus' Raleigh-Durham announcement checks three strategic boxes. First, it fills a geographic gap in the Southeast-Ireland corridor while plugging RDU into Aer Lingus' one-stop European network via Dublin preclearance. Second, leveraging the A321XLR spreads risk and matches capacity to a market that skews toward tech, pharma, and higher-ed ties, rather than pure leisure. Third, clustering capacity where demand is proven-JFK, Boston, Orlando-while nurturing newer spokes like Nashville and Indianapolis, balances growth with network resilience. For travelers, the later-evening bank on JFK/Boston widens same-day productivity on outbound and return legs, and RDU's access to Ireland plus easy connections across Europe broadens options previously dominated by hub-to-hub transfers. The College Football Classic's demonstrated draw adds an events-led boost in August, supporting shoulder-season load factors on a fresh U.S. gateway.

Final thoughts

For Triangle travelers and Irish-bound flyers, the Aer Lingus Raleigh-Durham route creates a direct bridge to Dublin with one-stop access deeper into Europe. Paired with frequency upgrades on cornerstone U.S. routes, the 2026 plan signals sustained North Atlantic ambition, underwritten by right-sized A321XLR economics. Expect competitive fares around launch, strong connections via the Dublin Hub, and a late-evening schedule pattern that rewards time-sensitive itineraries. If you are planning Ireland or Europe from North Carolina next summer, the Aer Lingus Raleigh-Durham route belongs on your shortlist.