Aer Lingus announced a new route pairing between Raleigh, North Carolina and Dublin, Ireland. Service between these two cities will begin in 2026.
Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus is launching a new transatlantic route, connecting North Carolina to Dublin, Ireland. Beginning April 2026, Aer Lingus will start five-times weekly service between Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Dublin Airport (DUB). This is the first time Aer Lingus will be serving the North Carolina market.
This new route offering is the result of Aer Lingus adding the Airbus A321XLR. The XLR is a long haul version of the Airbus A321. Aer Lingus has already added four of these planes to their fleet. They have two more coming on order.
The A321XLR joins Aer Lingus’ existing A321LR fleet, which is already being operated on some lesser demand transatlantic routes. These narrowbodies help the airline free up its A330 widebody fleet for higher-demand routes.
For Raleigh-area air travelers, this is very beneficial. No airline offers nonstop service between RDU and Ireland. Now, with Aer Lingus beginning service, locals will now have a direct link to Dublin. From there, they can easily connect to mainland Europe. This service is going to mimic what Icelandair is already doing from the RDU.
Michael Landguth, President and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, highlighted the significance:
“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 this nonstop service. The Aer Lingus flight will provide a quick and convenient journey to Ireland and beyond for tourism, business, and educational opportunities.”
Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton added:
“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, which will be further strengthened with our new direct service.”
Until now, North Carolinians only had two main airports for international travel. There’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).
Historically, Charlotte has been the primary airport regarding Ireland flights. American Airlines has offered nonstop service from Charlotte to Dublin.
For prospective travelers in Eastern and Central North Carolina, that often meant long drives west to Charlotte to catch a flight with American.
With Aer Lingus entering the fray in Raleigh, folks now have another option. Now, they can experience the full Irish hospitality that Aer Lingus is known for along with the direct flight from an airport much closer to them.
Charlotte Douglas might be a major travel hub in North Carolina, but that translates into potential travel nightmares. The sheer scale of volume into CLT makes it prone to delays. Large crowds also means longer lines and earlier arrival times for passengers.
RDU in comparison offers a more streamlined experience. Being a much smaller airport, it has fewer carriers operating. With less travel options means less foot traffic making check-ins and getting through security smoother.
For those living in North Carolina’s triangle or along the Atlantic Coast, this convenience could prove the difference between choosing RDU over CLT.
Aer Lingus’ decision to add Dublin service to RDU is a game-changer especially for people looking to fly between Ireland and North Carolina. Travelers can now skip going to Charlotte, dealing with a busy airport and take a nonstop flight to Ireland and beyond.
