DUBLIN- Aer Lingus (EI) expands its transatlantic network with nonstop flights from Dublin Airport (DUB) to Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU), launching April 13, 2026. This marks the airline’s first 2026 long-haul addition, focusing on secondary US markets for enhanced connectivity.
The route offers five weekly services initially, dropping to four in winter, with fares starting at €299 one way. Bookings opened in September 2025, supporting tourism, business, and educational travel between Ireland and North Carolina.
Photo: By Pitmanaaron – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=85403157Aer Lingus Nonstop Raleigh Durham Flights
Aer Lingus (EI) operates five weekly flights between Dublin Airport (DUB) and Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) from April 13, 2026. Services run Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, with winter reductions to 4 flights weekly.
Flight EI85 departs Dublin at 3:25 PM and arrives in Raleigh Durham at 6:55 PM, spanning 3,601 miles in 8 hours and 30 minutes.
Return flight EI84 leaves Raleigh Durham at 8:25 PM and reaches Dublin at 8:45 AM the next day, in 7 hours and 20 minutes.
The Airbus A321XLR powers this route, seating 184 passengers across 16 business class and 168 economy seats.
According to OMAAT, the aircraft delivers efficient long-haul performance on medium-demand paths.
Aer Lingus highlights its recent business class upgrades for superior comfort. Bookings are available now via the airline’s website, with introductory fares from €299 each way.
This addition aligns with Aer Lingus’s push into 18 US destinations, including Boston (BOS) and Los Angeles (LAX). It provides first direct access from Raleigh Durham to Ireland, serving the Research Triangle’s tech and academic hubs.
Photo: Aer LingusRoute Development at Raleigh Durham
Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) secured the route through incentives offered since early 2024 negotiations.
These include reduced fees and marketing support, common for attracting carriers to secondary markets. Such subsidies enable Aer Lingus to launch without high upfront costs, mirroring its successful expansions.
Passenger demand stems from the Research Triangle’s 2.3 million residents and strong business ties in tech, pharmaceuticals, and education.
Projections estimate 100,000 annual passengers, fueled by Irish diaspora and corporate travel to firms like SAS and IBM. The route addresses a gap, as current demand exceeds connecting options via hubs.
Enhanced Competition
Raleigh Durham Airport (RDU) now hosts five European nonstop routes. Competitors include Air France (AF) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) with daily Boeing 787 flights, American Airlines (AA) to London Heathrow (LHR) at 3 weekly, Icelandair to Keflavik (KEF) seasonally 4 times weekly, and Lufthansa to Frankfurt (FRA) daily on Airbus A330s.
Aer Lingus’s entry increases capacity by 20%, promoting fare competition.
As a oneworld joint venture partner with American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia, Aer Lingus prioritizes independent growth.
This flexibility allows targeted service to niches like North Carolina’s innovation corridor, distinct from alliance hubs.
Photo: Tobias GudatEconomic and Connectivity Benefits
The route generates $50 million in annual economic impact for North Carolina through tourism and trade, per airport estimates. It creates 200 jobs at RDU and boosts visitor spending in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.
Travelers gain seamless connections from Dublin to over 100 European cities, plus US pre-clearance for faster returns.
Aer Lingus reports a Q2 2025 operating profit of €135 million from transatlantic growth, underscoring route viability.
The A321XLR cuts fuel use by 30% and emissions versus widebodies, advancing sustainability goals. Historical success in markets like Cleveland (CLE) suggests strong potential here, with load factors exceeding 80% on similar paths.
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Aer Lingus Reports ‘Resilient’ US Travel Demand
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