Aer Lingus has announced its largest North Atlantic program to date for summer 2026.
anchored by a brand-new Dublin–Raleigh-Durham route and extra flights on several U.S. services.
The Irish airline is adding a third daily round-trip between Dublin and both New York JFK and Boston, and is also adding more frequent flights on other popular routes.
Aer Lingus will operate daily flights to Orlando in peak season, for example.
"Our 2026 plans reflect another year of growth with increased frequency on our established network, and more choice for our customers," said Aer Lingus analyst Lynne Embleton.
"We’ll be serving 26 destinations across North America in 2026, reinforcing Aer Lingus as a popular choice for North Atlantic travel."
There are also flights from Dublin to Nashville and Indianapolis, five times a week, whilst flights from Shannon airport to Boston will increase to ten flights a week.
The airline is also timing late-evening departures from Dublin, New York and Boston to help guests “make the most of their days on both ends of the trip.”
In summer 2026, meanwhile, Aer Lingus is adding a new route direct from Dublin to Raleigh-Durham, in North Carolina’s so-called Research Triangle.
“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," Lynne Embleton added.
The airline also noted that the new route will be in place in time for the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic - the high-profile American college football awayday that's become very popular in recent years.
In 2026, University of North Carolina (UNC) is scheduled to play Texas Christian University (TCU) at Dublin's Aviva Stadium in August. This year, some 23,000 visitors from the US flew into Ireland for the event, the airline highlighted.
Skip to the end ...
When does Aer Lingus start Dublin–Raleigh-Durham and how often?
Aer Lingus launches Dublin–Raleigh-Durham in April 2026 with up to five weekly year-round flights.
What aircraft will Aer Lingus use on Dublin–Raleigh-Durham?
Aer Lingus will operate Dublin–Raleigh-Durham with its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
Which Aer Lingus U.S. routes get more flights in summer 2026?
Aer Lingus adds a third daily Dublin–JFK and Dublin–Boston, boosts Nashville and Indianapolis to five weekly, makes Dublin–Orlando daily at peak, and increases Shannon–Boston to ten weekly at peak.
