Aer Lingus is to further expand its North American network as the airlineĀ announces a new direct service to Denver, Colorado and the re-launch of the Minneapolis-St. Paul route, both taking off from Dublin as part of its summer 2024 programme.Ā
The new Aer Lingus routes will bring to 18 the total number operated by the airline between IrelandĀ and North America. This strategic expansion reflects the airlineās commitment to its Dublin Hub strategy, not justĀ between Ireland and North America, but also offering seamless connections to Europe.
Flights to Minneapolis-St Paul commence on April 29th, 2024, increasing from four-times weekly to aĀ daily year-round service from next October and will be served by our newest aircraft the A321XLRĀ from Winter 2024. Dublin – Denver flights, which will also operate four times a week, will begin fromĀ May 17, 2024.
Customers departing from these cities can also enjoy the convenience of onward connections to 20Ā European cities via Dublin.Ā Aer Lingus ranks fourth in the world in terms of the breadth of its long-haul network serving key USĀ gateways and is the fifth largest European carrier based on the number of seats on offer betweenĀ the US and Europe.
Lynne Embleton, Aer Lingus Chief Executive, said: āWith Dublinās geographic position as the gatewayĀ to Europe, pre-clearance facilities at the airport and the strong, long established Irish American ties,Ā Aer Lingus is ideally placed to connect people and places across the Atlantic.
āDenver and Minneapolis-St Paul are significant business destinations within the US and the new AerĀ Lingus routes facilitate corporate links and connectivity between Europe and North America,Ā through our Dublin Hub.
āDenverās position as the āGateway to the Rockiesā and its outdoor appeal, from world class skiing toĀ hiking, opens up a whole new US experience to leisure travellers from Ireland and Europe.
āThis summer has been our biggest yet, with 2.25 million seats to North America and theĀ successful addition of Cleveland, Ohio to our network. We are confident in our growth strategy andĀ look forward to welcoming customers onboard these two new routes next year.āā
The new direct route to Denver will facilitate increased business collaboration between Ireland andĀ Colorado’s thriving industries. Colorado-based companies, including Level 3 Communications, OtterĀ Products, Webroot, Graebel, Emergentics, and Paragon 28, have already established their EuropeanĀ headquarters in Ireland.
Denverās growth in technology, renewable energy, and aerospace offers Irish businesses an avenueĀ to explore new markets. The city’s rich Irish heritage and vibrant Irish American community provideĀ an ideal setting for strengthening business relationships.
The reintroduction of the Minneapolis-St. Paul route amplifies Ireland’s engagement with the robustĀ business landscape of the Twin Cities.Ā Ā Companies including 3M, Smiths Medical, and Medtronic are headquartered in Minnesota and haveĀ successful Irish bases. The Minneapolis-St. Paul region is the seat of 15 Fortune 500 companyĀ headquarters, including popular chain stores Target and Best Buy.
The cities have been noted among North Americaās fastest growing tech hubs and share someĀ significant parallels with Ireland.