Four U.S. cities are about to have fewer flight options to Ireland, and some will lose their nonstop service to the Emerald Isle entirely.
Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus this week announced plans to drop or pare back four routes between the U.S. and Dublin later this year.
Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis will all lose their nonstop Aer Lingus flights to Dublin Airport (DUB) in the coming months as the airline looks to trim costs. Seattle, meanwhile, will see its service end during the quieter winter months.
Ishrion Aviation was first to spot the cuts, which the carrier confirmed to TPG.
In a statement to Friday, Aer Lingus said the cutbacks were necessary to boost its margins — and also pointed to higher costs (including for fuel) and stiffer competition over the Atlantic Ocean.
It’s not just routes going by the wayside, by the way. Five hundred employees are expected to lose their jobs as part of cost-cutting across the airline.
Aer Lingus’ US route cutbacks
Here’s the rundown of the routes that will end. You’ll see that all flights will at least run through the peak summer season:
- Denver International Airport (DEN) to Dublin: ends after Sept. 28
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to Dublin: ends after Oct. 24
- Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) to Dublin: ends after Dec. 3
Flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to DUB will end after Oct. 24, but are expected to return for the summer season in 2027.
Travelers in Denver and Las Vegas will likely feel the cuts most: As it stands today, Aer Lingus is the only carrier offering nonstop service from those cities to Ireland.
Delta Air Lines, though, offers Dublin service from MSP.
Pulling back on US growth
Aer Lingus’ scaleback in the U.S. comes on the heels of the airline growing in the U.S. at a fast pace.
This summer, its departures between the U.S. and Ireland were up 22% versus just three years ago, in 2023, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
But more recently, the carrier has focused its growth on American cities it can reach with its new Airbus A321XLR planes. Those smaller long-range, single-aisle jets can reach the eastern U.S. from Ireland — and are cheaper to operate than its larger twin-aisle aircraft.
That plane has seen places like Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Nashville and Raleigh-Durham gain Dublin service over the last couple years.
Most of Aer Lingus’ cuts announced this week focus on U.S. markets generally outside the range of those smaller, more nimble (and cost-effective) jets.
“Our accelerated transformation aims to set Aer Lingus up for the future; to ensure the airline is a strong investment case and able to weather the turbulence in our industry,” CEO Lynne Embleton said in a statement.
Silver lining? Premium economy is coming
One bit of good news amid Aer Lingus’ network shakeup this week: Premium economy is coming to a host of jets in 2027.
The airline said it would retrofit 10 of its twin-aisle Airbus A330s and debut new mid-tier cabin for next summer.
Premium economy has been a boon for major global carriers over the past decade, with the domestic first class-style recliners offering a premium option on long-haul flights that’s less expensive than a true lie-flat experience.
Intra-Europe shakeup
On top of those long-haul route cuts, Aer Lingus did reveal plans to shutter (or pare down) some intra-Europe service from Dublin.
After this summer, the airline will end its nonstop service to Split, Croatia, entirely. Plus, its Frankfurt, Hamburg and Malta nonstops will operate only in the summer, going forward.
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