Aer Lingus has just revealed its newest transatlantic destination, and it’s an interesting one, as flagged by eagle-eyed @IshrionA.
In this post:
Aer Lingus adding Dublin to Nashville route
As of April 12, 2025, Aer Lingus will launch 4x weekly flights between Dublin (DUB) and Nashville (BNA). The route will operate on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with the following schedule:
EI77 Dublin to Nashville departing 2:05PM arriving 5:10PM
EI176 Nashville to Dublin departing 6:40PM arriving 8:50AM (+1 day)
The 3,905-mile flight is blocked at 9hr5min westbound and 8hr10min eastbound. As of now, Aer Lingus is showing the route as being operated by an Airbus A321LR, featuring 184 seats, including 16 business class seats and 168 economy class seats. However, I suspect this route will end up being operated by the Airbus A321XLR, which Aer Lingus should start taking delivery of in the coming months.
How this route fits into the competitive landscape
For the upcoming summer, Aer Lingus will be one of three airlines offering transatlantic flights to Nashville. The airport is already served by British Airways from London (LHR), and Icelandair will also launch a flight from Keflavik (KEF) as of May 2025.
As far as Aer Lingus’ other destinations in the United States go, the airline otherwise serves Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Cleveland (CLE), Denver (DEN), Hartford (BDL), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Minneapolis (MSP), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Orlando (MCO), Philadelphia (PHL), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), and Washington (IAD).
With both Aer Lingus and Icelandair launching flights to Nashville, I have to imagine that the airport and local community are offering some significant incentives, since it’s otherwise unusual to see so much transatlantic growth so quickly.
What’s funny about Aer Lingus is that the airline belongs to the oneworld transatlantic joint venture, with American, British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia. Despite that, the airline very much seems to do its own thing, and doesn’t have nearly the level of coordination you’ll find among the other airlines. I’m still puzzled by Aer Lingus’ integration into that joint venture, but regardless, it’s always cool to see flights launched in otherwise unserved markets.
Bottom line
As of April 2025, Aer Lingus will launch a 4x weekly flight between Dublin and Nashville. Between this and Icelandair’s new service, it’s a good time for transatlantic flights at Nashville Airport, as the airport is going from one to three operators.
What do you make of Aer Lingus launching Nashville flights?
I think the view from Europe is different from the states.
A- Ireland is an island. Its air links are vital, particularly to Europe.
B-To secure strong European links, it needs incoming tourists and transit tourists from Europe to fill its planes on European routes.
C- Nashville is an emblematic place (at least in France), singers go there to record. But hardly anyone goes there. And Ireland has a big music tradition...
I think the view from Europe is different from the states.
A- Ireland is an island. Its air links are vital, particularly to Europe.
B-To secure strong European links, it needs incoming tourists and transit tourists from Europe to fill its planes on European routes.
C- Nashville is an emblematic place (at least in France), singers go there to record. But hardly anyone goes there. And Ireland has a big music tradition too.
D- America has a special relationship with Ireland due to strong origin links. American tourists love going to Ireland.
If you combine A B C D, you can expect planes to be filled up nicely. Some transiting, some stopping.
"With both Aer Lingus and Icelandair launching flights to Nashville, I have to imagine that the airport and local community are offering some significant incentives, since it’s otherwise unusual to see so much transatlantic growth so quickly."
This is my question as well. Not all Europeans are looking for a mile of country music bars and I'm pretty sure most of those who play there can't afford the extra seat to bring their guitar to...
"With both Aer Lingus and Icelandair launching flights to Nashville, I have to imagine that the airport and local community are offering some significant incentives, since it’s otherwise unusual to see so much transatlantic growth so quickly."
This is my question as well. Not all Europeans are looking for a mile of country music bars and I'm pretty sure most of those who play there can't afford the extra seat to bring their guitar to the other end of the pond (and back, hopefully). In fact, Dublin has quite a bit to offer with the Temple Bar District. Are we missing something extraordinary happening in Tennessee? I haven't seen much advertising or news about Nashville in Europe at all.
I'm also pretty sure that Nashville isn't clogged with 'Irish heritage' Americans who suddenly got 'homesick' and manage to fill Airbusloads of tourists to Dublin year round. It definitely doesn't have enough people with Icelandic roots to do so... And, honestly, Dublin is some sort of a hellhole of an airport. Highly inefficient, severely understaffed, way too small for what it tries to be and clogged with Ryanair passengers. No one should be doing flight connections there voluntarily, especially not with the limited connections Aer Lingus offers. So I guess offering to and from the rest of Europe is a bit off the table as well.
I'm still puzzled. The only thing I can imagine is that two airlines had the same epiphany at the same time, purely coincidental.
EI can connect to Europe much more easily and cheaply than BA. I doubt many Europeans care about Nashville. And I doubt many Nashville locals care about Ireland specifically though I’m sure some view it as a great vacation, but EI can get Nashville to nearly anywhere in Europe easily and more cheaply than BA. Not sure why everyone is so focused on the o&d nature of this route when Dublin is perfectly placed as...
EI can connect to Europe much more easily and cheaply than BA. I doubt many Europeans care about Nashville. And I doubt many Nashville locals care about Ireland specifically though I’m sure some view it as a great vacation, but EI can get Nashville to nearly anywhere in Europe easily and more cheaply than BA. Not sure why everyone is so focused on the o&d nature of this route when Dublin is perfectly placed as the best TATL hub
There’s no backtracking in either direction
@MaxPower: We fully agree on Nashville being the new hotspot for Europeans (or lack thereof).
However, as I've been trying to point out, and I write this as someone who has flown a dozen times to and from Dublin in the last few years: Dublin might have some geographical advantages, but as an airport, it's a complete clusterfuck. I'm calculating a minimum of 3 hours there to assure that I can make a connection,...
@MaxPower: We fully agree on Nashville being the new hotspot for Europeans (or lack thereof).
However, as I've been trying to point out, and I write this as someone who has flown a dozen times to and from Dublin in the last few years: Dublin might have some geographical advantages, but as an airport, it's a complete clusterfuck. I'm calculating a minimum of 3 hours there to assure that I can make a connection, that's how bad it is. It's severely overcrowded, highly inefficient as there's huge queues everywhere all the time, it's severely understaffed up to the point where you often have to wait for an hour or more on board a landed aircraft to finally get out because there's no ground staff available (no matter which airline), and you're probably well aware that half the 'European' destinations Aer Lingus has to offer are in the UK and Ireland. There's just a few larger continental airports in addition, like AMS, FRA, CDG, BCN, FCO, etc - which Icelandiar and/or BA also offer. Given the time lost when connecting at DUB and the stress involved, I guess that makes the other two not noncompetitive options.
I don’t disagree
But if EI is going off low fare customers, that’s actually ok since iag/BA controls the RM and can separate the two travelers rather easily since EI and BA are in the JV
A low fare customer traditionally doesn’t know the airport transfer experience
For better or worse
But it’s just a fun comment section
I obviously respect what you’re saying here with personal perspective
3 hours to make a connection, in Dublin? Utterly strange comment. Sounds like you had one negative experience and it’s all you can recall. In reality Terminal 2 is comparatively tiny (it is a rectangular tube) and Aer Lingus are checking your bags from only Terminal 2. 40 mins should be plenty. Plus they are responsible for connecting you on a through-ticket. Are you referring to doing US immigration on the European side back to...
3 hours to make a connection, in Dublin? Utterly strange comment. Sounds like you had one negative experience and it’s all you can recall. In reality Terminal 2 is comparatively tiny (it is a rectangular tube) and Aer Lingus are checking your bags from only Terminal 2. 40 mins should be plenty. Plus they are responsible for connecting you on a through-ticket. Are you referring to doing US immigration on the European side back to the US? Or purchasing a voyage with Ryanair from Terminal 1?
(No, I don’t work for any airline)
Nashville is a white-hot city for music (and I say this hating country—which is taking unlikely places by storm, having sat through 2 hours of it at an otherwise mainstream Toronto bar last weekend) that has done a great job in the Austin model of marketing itself as a stag/hen destination for those abroad. The business/leisure mix alone makes sense for EI to do this.
I hope RDU is next. And I just hope...
Nashville is a white-hot city for music (and I say this hating country—which is taking unlikely places by storm, having sat through 2 hours of it at an otherwise mainstream Toronto bar last weekend) that has done a great job in the Austin model of marketing itself as a stag/hen destination for those abroad. The business/leisure mix alone makes sense for EI to do this.
I hope RDU is next. And I just hope RDU can sustain the business for foreign carriers. Apple looks to be pulling out and the commercial/housing market could cool to lukewarm at any moment.
If memory serves me right,AA used to fly to BNA,JFK & RDW from Stansted(EGSS)using B757's & B767's.That must have been at least 12-15 years ago. Great economy loads,but barely any premium ,so the routes,died!
Nashville has been growing for some time, so it I figured it was a question of time till an airline like EI set its eyes on the Music City. It's got a nightlife and music culture which is also synonymous with the Irish, in general. Especially a place like Dublin, with its renowned pubs. Also, the fact that US Preclearance is part of the departure process for US passengers going to America, and that a...
Nashville has been growing for some time, so it I figured it was a question of time till an airline like EI set its eyes on the Music City. It's got a nightlife and music culture which is also synonymous with the Irish, in general. Especially a place like Dublin, with its renowned pubs. Also, the fact that US Preclearance is part of the departure process for US passengers going to America, and that a narrow body aircraft is serving this route, means that there isn't as much strain on BNA's infrastructure. While BNA is a growing hub, it obviously still doesn't have the capacity for handling large numbers of international arrivals like CLT, MSP, SEA, etc.
Nashville has enough milquetoast Americans with self proclaimed Irish "heritage" that go to Dublin for their once in a lifetime "exotic" trip to fill an A320 I suppose.
Nashville has a reputation for partying, especially among women, so it’s no surprise that Pom and Paddy birds want to fly there. They’ll have a great time too.
It's the Newcastle of the US. A shitshow on the weekend unless you're a single dude, then it's heaven on Earth.
Dublin is world famous in Europe for its Temple Bar District. There's more than enough to do there with music and drinks. And not everyone in Europe is equally into country and western. I recall visiting Nashville as the 'music city', just to find a mile of country music bars at night, filled with bourbon and water (ok, coors light, but that's the same thing) drinking people. I think it was at or near Broadway?...
Dublin is world famous in Europe for its Temple Bar District. There's more than enough to do there with music and drinks. And not everyone in Europe is equally into country and western. I recall visiting Nashville as the 'music city', just to find a mile of country music bars at night, filled with bourbon and water (ok, coors light, but that's the same thing) drinking people. I think it was at or near Broadway? There was little variation.
I do know, however, that European band Ghost wanted to record an album in Nashville and had to move elsewhere as the locals over there refused to cooperate as they found their music 'sinful'.
“Dublin is world famous in Europe for its Temple Bar District.” A ghetto of a district with limited nightlife options. Known at best to native English-speaking tourists. 2,000 of Dublin’s 1.26 million people live there. Like claiming that Manchester is world famous for Canal Street or that Lisbon is world famous for the Barrio Alto. No?
So help me understanding the One World JV. Will J passengers be able to use the BNA Admiral’s Club? Can AAdvantage members accrue or redeem miles on Aer Lingus? I’m under the impression the answer is no to all three. Avios may.
https://www.aerlingus.com/prepare/airport-information/airport-lounges/#/sectionFive
Should be able to use the admirals club
They use it as a default when there isn’t a flagship or BA Lounge
Aer Lingus is the unannounced 2nd international partner for Southwest. Things are changing at BNA due to WN reductions in ATL.
I just tried to book a flight just to see the cost. It's still not a direct flight. You go to orlando first. It's still cheaper to find a cheap flight from nashville to boston. Then fly from boston to dublin. I make this flight ever year on business class for $1800 and from nashville to dublin they want $4400. I'll keep flying to boston first.
This is incorrect. The flight is direct from Dublin. From Spring 2025. You searched for a trip before the route starts. Aer Lingus does not have a single route with a stopover in its entire network.
Kewl, another C-tier city adds TA service via taxpayer money! Plus it's to a different part of Europe.....wait.....all 3 flights are to far NW Europe on various islands and not continental??? Good job BNA money spenders!!!
Such a shallow mind. You don't seem capable of the various analysis that goes into such route developments. Don't bother applying for an airline or economic development job.
BA fills a 777 daily including the lucrative J from that C-tier city. Where do you get your idea that BNA is a C tier city. 28th busiest airport in the US puts it in the Large Airport category with a huge tourist draw
C tier city ?
Aer Lingus are not a part of One World, they left that group a while ago
Ben never said they were still/back in OW. He said that they are a part of the OW JV, which they are in fact in. Reading is fundamental kiddos.
Most likely they will put the A321 XLR in this route since the LR its pushing its range limit mainly going west with the strong headwinds.
Guessing they got incentives. Any news on what the second EI city in the US will be? Indianapolis, RDU, or something else?
Maybe. Dallas, Austin, Kansas City, or St. Louis, perhaps could also be in the mix.
AA may not have the most widebodies but their JV over the Atlantic sure is unmatched
The JV’s ability to profitably fly to mid tier US cities is really impressive and a big advantage to AA’s domestic operation
I'm sure AA employees love seeing their joint venture partners operating flights- and EI will tip that scale much more so than for DL and UA's JV partners
I'd rather us have a route to a non-JV partner operated by AA then yet another flight from the US to LHR. BA can have this route. Still the same amount of flying for AA when Boeing can't deliver planes. And no, the argument of retiring the 767 and A330 being a bad idea is invalid. No one could have foreseen Boeing failing this badly. Plus the B767 was a hanger queen and the A333...
I'd rather us have a route to a non-JV partner operated by AA then yet another flight from the US to LHR. BA can have this route. Still the same amount of flying for AA when Boeing can't deliver planes. And no, the argument of retiring the 767 and A330 being a bad idea is invalid. No one could have foreseen Boeing failing this badly. Plus the B767 was a hanger queen and the A333 were old with the fleet of A332 being so small it wasn't cost effective to keep them around either.
They could have still kept those two aircraft and the 757 longer, though, like what UA and Delta have done. With proper refurbishments, obviously. The fact is that their international network is often overreliant on their 777s and 787s, limiting their ability to grow new routes that operate year round, apart from some safe big cities (think London, Paris, Tokyo, etc.). The rest are just seasonal routes to mid tier places serving the holiday traffic,...
They could have still kept those two aircraft and the 757 longer, though, like what UA and Delta have done. With proper refurbishments, obviously. The fact is that their international network is often overreliant on their 777s and 787s, limiting their ability to grow new routes that operate year round, apart from some safe big cities (think London, Paris, Tokyo, etc.). The rest are just seasonal routes to mid tier places serving the holiday traffic, like Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal.
@jay
Just wait until delta retires the 763. You think AA’s planes are too big? Delta doesn’t have 788s or the xlr
Delta will be the airline flying you nonstop to Amsterdam and CDG
Delta flies as much as they do because of their pilot contract. It’s very simple.
I’m sure aa employees are just fine as much as you seem to hate the AA JV able to sustain routes that delta and their JV can’t
Really is pathetic seeing Tim’s sour grapes and pretending empathy to AA employees or like he knows anything about them (or the industry…)
I didn't come on here touting how great a JV partner route is so, no, I don't have any sour grapes
and Max can't figure out that the 764s and 332s are pabout 20 seats bigger than the 763s so there simply won't be a replacement of any 767s with 339s for close to a decade
in a decade, AA honestly could have been through another chapter 11 and not even be trying to compete in intl markets
Narrowbody transatlantic operations are benefitting low cost travel in the "on the way to Europe" hubs and will siphon off lots of premium demand.
BA benefits by controlling the ability to segment high value passengers to LHR and beyond from its DUB flights while Iceland Air acts on its own.
Cities like BNA that cater to the low fare transatlantic carriers ultimately will have less legacy carrier air service which provide more global connectivity
BNA has been trying to get AF, KLM, and/or Lufthansa, too. AF or KL announcement was apparently very near in 2019, but then Covid happened. Lufthansa has recently stated that they don't have any imminent plans to launch additional flights to North America, unfortunately.
Though Lufthansa have started new routes to places like Raleigh and St. Louis in recent years, among other Tier-2 US cities.
It’s interesting that Nashville is now a 777 route for BA, showing that demand must be good enough to have upgraded the capacity from a Dreamliner.
I know this is just a coincidence, but I’ve had 3 seat-mates that I’ve spoken to this year on short-haul BA flights who were connecting on to Nashville.
Yeah, they upgauged that flight back in April. BA said at the time that BNA had the second-highest load factor of all of their flights to North America before the upgauge. Apparently it's still been doing a very good job of selling out since then, too.
IAG seems to be having success flying to mid-size American cities. As an Ohio native, I've been thrilled to see BA's Cincinnati route go from 3 to 5 times weekly, and they were even operating a 777 on it for a while earlier this year.
I wonder how Lufthansa's St. Louis route is doing
I wouldn't read too much into that.
BA's equipment to its secondary and tertiary US destinations has been all over the place, over the last few months, due to the cabin refurbishments for the 788s and 789s.
London - New Orleans is a great example:
In just August-October, it will have shifted from all-781; to all-789; to a 788/781 weekly split; to all-777
Aer Lingus also flies from Denver (DEN) to Dublin.
@ mrmanmrman -- Added, thanks! :-)