Aer Lingus is forging direct links from Ireland to every part of the United States with more routes than ever before. Few have been as eagerly awaited as this one. This destination’s tagline, “Be A Category of One”, highlights its fame. It is the one and only Las Vegas.
Hosting the event was Aer Lingus with Yvonne Muldoon, Jenny Rafter, Ivan Beacom and the team in association with Tryphavana Cross (Senior Account Director & Irish Market Specialist) representing Las Vegas CVB in Ireland.
Jenny Rafter (Head of Global Leisure Sales at Aer Lingus)
ITTN’s Shane Cullen asked Jenny Rafter (Head of Global Leisure Sales at Aer Lingus) about the announcement and how bookings are progressing for the inaugural season. An enthusiastic Jenny explained, “Shane, we’re so excited. I think this is the route that the trade has been asking for since I joined Aer Lingus. The route is starting on 25th October just in advance of midterm and we’re blown away by the initial sales. So every day they are building both in our indirect channel and our direct channel. So it’s just proven Las Vegas to be really popular. And hopefully, this means we’ll get a route all year round”
The new route will operate three times weekly (Tues/Thurs/Fri) from Dublin direct to Las Vegas with lead-in prices from just under €500 return. The flights will continue through to 29th April 2025.
Entertainment Capital of the World
Las Vegas has evolved into a destination synonymous with show-stopping entertainment, exhilarating sporting events and the top expos.
Las Vegas is renowned for events and more recently sporting fixtures. In the city that never sleeps, world-class shows, top-class entertainers, amazing residencies and renowned venues. The star-quality entertainers performing in the next few months sees the likes of Bruno Mars, Adele, Marshmello, Christina Aguilera, Maroon 5 and Smashing Pumpkins taking to stages across the City. Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 takes place in November and Las Vegas is, of course, on the doorstep of the Grand Canyon. From endless shopping to Cirque du Soleil shows, there is something for everyone.
Sporting Events
For decades, Las Vegas has played home to historic sporting events, from championship boxing matches to premiere golf, basketball, NASCAR and more. Now the city’s sports profile has jumped to the next level with the debut of its own NHL franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights (ice-hockey), WNBA franchise, the Las Vegas Aces (women’s basketball) and the NFL franchise, the Las Vegas Raiders (American football).
“We listened and we are delivering” – Jenny Rafter
Jenny Rafter addressed the packed venue, Café en Seine.
“Every travel agent has asked when will Aer Lingus put on a direct service to Vegas. So we listened and we’re delivering. Starting on the 25th of October just before midtime term, three times a week. We are absolutely delighted to have this jewel in our crown and Yvonne’s going to tell us a little bit more about the Aer Lingus expansion to North America.”
“Connect Europe, via Dublin to North America” – Yvonne Muldoone
Yvonne Muldoon (Director of Sales – Aer Lingus): “It’s absolutely amazing that we now have the direct service starting the 25th of October to the 29th of April. So it’s brilliant and it’s been part of our strategy for the last number of years, really to connect Europe via Dublin on to North America, and vice versa. There’s a massive opportunity to continue to expand upon our various different routes that we’ve launched over the last number of years.”
“So it’s been a journey. Over the last 8 years, we’ve looked at close to six new transatlantic destinations. This is number 19 in terms of transatlantic destinations.”
She recalled when she started with Aer Lingus in 1996 there were about 5 transatlantic destinations and now the airline is up to an impressive 19 transatlantic services. Adding in Aer Lingus’ Manchester services, it is 22. She explained how it has been a massive growth strategy over the last number of years alongside Dublin Airport as a valued partner of Aer Lingus.
“It’s Las Vegas. There’s no other place like it.”
She highlighted that Dublin Airport has gone from barely top ten to fifth place in terms of hub airports, “We’re delighted that Dublin now is a massive whole airport… what that’s enabled us is that it’s not just point-to-point services, albeit this is going to be an exceptionally busy route from Ireland point to sale, connecting in from Europe, we hope that we’ll see some traffic coming from the states as well. We know that there’s a lot to offer here and we are working with Tourism Ireland, to bring inbound customers, as well.”
She stated to an enthusiastic travel trade audience, “It’s Las Vegas. There’s no other place like it.”
“Las Vegas has so much to offer” – Tryphavana Cross
Tryphavana Cross, speaking about the new route, “It’s finally here and we are absolutely delighted about that… Las Vegas has so much to offer all of your clients. It’s not just about the entertainment. It’s not just about fine dining. We’ve become a major player in the sports capital as well. We also have for innovation, Elon Musk’s tunnel.”
She thanked “All of you in the travel industry, you’re the ones out there, making the bookings, you’re the one selling the launch to your clients. So a huge thank you to you. I hear the bookings are coming in very strong, so a big big thank you to everyone in the travel industry. We really appreciate all your support. Thank you so much to Aer Lingus, to Jenny Yvonne, Ivan and the team.”
Her “big shout out to Liza” for the huge effort she devoted to organsing the event was met with rapturous applause.
A Trip to the Entertainment Capital of the World
A very delighted Fiona Sheridan (Cassidy Travel) won, for her social media post from the event, two economy return tickets from Dublin to Las Vegas with Aer Lingus, a 3-night stay at Resorts World Hilton and 2 tickets to The Sphere Experience “Post Cards from Earth”
An ecstatic Mary St John (Best4Travel) won two business class return tickets from Dublin to Las Vegas with Aer Lingus, a 3-night stay at the Fontaineblue Las Vegas and two tickets to The Sphere Experience “Post Cards from Earth”
