Dublin Airport is more than just a transit point, it’s a starting line for countless journeys, a place where joyous hellos and heartfelt goodbyes are exchanged every day.
So, despite being over 4,000 miles away from the home of Thanksgiving, Dublin Airport has its own unique way to embrace this special day by celebrating its long-standing relationship with the US.
For the past 60 years, Dublin Airport has been Ireland’s primary gateway to the USA, and this status continues to go from strength to strength.
So far this year, Dublin Airport has welcomed more than three million passengers travelling on transatlantic routes, with passenger volumes to and from North America in October up 26k, compared to October 2019. Each of these passengers used Dublin Airport’s U.S. pre-clearance facility. Dublin Airport is the only European capital city with this facility and can proudly claim to have a little bit of USA soil on its doorstep!
US Connections
Dublin Airport is the 5th best connected European airport to the US, operating 186 flights each week serving the USA with four airline partners: Aer Lingus, American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines.
2023 saw the return of many US destinations along with plans and announcements for exciting new destinations.
Aer Lingus launched its inaugural flight to Cleveland, Ohio in May.
United marked 25 years of flying from Dublin Airport to New York / Newark in June.
American Airlines upgraded its summer-only daily service between Dublin and Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) to a year-round service from October.
The dedicated US pre-clearance lounge ‘51st and Green’ is the perfect place to enjoy a few hours of rest and relaxation before a long-haul flight.
What’s next for 2024?
The new direct service to Denver, Colorado with Aer Lingus, along with the highly awaited return of the Minneapolis-St. Paul route in summer 2024, herald greater choice for passengers. Aer Lingus will also extend its Dublin to Connecticut route beyond the summer season to almost all year round. American Airlines’ daily summer service between Dublin and Charlotte is set to start earlier in the season on March 5, next year.
Delta have also announced a seasonal service, Dublin to Minneapolis-St Paul, from May. JetBlue have announced they will begin flying from Dublin Airport to New York JFK and Boston Logan from March.
Passenger Profile
The Q323 passenger profile shows that 40% of U.S-bound passengers travelled to the U.S for their main holiday, while 21% of passengers travelled to visit friends and family. Passengers travelling to the US are mainly aged 50+ with over 41% of travellers spending eight nights or more in the US.
Happy Thanksgiving from Dublin Airport!
