It looks like Nashville is getting a second transatlantic flight after all. Aer Lingus, the Irish flag carrier, announced today that it will begin 4x weekly flights between Nashville and Dublin. This is somewhat surprising to me given the fact that British Airways also flies between the Tennessee Capital and Europe and both airlines share the same parent company, IAG.
The new route will launch on April 12th, 2025 and is set to operate on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The route is scheduled to be operated by the airline’s new, state of the art Airbus A321XLR aircraft. Deliveries of the plane are expected to begin in the coming months.
Flights are set to operate year round with the exception of a six week operational break in January and February. The flights are blocked at 9h 5m westbound and 8h 10m eastbound. The flights will operate on the following schedule:
Dublin (DUB) to Nashville (BNA)
EI 77 Departs: 2:05p Arrives: 5:10p
Nashville (BNA) to Dublin (DUB)
EI 76 Departs: 6:40p Arrives: 8:50a (+1)
Susanne Carberry, Aer Lingus’ Chief Customer Officer, had this to say about the new route:
“We are thrilled to add Nashville to our expanding North American network, offering Irish customers direct access into one of the most exciting and culturally rich cities in the United States. The connection between Irish and American country music runs deep and Nashville’s iconic status as the capital of country music makes it a dream destination for music lovers. Its fast-growing fashion, finance, healthcare and automotive industries also offer plenty of opportunities for business travellers.”
While new flights between the United States and Europe are always exciting, this route should be especially enticing for passengers headed to Nashville. Thanks to Dublin Airport’s US Customs and Border Protection’s Pre-Clearance facility, passengers can clear customs and immigration in Ireland, effectively arriving in the states as one would when flying domestically.
Passengers flying from Nashville to Dublin can connect onwards to more than twenty routes across the Aer Lingus route network. Tickets for the new route are currently on sale at AerLingus.com.
Summary
While the route itself came as somewhat of a surprise, Nashville International Airport (BNA) is getting its long awaited second transatlantic route. Passengers traveling between Dublin and Nashville can even clear U.S. Customs in Dublin, allowing them to arrive as domestic passengers in Nashville.