Aer Lingus, the flag carrier of Ireland, will begin nonstop service between Denver and Dublin.
DENVER — An international airline is ready for its Colorado debut.
The flag carrier of Ireland, Aer Lingus, is launching new nonstop service between Colorado and Ireland.
Aer Lingus makes its inaugural flight at Denver International Airport (DIA) Friday, with a gate celebration scheduled for 5 p.m.
The flight between Denver and Dublin will operate four days per week in the summer season, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, on a 271-seat Airbus A330 aircraft.
Flights are scheduled to depart Denver at 8:45 p.m. and arrive in Dublin at 12:30 p.m. the next day. Returning flights from Dublin will depart at 4:15 p.m., arriving in Denver at 7 p.m.
Aer Lingus will become the 25th airline to serve DIA.
When announcing the new service last year, DIA said passengers on the route can take advantage of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Preclearance program at Dublin Airport, which allows Denver-bound passengers to clear U.S. immigration and customs in Dublin, expediting their arrival in Denver.
“With Dublin’s geographic position as the gateway to Europe, pre-clearance facilities at the airport and the strong, long established Irish American ties, Aer Lingus is ideally placed to connect people and places across the Atlantic,” said Aer Lingus Chief Executive Lynne Embleton last fall.
“Denver is a significant business destination within the US and the launch of Aer Lingus’ non-stop route facilitates corporate links and connectivity between North America and Europe, through our Dublin Hub. Denver’s position as the ‘Gateway to the Rockies’ and its outdoor appeal, from world class skiing to hiking, opens up a whole new US experience to leisure travelers from Ireland and Europe.”
The new Dublin-Denver service will bring the total number of routes operated by Aer Lingus to 18 between North America and Ireland.
“The establishment by Aer Lingus of this new transatlantic route helps us further our Vision 100 goal to increase global connectivity for our customers,” said DIA CEO Phil Washington. “We’re pleased to welcome Aer Lingus as [DIA’s] newest airline partner and look forward to inaugurating service next spring.”
“Both sides of my family emigrated to the United States from Ireland, and I’m excited to reconnect many Denverites to their ancestral homeland through these new nonstop flights to Dublin,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in August.
“This new service will also support our goal to be one of the strongest economic cities in the United States. Ireland is a top growth market for trade and investment opportunities in many of Denver’s strongest industries, and there is incredible opportunity for increased collaboration, bilateral exchange, and communication as a result of this new service.”
“This new flight from Denver to Dublin via Aer Lingus is exciting for our state. We look forward to welcoming visitors from Dublin to explore and experience all that our state has to offer and promote investment, trade, and cultural exchange between Dublin and Colorado,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) said.
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