Aer Lingus restarted Dublin-Hartford, Connecticut flights at the weekend, making it the only European airline to serve the US airport.
The Irish carrier has also started a Knock-Heathrow service, aimed partly at luring British tourists to the west of Ireland.
Aer Lingus originally began Dublin-to Bradley Airport, Hartford flights in 2016, but it was one of the routes the company suspended in the face of Covid-19 travel curbs in 2020.
The airport serves a large population in the northeastern US, from where many people commute to New York, while Hartford itself is an important financial centre.
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[ Aer Lingus launches Cork-Bristol flightsOpens in new window ]
However, its only direct European service is to the Irish capital. Aer Lingus is offering customers connections to 28 destinations from Dublin, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Madrid and Rome.
The airline will use one of its Airbus A321 neo long-range jets on the route, which cuts fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Lynne Embleton, Aer Lingus chief executive, said the daily flights would “bring travellers from Ireland, the UK and Europe into the centre of Connecticut, which is home to global businesses and recognised as the insurance capital of the world”.
Kevin A Dillon, Connecticut Airport Authority executive director, said Aer Lingus’s return “strengthens our pandemic recovery and is key to our continued growth”.
[ Aer Lingus urges Dublin Airport to ‘learn’ from delays last summerOpens in new window ]
The Irish carrier began its new service from Ireland West Airport to Heathrow at the weekend.
Aer Lingus says Tourism Ireland figures show that 42 per cent of visitors here come from Britain, highlighting the importance of routes connecting the countries.
The carrier hopes the spotlight cast on the west by the Oscar-nominated film, The Banshees of Inisherin, will draw more visitors to the region.
Arthur French, chairman of Ireland West Airport in Knock predicted that the flights to one of Europe’s biggest hubs would boost the region.
Meanwhile, Shannon Airport’s summer schedule took off at the weekend, with Ryanair offering flights to Naples, Porto, Béziers and other destinations.
The airport will offer 33 services to 11 countries, including Europe and the US this summer.
