According to the airline, it will operate four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with return fares starting from 499 euros.

It follows news from earlier this month that Aer Lingus will fly to Nashville next year and direct flights to Las Vegas are set to begin this week.

Similar to Nashville, the Indianapolis flights will operate on new single-aisle Airbus A321XLR aircraft, as opposed to the double-aisle wide-body A330 aircraft that serve major transatlantic routes such as New York and Chicago.

The latest route announcement expands the airline's transatlantic flights from Ireland and the UK to 24. In addition, Denver, Colorado and the twin cities of Minneapolis-St. flown in. Paul in Minnesota this year.

Despite ongoing debates over Dublin Airport's passenger cap, Aer Lingus has also planned new short-haul flights to Malta, Marrakesh and Seville this winter.

However, for the same season the company has reduced its service between Dublin and London Heathrow, offering between nine and ten departures per day, compared to 11 to 12 last year.

Indianapolis is a surprise, but the new service will be the only direct route from the city to Europe, Aer Lingus said, supporting its strategy to develop Dublin Airport into a transatlantic hub.

The airline offers onward connections to 20 destinations across Europe, and Dublin Airport also benefits from U.S. Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance facilities.

The US city is also a gateway to the Midwest, hosting hundreds of events each year (including the Indianapolis 500), and is welcomed by the Irish tourism industry as another gateway to the lucrative North American tourist market.

“Given Indianapolis’ vibrant industry and rich cultural heritage, as well as Dublin’s strategic position as a gateway to Europe, this new route will facilitate partnerships and opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Lynne Embleton, Chief Executive Officer of Aer Lingus.

“The reopening of a much-needed and frequently requested transatlantic route to our dear friends in Ireland will once again open up new opportunities for business and leisure travelers,” said Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb.

“Indiana is home to 52 Irish-based companies, and Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Company recently invested $1.8 billion in two Irish facilities,” the airline said.

Tourism-wise, Indianapolis is home to the Indianapolis Colts football team, the world's largest children's museum in Newfields, a municipal state park, the ten-mile Indianapolis Cultural Trail, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art.