Aer Lingus is starting flights to a new city in the US thanks to the arrival of its latest aircraft.

Starting in May 2025, the Irish airline will offer new nonstop flights from Indianapolis International Airport (IND) to its hub at Dublin Airport (DUB), Indianapolis airport leaders announced Monday.

The route connects the Midwest city with the Emerald Isle via the Airbus A321XLR, a long-haul, single-aisle jet that is expected to join airline fleets worldwide in the next few weeks.

The addition of Dublin to Indy's route map also gives the Hoosier State its first transatlantic flight since before the coronavirus pandemic.

“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,” Gov. Eric Holcomb, an Indiana Republican, said in a statement Monday.

Aer Lingus' new Indianapolis service

Aer Lingus will fly its new Indianapolis to Dublin route four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Flights begin on May 3, 2025.

Passengers can book non-stop trips to Ireland almost all the year long; Flights will be briefly suspended in January and February – the winter months when air traffic is typically the slowest of the year.

The new European service would prove to be an important step up for Indianapolis.

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Before the pandemic, Delta Air Lines connected the airport to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). However, that service – and the airport's flights to Europe – were suspended in early 2020 and have not returned since.

At the same time, Indianapolis otherwise experienced solid flight growth. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the total number of seats on commercial flights from the airport will increase by 6% in 2024 compared to 2023.

And if you don't count Europe, seats from India are up more than 12% compared to 2019.

The airport currently has short-haul international connections to Cancun International Airport (CUN) in Mexico with American Airlines and Southwest Airlines and to Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) with Air Canada.

Related: Comfort and Convenience in the Heart of the City: A Review of the Conrad Dublin

Airbus A321XLR opens new routes

The new Dublin service from Indianapolis will be made possible in part by the aircraft Aer Lingus will use to fly the route.

The A321XLR, which will enter airline fleets for the first time this fall, offers unprecedented range for a narrow-body jet.

With lower operating costs and fewer seats than a large widebody aircraft, the aircraft opens up the opportunity for airlines to connect smaller U.S. cities with Europe, increasing frequencies between the two continents. It also allows larger U.S. cities to be connected to more remote destinations abroad.

Earlier this month, Aer Lingus announced a new flight route to Nashville.

Spanish airline Iberia – part of the International Airlines Group, which also includes Aer Lingus and British Airways – is expected to launch the industry's first XLR route from Madrid to the US in November. The flight is from Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).

Many of these A321XLRs offer the same type of seats and onboard amenities typically found on larger widebody aircraft. For example, American Airlines, which has ordered dozens of XLR models, plans to install its flagship business suites and premium economy seats on the planes. It will begin replacing its popular four-cabin A321T jets on key U.S. transcontinental routes.

Aer Lingus, for its part, already operates some narrow-body aircraft to some East Coast destinations, but it appears that the introduction of the longer-range A321XLR will give the airline more options to fly to cities further west that may not support one of its larger aircraft.

An airline service analysis by regional leaders in Indianapolis found that an average of 545 people travel from Indianapolis to Europe each day.

Related: I took a nostalgia flight on American Airlines' soon-to-be-retired international flagship. First: You can still find it here

How to book Aer LIngus with points and miles

Want to book an Aer Lingus flight with points and miles? There are many ways to transfer credit card points to Aer Lingus AerClub, including:

• Transfer American Express Membership Rewards points, Chase Ultimate Rewards points or Bilt Rewards points directly to AerClub.
• Transfer Capital One miles or Citi ThankYou Rewards points to British Airways Executive Club, then transfer those Avios to AerClub (British Airways and Aer Lingus share a parent company and the Avios loyalty currency).

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