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In the past couple of years, Aer Lingus has been making a concerted effort to boost its transatlantic presence with new routes to the US, more flights to the US, and closer ties to its biggest US airline partner, and now its continuing that trend with the announcement that from April 2025, Nashville will appear on its route map.
The Aer Lingus Nashville route
Aer Lingus has confirmed that on 12 April 2025, it will launch a new transatlantic route connecting Dublin and Nashville which will be served 4x/week.
As things stand, this is the schedule that has been loaded into the airline’s booking systems:
EI77 DUB 14:05 – 17:10 BNA (Tue, Thu, Sat & Sun)
EI76 BNA 18:40 – 08:50+1 day DUB (Tue, Thu, Sat & Sun)
The route is set to be operated by an Aer Lingus A321XLR and the timings for the eastbound flights have been set to allow for onward connections to 22 European cities that Aer Lingus serves without any overly long layovers.
Passengers flying westwards across the Atlantic will clear US immigration in Dublin’s preclearance facility meaning that the westbound flights will be treated in the same way as domestic arrivals when they land in Nashville.
At this point it’s unclear if this new route is intended to run for the summer season only or if it will run year-round (I suspect it will be the former, but we will have to wait and see).
What they said
Aer Lingus’ Chief Customer Officer, Susanne Carberry, is quoted as saying:
“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.”
Doug Kreulen, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority has said this:
“A new chapter in travel history begins today as Music City and the Emerald Isle are linked by a nonstop flight through our exciting new partnership with Aer Lingus.
“Nashville’s legendary music scene and Dublin’s rich history make this a natural pairing. This nonstop flight will offer travelers an unforgettable opportunity to experience the best of both worlds, from exploring Ireland’s stunning landscapes and ancient ruins to immersing themselves in Nashville’s vibrant Broadway experience. It’s the perfect combination for those seeking adventure, culture, and a truly unforgettable journey.”
And the Mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Freddie O’Connell, added this:
“I am thrilled to see Music City connect to the Emerald Isle and excited for Nashvillians and Dubliners to experience what each city has to offer – both our similarities and what makes us unique. Nashville’s increased travel options afford us the opportunity to show visitors all that makes Nashville such a vibrant and welcoming city – and for Nashvillians to experience the rich history of a city like Dublin.”
The aircraft
As Aer Lingus hasn’t yet taken delivery of its first A321XLR and as it hasn’t been very forthcoming with information about its new aircraft, we don’t really know very much about what the inside of the Aer Lingus A321XLR will look like. At least we don’t know anything for sure.
It is, however, quite likely that Aer Lingus will have chosen to fit the XLR with similar cabins that it employs on the A321neo LR aircraft that it already operates on some transatlantic routes, and that means that we’re likely to see a Business Class cabin with Thompson Aero Vantage seats …
… and an Economy Class cabin set out with six Collins Aerospace Meridian seats in every row arranged in a 3-3 layout and offering a little under 18″ of width, 31″ of pitch, and just 3″ of recline.
Aer Lingus doesn’t offer a Premium Economy cabin on any of its existing aircraft and short of a big surprise announcement that no one is expecting, that will remain the case with its newest narrow-body long haul aircraft.
Fares
Bookings are already open on this route with fares originating in Dublin starting at ~€499 for Economy Class and ~€1,800 for Business Class, and with fares originating in Nashville starting at ~$501 for Economy Class and ~$4,000 for Business Class.
At the time of writing, the Aer Lingus award booking engine isn’t aware of Nashville’s existence so I can’t see what award availability looks like on the new route …
… but should awards become available, this is how many Avios should be needed to book:
- Economy Class (off-peak season) – 13,000 Avios + taxes & surcharges
- Economy Class (peak season) – 20,000 Avios + taxes & surcharges
- Business Class (off-peak season) – 50,000 Avios + taxes & surcharges
- Business Class (peak season) – 60,000 Avios + taxes & surcharges
That’s the same number of Avios needed to book flights to/from New York, Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Minneapolis, and Montreal, as at just under 4,000 miles, the Nashville route falls into Aer Lingus Zone 5.
Based on the taxes and surcharges applied to other Zone 5 routes, it’s likely that round trip Economy Class redemptions will come with taxes and surcharges of between $265 & $295.
Bottom line
Aer Lingus has confirmed that on 12 April 2025, it will launch a new transatlantic route between Dublin and Nashville which will be served 4x/week using a A321XLR aircraft. Bookings on this route are already open with roundtrip fares starting at ~€499 from Dublin and ~$501 from Nashville.
