The first-ever direct service between the Triangle and Dublin launched Monday evening, when Aer Lingus began nonstop flights between RDU and Ireland's capital.
Business leaders see more than a travel perk. Ryan Combs, executive director of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership, said direct access to Dublin opens a two-way lane: North Carolina companies get a faster path into Europe, and Ireland-based multinationals get a clearer line to the Triangle. Ireland's low corporate tax rate and more than 1,700 multinational companies make it a meaningful target for that outreach.
RDU already flies nonstop to Paris, London, Frankfurt, and Iceland. Those routes have made the airport more attractive to airlines by showing sustained demand from business and leisure travelers.
The first Aer Lingus flight touched down at Terminal 2 around 6:30 Monday evening. The return to Dublin departed at 8:25 p.m.
Whether Dublin follows the pattern of those earlier routes is the open question. RDU is also mid-expansion, with a $775M Terminal 2 project underway to handle the passenger growth that made those deals possible.