Welcome, Shamrock: Aer Lingus Touches Down in Pittsburgh

At 6:40 p.m. on Monday, May 25, Aer Lingus’ first scheduled nonstop flight from Dublin to Pittsburgh touched down under sunny afternoon skies.

Under the callsign “Shamrock,” Aer Lingus flight #81 rolled out from Runway 28L and taxied to its gate. As a large crowd of airport officials, dignitaries and media watched the flight pull in, Aer Lingus pilots signaled their Pittsburgh arrival waving Terrible Towels out the cockpit as the aircraft came to a full stop.

It only marked the beginning of the huge welcome for the region’s first ever nonstop service to the Emerald Isle.

Inside the terminal at the gate was a huge Irish themed gate event organized by the airport. PIT staff, Aer Lingus representatives and Pittsburgh Steelers alumni Charlie Batch and Arthur Moats handed out special giveaway items to passengers. Live Irish music from local band The Low Kings entertained the crowd and dancers from the Shovlin Academy performed traditional Irish dance while also making special appearances were the mascots of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers.

PIT officials and Aer Lingus flight crews operating the inaugural departure also gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony commemorating the new route, as customary with all new flight launches at the airport.

Bridging and Growing Regional Ties

Officials from around the region welcomed Aer Lingus’ new nonstop service between Pittsburgh and Dublin before departing aboard the inaugural outbound flight as part of a delegation. For several days, the delegation will promote and strengthen regional ties with Ireland to demonstrate Pittsburgh’s commitment with Aer Lingus and numerous business and cultural ties.

“There’s lot of family heritage that ties back to Ireland, but there’s also a lot of business back and forth,” said PIT CEO Christina Cassotis. “And what we are over there to do is talk about business, talk about tourism and to really make sure that Aer Lingus is as supported as we have felt so far by them.”

The airport has organized delegations to aggressively add service to destinations in demand from Pittsburgh, with successful results. The region has sent multiple business delegations to Ireland, including one in 2023 and another in early 2025, that highlighted and strengthened the ties between Pittsburgh and Ireland. Delegations were also key in landing and developing the airport’s service to London-Heathrow on British Airways and Reykjavik on Icelandair.

The Pittsburgh-Dublin route is estimated to generate a $23 million annual economic impact for the region, including the creation and support of more than 150 jobs.

“This significant announcement keeps our regional momentum moving forward and it gives us another seat at the global table,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. “And with our new terminal, we not only have a best-in-the-world, best-in-class global facility, but we have the global connections to match.”

The route will enhance already strong economic connections between the two cities as several major Pittsburgh-based companies including UPMC, PPG Industries, BNY Mellon, MSA Safety and Eaton have large operations in Ireland.

Pennsylvania state senator Devlin Robinson said that the Pittsburgh-Dublin route is expected to attract Irish companies and international investment to the region while also calling Ireland “a natural gateway” for Western Pennsylvania companies.

“This flight is more than a new route on a map. It is a symbol of what we can achieve when we work together and position our region for success.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a longstanding relationship with Ireland as the team’s founders, the Rooney Family, trace their ancestry to Northern Ireland. The Steelers played in the first NFL game in Dublin in September 2025 and the late Steelers Chairman, Dan Rooney, served as the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland from 2009 to 2012. The Steelers hold the NFL’s marketing rights for Ireland.

“Pittsburgh is our home and Ireland is our homeland,” said Dan Rooney, Vice President of Business Development & Strategy, Pittsburgh Steelers. “For generations, our family has cared deeply about the success and vitality of both communities. Tonight, [this new route] represents an important new chapter in this story.”

The Steelers will once again travel to Europe next season playing against the New Orleans Saints in Paris Oct. 25. Aer Lingus provides convenient one-stop connections to Paris via Dublin for Steelers fans traveling to the game this upcoming season.

Pitt football fans will also be able to use Aer Lingus’ service from Pittsburgh when the Panthers play the Wisconsin Badgers in the Aer Lingus Football Classic in Dublin at the start of the 2027 season.
Additionally, the nonprofit Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh facilitates business opportunities and cultural exchange programs.

Pittsburgh ranks among the largest U.S. cities, including Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia, by Irish ancestry population percentage, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. People of Irish descent make up the second-largest ethnic group in Pittsburgh while more than 2 million Pennsylvanians tracing their roots to Ireland.

More Access to Europe and Beyond

Dublin is PIT’s third transatlantic destination, joining existing service to London-Heathrow on British Airways and Reykjavik on Icelandair, further expanding the airport’s network to Europe. Aer Lingus becomes the airport’s 15th passenger carrier.

Kimberly and Kevin Sullivan of Penn Hills initially planned to travel to London then Ireland until they heard about Aer Lingus’s launch of service, which perfectly coincided with their trip.

“We are flying to Ireland to head over for the world record attempt event that they’re having for the most people with the same surname gathered in one place. And it’s for the Sullivans.”

From Dublin, Aer Lingus offers connections to numerous markets, including Irish destinations such as Donegal, regional markets in the U.K. including Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, and major European cities, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Geneva, Glasgow, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Venice and Zurich.

Aer Lingus is a member of the Atlantic Joint Business (AJB) venture with Oneworld Alliance members American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia and Finnair. The joint venture enables codeshares – coordinated agreements allowing multiple airlines to sell a single flight each member – for increased connectivity between North America and Europe despite Aer Lingus not being a formal Oneworld member.

PIT’s expansion in transatlantic service is a result of the airport’s strategy of expanding one-stop itineraries to more destinations throughout Europe and beyond for the region and provides alternatives to bypass major East Coast gateways to reach international markets.

For frequent fliers to Europe, like Tommy Gary of Erie, Pa., a nonstop option from Pittsburgh to Dublin is a game-changer. “It just opened the region to everyone. To get to Europe… if you lived somewhere like Pittsburgh, which is a beautiful big city, or a small city like Erie, you had to find a way into an international hub. Now you don’t have to, and that’s awesome.”

Juliana Wood and Sophia Rankin of Maryland choose PIT for convenience over alternative options at Washington-Dulles to travel to Ireland for a study abroad program.

“Pittsburgh is a lot more quiet. There’s not a lot of traffic compared to going to Dulles,” Wood said. “That’s definitely a pro of Pittsburgh, for sure.”

Aer Lingus operates its Pittsburgh-Dublin service four times a week–Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays–year-round, with a brief pause in service in January and February. The flight is timed to capture European connections by departing from PIT at 8:10 p.m. and arriving in Dublin at 8:40 a.m. the next morning, then departing from Dublin at 3:40 p.m. and arriving in Pittsburgh at 6:40 p.m.

Dublin is one of a handful of international markets with border pre-clearance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Passengers returning to Pittsburgh through Dublin get to pass through customs and immigration inspections before boarding their flight and arrive back in the U.S. like domestic passengers, providing a smoother travel experience.

The route is operated by Aer Lingus’ Airbus A321LR aircraft, the long-range variant of the popular A321neo narrowbody aircraft, developed to serve markets that would otherwise not be economically viable with larger twin-aisle widebody planes, such as the Airbus A330 or Boeing 777.

Pittsburgh becomes Aer Lingus’ 20th North American market where the carrier has focused its growth, particularly into underserved secondary U.S. markets, enabled by its long-ranged Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Aer Lingus’ A321LR fleet features 184 total seats, including 16 lie-flat business class seats, and other modern onboard amenities including satellite Wi-Fi, in-flight entertainment and in-seat power to charge devices, providing a modern, comfortable passenger experience.

Nonstop travel between Pittsburgh and Dublin can be booked at AerLingus.com.