There are now 14 ways to the USA.…and Canada as Aer Lingus announced a new North American destination for summer 2019 – Minneapolis-St. Paul. Aer Lingus will commence flying direct from Dublin to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) in summer 2019.
The new destinations will add a quarter of million additional seats annually to the Aer Lingus transatlantic network which already comprises 2.8m seats annually between Ireland and North America.
Located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Midwest US the twin city of Minneapolis-St. Paul as the 14th North American destinations on Aer Lingus expanding transatlantic network. This announcement is a further demonstration of Aer Lingus mission to be the leading value carrier across the North Atlantic.
Best of the Midwest
North America’s twin cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul, are disected by the Mississippi river and each have a lot to offer Irish guests. Most famously, Minneapolis is home to the Mall of America, the largest shopping and entertainment centre in the United States and the number one tourist destination in the entire Midwest, attracting over 40 million visitors each year. The mall spans 4.2 million sq ft and houses more than 520 stores, 50 restaurants, multiple nightclubs, an aquarium and even its own theme park.
First-time travellers to the area will be impressed with all the cities have to offer. Outdoor activities and water sports are plentiful with 13 lakes across the region and over 500 golf courses in the state. The cities also feature within the top three most cycling-friendly destinations in the US. For those more indoor-inclined, the impressive Minneapolis Skyway is the largest continuous pedestrian walkway system in the world, linking 69 blocks over seven miles.
It’s not all leisure though, the Minneapolis-St. Paul region is also the seat of 17 Fortune 500 company headquarters, including popular chain stores Target and Best Buy as well as 3M and SuperValu. The cities have been noted among North America’s fasted growing tech hubs.
Prepare to be bowled over by the warmth of the locals, renowned for being ‘Minnesota Nice’, a name attributed due to their courteousness and mild-mannered nature. Perhaps it’s due to starting their day with a bowl of sweetness – breakfast-favourite Lucky Charms were first made in Minneapolis!
Film fans will be familiar with Minneapolis-St. Paul as it was the backdrop for the Coen brothers’ Fargo as well as comedy sports-drama The Mighty Ducks. Musicians Bob Dylan and Prince also hail from the area, as well as world-famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Continued transatlantic growth
Since joining IAG in 2015, Aer Lingus has launched eight new direct transatlantic services to North America including Los Angeles, Newark, Hartford, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle and Minneapolis-St. Paul, marking the largest ever transatlantic expansion in the airline’s history.
Aer Lingus continues to drive its strategy of expanding the airline’s Dublin Airport base into a major European transatlantic gateway. The airline will offer connections from 20 key European and UK airports to Montreal and from 12 European and UK start points to Minneapolis-St. Paul, including Amsterdam, Paris, Edinburgh, London and Manchester, among others. The Montreal service will also facilitate connections to six French cities including Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Nice, Nantes and Bordeaux.
These routes are enabled by the new technology delivered by the Airbus A321 neo long-range aircraft. Aer Lingus takes its first deliveries of this new aircraft in 2019. The Airbus A321 neo long–range aircraft has new engine and aero-dynamic technology which delivers increased range, increased fuel efficiency and reduced noise.
