May 2026 is proving to be a fertile period for Aer Lingus’ route network, with the Irish flag carrier launching no fewer than five new routes from its main hub at Dublin Airport (DUB) this month. This growth is indicative of a wider era of expansion that also saw it begin flying to Raleigh– Durham (RDU) in the US state of North Carolina in April 2026, with another new route to Tours in France set to begin on June 6 of this year.

As far as May’s new Aer Lingus routes from Dublin are concerned, there really is something for everyone, with a transatlantic corridor, three mainline European routes, and one regional service all included.

Pittsburgh Calling

Credit: Great Circle Map

Arguably, the most notable addition to Aer Lingus’ route network from Dublin Airport this month is Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) in Pennsylvania, US. While not traditionally a long-haul stronghold, the ‘Steel City’ has enjoyed increasing European connectivity over the years, with British Airways’ year-round flights to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Icelandair’s seasonal service to Keflavík International Airport (KEF).

This transatlantic boom is something that Aer Lingus is looking to cash in on with the launch of its new route from Dublin Airport to Pittsburgh, which will operate at a peak frequency of four flights a week this summer. These flights will commence on May 25, with the Airbus A321LR being the Irish flag carrier’s aircraft of choice on the route.

Reid Moody, Aer Lingus’ Chief Strategy & Planning Officer, commenting on the airline’s US growth.

“With convenient connectivity through Dublin, Aer Lingus continues to make it easier for customers to plan summer journeys on both sides of the Atlantic.”

European Expansion

Credit: Shutterstock

As exciting as Aer Lingus’ US boom undoubtedly is, its bread and butter, like many of its fellow European flag carriers, comes in the form of short-haul mainline international services. Correspondingly, this is where the bulk of its May growth lies, in new routes from Dublin, with three of the five corridors fitting this bill. As it happens, two of these have already commenced operations: Asturias (OVD) and Oslo (OSL).

Both of these routes began on May 2, with Aer Lingus offering peak frequencies of two flights a week to Asturias and four flights a week to Oslo this summer. According to current scheduling data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, the former route will be served exclusively by the Airbus A320, while the latter will feature a mix of the A320 and the A321neo. All of Aer Lingus’ A321neos are either the A321LR or A321XLR.

As such, business class passengers can expect lie-flat luxury on these flights. Meanwhile, on May 21, the Irish flag carrier will commence operations on its new route from Dublin to Montpellier Méditerranée Airport (MPL) in the south of France. Once again, the A320-200 is its aircraft of choice, with a peak summer frequency of two flights a week. The distance from Dublin to Montpellier clocks in at 825 miles (1,328 km).

A Short Scottish Hop

Credit: Shutterstock

Aer Lingus’ fifth and final new route from Dublin Airport this May will be operated by its partner carrier, Emerald Airlines, under the Aer Lingus Regional brand. Its destination is Inverness Airport (INV) in northern Scotland, with twice-weekly flights commencing on April 21. These will use ATR 72 turboprops.

Aer Lingus says that this new route will be an ideal link “for those hoping to explore the Scottish Highlands“, with Inverness conveniently located within driving distance of some of the country’s stunning mountainous landscapes. The flights will operate on Thursdays and Sundays, making them ideally timed for long weekend getaways. Passengers can expect them to take around an hour and a half, with a convenient early afternoon departure.