Aer Lingus, TAP Air Portugal and Icelandair are set to introduce new Europe-North America links amid continued strong transatlantic demand.
Dublin-Indianapolis
Ireland’s Aer Lingus is set to expand its transatlantic network with a new nonstop service between Dublin Airport (DUB) and Indianapolis International Airport (IND), leveraging the Airbus A321XLR to unlock long and thin routes that would otherwise be unviable with larger widebodies.
The new route, launching on May 3, will operate four times per week and serve as the only nonstop link between Indiana and Europe. Passengers will have access to onward connections to 20 destinations across Europe, including Paris, London and Frankfurt. The Indianapolis-Dublin service follows the airline’s first A321XLR route, which will connect Dublin and Nashville from April 12, also operating four times weekly.
Indianapolis has historically lacked direct transatlantic service, with travelers relying on connections through major U.S. hubs. The new Aer Lingus route therefore offers an alternative for both business and leisure travelers, particularly benefiting the region’s strong corporate presence in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and automotive industries. Companies like Eli Lilly and Cummins are expected to gain from improved access to European markets.
According to air service analysis by Indianapolis International Airport, an average of 545 passengers travel daily from the Indianapolis area to European destinations. The Indianapolis Airport Authority estimates that this new year-round transatlantic route could generate an economic impact exceeding $50 million annually for Indiana.
DUB is one of only two airports in Europe offering U.S. pre-clearance services, allowing travelers on nonstop flights to the U.S. to complete immigration and customs procedures before departure. This means passengers arriving in Indianapolis are treated as domestic travelers, streamlining entry and reducing connection times.
Lisbon-Los Angeles
TAP Air Portugal is set to strengthen its North American presence with the launch of nonstop flights between Lisbon Airport (LIS) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) this summer.
The new service, part of a broader U.S. expansion, will commence on May 16, initially operating three times per week before increasing to four weekly roundtrips on May 25. The route will be served by Airbus A330-900neo aircraft.
Los Angeles marks TAP’s eighth U.S. destination, complementing its existing services to Boston, Chicago, Miami, Newark, New York JFK, San Francisco and Washington Dulles.
The airline’s decision to add LAX is a strategic move to capture demand on what was the largest unserved city pair between Portugal and the U.S. in 2024, with approximately 71,979 two-way O&D passengers, according to Sabre Market Intelligence data.
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The introduction of this route enhances connectivity for both leisure and business travelers, tapping into Portugal’s growing popularity as a tourist destination and increasing demand for one-stop connections to Southern Europe. TAP’s existing codeshare partnership with Star Alliance member United Airlines, which has a hub at LAX, will further improve connectivity, allowing passengers to access additional domestic and international destinations from Los Angeles.
In addition to the Los Angeles service, TAP is expanding its footprint with two other U.S. routes: Porto-Boston and Terceira-San Francisco. The Porto-Boston route will launch on May 14, operating four times weekly with Airbus A321LR aircraft, while flights from Terceira in the Azores to San Francisco will commence on June 3 with weekly service through August 26 using A330-900neo equipment.
TAP has been steadily increasing its North American capacity in recent years, with peak summer 2025 schedules offering 43,000 two-way weekly seats—an increase of 41% compared to pre-pandemic levels in summer 2019, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data.
Reykjavik-Nashville
Icelandair is set to further strengthen its North American network with the launch of a new seasonal route connecting Reykjavik Keflavik Airport (KEF) and Nashville International Airport (BNA).
The service, scheduled to begin on April 10, will operate four times per week using Boeing 737-8 aircraft, running through October. Nashville will become Icelandair’s 18th North American destination and its 15th in the U.S., reinforcing the airline’s commitment to connecting secondary U.S. markets with Europe.
The route will provide the only nonstop link between Tennessee and Iceland, offering travelers in the region an alternative for reaching Europe via Reykjavik, where Icelandair operates an extensive network of 34 European destinations during the summer season.
Until now, Nashville’s European connectivity has been limited, with British Airways operating the only nonstop transatlantic service, flying daily to London Heathrow (LHR) with 777 aircraft. However, alongside the planned entrance of Icelandair, Aer Lingus will also launch 4X-weekly Airbus A321XLR flights from Dublin in May.
Sabre Market Intelligence data indicates that London was the largest European O&D market from Nashville in 2024, with 116,000 two-way passengers, followed by Dublin, Rome, Paris and Amsterdam. In total, Nashville-Europe O&D traffic amounted to 455,000 passengers last year, suggesting a strong market for additional transatlantic services.
Icelandair’s expansion aligns with its broader North American strategy, which includes a new partnership with Southwest Airlines.
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