One Year Later – How’s the Flight to Dublin Going?

Written by: Blaine Zimmerman, Chief Talent and Marketing Officer, Indy Chamber

Exactly one year ago, the Monday Morning Memo helped announce the Indianapolis Airport’s big news of a new direct flight from Indy to Dublin via Aer Lingus, the Irish flag carrier — and now I’m back to share a firsthand account of what the flight is like. My wife and I took the flight to Dublin a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my 40th birthday, and I wanted to share our experience in case you’re considering it too!

The flight began in May of this year and currently runs four days a week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Starting next summer, a Thursday flight will be added. Travelers can even make seamless connections to 20 destinations beyond Dublin to major cities in Europe and the United Kingdom, including Paris, Rome, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and more!

Whether you’re going for a full week or just planning a long weekend trip, here’s everything you need to know:

We chose the Saturday evening flight. Getting through baggage check and security was a breeze, as the airport wasn’t very busy. We arrived early enough to enjoy a pre-flight dinner at the airport’s newest restaurant, the 1933 Lounge & HC Tavern by St. Elmo.
Boarding is done by row (rather than priority), which makes the process a bit more efficient. Business class boards first, followed by rows of five, starting from the back of the plane. Once onboard, you’ll find a pillow, blanket, and headphones waiting at your seat. The flight typically lands around 8:30 a.m. Dublin time, so I suggest trying to get as much sleep as possible during the flight and then stay awake on your first day to beat the jet lag.
- If you can’t sleep on planes, there’s a wide selection of movies and TV shows on the seatback screens. We were served dinner, a snack, and a breakfast sandwich — all with vegetarian options.
The flight uses a brand-new Airbus A321XLR, which is quieter than most planes. If you’re in a window seat, be ready for breathtaking views of Ireland as you land. The total flight time is just under seven hours.
We rented a car for the week, and it took me about a day to adjust to driving on the opposite side — the steering wheel is on the right, and you’ll need to remember to look right first at intersections. Ireland may have more roundabouts than Carmel! I also encountered two new-to-me driving experiences: a car elevator (lift) in a parking garage (car park), and a car ferry across a river.
Driving through the beautiful countryside was a lot of fun, but be warned — the roads are very narrow, and the fast lane on highways is on the right. Also, the posted speed limits are closely followed, even on rural roads.

To stay awake on our first day, we explored a few of Dublin’s attractions. I highly recommend:

The EPIC Emigration Museum
The Guinness Storehouse tour (where you can get your selfie printed onto your pint!)
A walk through the grounds of Trinity College to see the Book of Kells

Note: Plan ahead — the Guinness Storehouse and Trinity College tours often sell out.

Guinness Storehouse: A must-see stop in Ireland.

We spent the rest of our trip touring Ireland’s beautiful southern coast, with stops in Kilkenny, Cork, Kinsale, and Limerick, before heading back to Dublin for our return flight. There are group tours available if you’re not comfortable driving, and there’s also plenty to do in Dublin itself. The city’s Hop-On/Hop-Off bus tours run daily and are a great way to see the top spots.

At the Dublin airport, you’ll tag your own luggage at an Aer Lingus kiosk and drop it on the conveyor belt — no need to wait in line for a gate agent. After security, you go through Preclearance U.S. Customs, which means you’ll arrive in Indy as if you were on a domestic flight. The process is quick and efficient. In fact, it was so fast we thought we missed a step!

One heads-up: There aren’t many restaurants or coffee shops on the other side of Customs, so plan accordingly.

The return flight is about an hour longer than the flight to Dublin. You’ll be served dinner and a snack on board. Once back in Indy, you go straight to baggage claim — no long customs lines. You’ll arrive home around 6 p.m., just in time for second dinner.