Transport

How to Book the Best Flight From the US to Ireland

Ireland by Locals

28 Apr 2025 — 6 min read

Aer Lingus A330-300 getting ready to fly from Dublin to the US

I'm an Irishman who lived in the US for 20 years and have flown from the US to Ireland more than 100 times. I've learned what works and what doesn't.

Many first-time visitors make the same mistakes. They pick connections that stress them out, or they arrive at the wrong time and lose half their first day. Here's how to avoid that.

Step 1: Check For Direct Flights First

There are direct flights from 23 US cities to Ireland: New York (JFK, EWR), Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Minneapolis, Hartford, Las Vegas, Dallas, Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando, Miami, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Cleveland, Detroit, and Nashville.

If you live within driving distance of any of these airports, book the direct flight. Every connection increases your chance of delays, missed connections, or lost baggage. Even if the direct flight costs $200-300 more, it's worth it.

I never had a direct flight option in 20 years. I would have paid extra every single time.

Step 2: Pick Your Arrival Time

All US to Ireland flights are red-eyes. You'll fly overnight and land exhausted but excited. There are two arrival windows.

Early Birds: 4am-6am

This is when most transatlantic flights land. If you choose this flight, you need to book your Dublin hotel for the night before so you can check in immediately.

You can be at your hotel by 6am, get 4 hours sleep and be ready to explore by 10am. Yes you pay extra for the hotel, but you gain a day of sightseeing.

Otherwise you'll struggle to kill time. Nothing opens in Dublin before 8am. This isn't Vegas.

I like the Chancery Hotel for early arrivals. It's on a very quiet street for late sleep. But here are all my Dublin hotel recommendations.

Later Arrivals: 8am-11am

When you land later, you might get lucky and your hotel will let check in. If not, here is what to do until check-in time.

Or take my Jetlag Walking Tour, designed specifically for people who just landed and need to stay moving.

Step 3: My Connection Rules

If you have to connect, follow these rules:

2 hours minimum. Flight delays are common now. Don't risk missing the one flight per day to Ireland.
Avoid weather trouble spots. Chicago in winter? No thanks.
One airline only. When things go wrong, airlines blame each other while you're stuck.
Connect close to home. If you miss the last flight, you can drive home.

Step 4: Pick Your Airline

Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus are excellent for their many direct flights and they have the friendliest crew in the sky. You can get cheap business class with heir upgrade bidding system actually works. And it's like arriving in Ireland when you step on board their plane.

Don't book Aer Lingus if you need US connections, they partner with other airlines for internal US flights, see my connection rules above.

Do book Aer Lingus for onwards connections within Europe. They're good for that.

United Airlines

I fly them the most, they have a lot of year round flights and I think their tech & app is the best. I love the table service in their EWR Polaris lounge Just watch out for the old 757s they still fly on some Irish routes

American

They fly a very modern fleet of 787s and have year round flights. Their Dallas DFW route brings in a lot of folks from the west coast.

Delta

I'll be honest, I rarely fly them anymore. Their Delta One product is supposedly very good, but they made the Atlanta flight seasonal which didn't work for me.

Jet Blue

They're just started flying to Dublin. I'll pick other airlines unless I'm a JetBlue loyalist.

💺

Ready to upgrade? Find discounted business class flights to Dublin

Is Business Class To Ireland Worth It?

If you can afford it or it's a once in a lifetime trip, yes. The gap in price between coach and business has shrunk as airlines add fees for everything. In business, you pay once and you're done, no extra charges for seats, bags, or food.

Plus you actually sleep on the plane, and skip the extra hotel night.

Step 5: Stress Free Dublin Arrival

Welcome to Dublin. You've landed. You're nearly there. But you're still tired and weary. Here are your last tips to have a stress-free start to your Irish trip.

Book your Hotel I’ve reviewed the best Dublin hotels
With a private airport transfer, you know your driver and fare up front
Get your eSIM. Yesim, install now and have data when you land
Rent a Car Compare Dublin Airport rental rates here
Travel insurance is inexpensive. Peace of mind is priceless.
Luggage Storage. Save your arms & find a place to store your bags

Flying Back to the US

When you are flying back to the US, you will clear US Customs & Immigration in Dublin, so get to the airport at least 3 hours early. All the steps are here.