Aer Lingus and American Airlines have announced the expansion of their current codeshare agreement to include new routes from Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland, to Chicago and Philadelphia, USA, as the airlines look to offer customers more flexible booking options.
Aer Lingus and American Airlines’ Codeshare Agreement – New Routes Announced
Irish carrier Aer Lingus and major US airline American Airlines will strengthen their current codeshare agreement to include two new routes between the countries, giving passengers greater choice and more flexibility in booking flights on transatlantic–European routes.
The latest announcement means that customers will now be able to book flights with either airline to two new destinations, Chicago and Philadelphia, USA. The new Dublin–Chicago and Dublin–Philadelphia routes will operate between Dublin Airport (DUB), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). The routes add to the airlines’ currently operating codeshare flights between Dublin and popular US destinations such as Nashville (TN), Dallas (TX), Las Vegas (NV) and Tampa (FL), to name but a few.
The move is a key part of Aer Lingus’ strategy to strengthen its market share in the United States. For both airlines, the partnership contributes to the airlines’ wider business efforts as part of the existing Atlantic Joint Business (AJB) partnership, which aims to offer passengers affordable fairs, coordinate flight schedules and integrate customer support between the aforementioned airlines and other major airlines such as British Airways, Iberia and Finnair.
Further Expansion of Aer Lingus’ Transatlantic Route Network
The latest news comes just over a year since Aer Lingus announced that it would add Cleveland, Ohio, to its existing transatlantic route network for 2023. Situated on the southern shore of Lake Erie, Cleveland offers domestic and international visitors the chance to visit key attractions such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Botanical Garden and the city’s many museums and art galleries.
The route connects Cleveland with major UK cities and European destinations, including London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Rome and more, via the airline’s Dublin hub. The new route, launched in May this year, took the number of transatlantic routes operated by the airline to fifteen, with this figure rising yet further.
Other Codeshare Agreements Between Airlines
The expansion of Aer Lingus and American Airlines’ codeshare agreement is the latest in a long line of mutually beneficial partnerships between established airlines. Quite simply, a codeshare agreement in aviation aims to allow airlines to use the same designated flight code to operate flights and sell seats on each other’s behalf, and 2023 alone has seen the signing of two such agreements between big names in the airline industry.
In February, budget airline IndiGo announced that it would be partnering with flag carrier Turkish Airlines to bolster services between the two countries as part of its expansion plans, in addition to its desire to offer customers more route options to/from continental Europe.
Just one month later, United Airlines entered into a codeshare agreement with aviation giant Emirates to allow for greater integration of services between the two airlines. Whilst Emirates shared that it would, of course, be looking to expand its route network in the US, United Airlines signalled that it would be looking to offer its customers greater access to destinations across the Middle East, Africa and Asia and increase its presence in these regions as well.
With just two months left of 2023, it will be interesting to see if any other codeshare agreements are signed between key players in the aviation field or, perhaps, even between up-and-coming airlines.
What do you think of Aer Lingus and American Airlines expanding their codeshare agreement? Are you planning to fly to or from Chicago and Philadelphia with either airline? Let us know in the comments!
