Aer Lingus operated a series of Airbus A330-300 charter flights using EI-EIN (MSN 1951) and EI-FNH (MSN 1744) between Dublin and Dallas/Fort Worth and Raleigh-Durham from 26–31 August, supporting the arrival and departure of teams and delegations for the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
The dedicated charters carried coaching staffs and travelling delegations, including a combined 130 members of the universities’ bands and cheer squads. More than 14,000 US fans travelled to Ireland for the fixture with an an average seven day stay.
This year Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs and the University of North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels opened the 2026 college football season at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on 29 August. This is the fifth consecutive game in the series, won by North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels 15-10.
EI-EIN (MSN 1951) operated Dublin–Chicago O’Hare–Dallas/Fort Worth–Dublin as EIN123/4123/4054 on 26–27 August, followed by Dublin–Dallas/Fort Worth-Chicago O’Hare-Dublin as EIN4055/4124/124 on 30–31 August.
EI-FNH (MSN 1744) operated Dublin–Boston–Raleigh-Durham–Dublin as EIN133/4133/4084 on 26–27 August, returning on the Dublin–Raleigh-Durham-Boston-Dublin as EIN4085/4136/136 on 30–31 August.
The College Football Classic has become a significant contributor to Irish tourism. Grant Thornton estimates that the first four games generated €514 million for the Irish economy and attracted more than 108,000 US visitors, while the previous fixtures have reached an estimated US television audience of more than 18 million.
Image Credit: Dub Ramp
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