Dublin is one of Europe's friendliest transatlantic gateways — short flight time from the East Coast (under 7 hours), US immigration pre-clearance so you arrive home as a domestic passenger, and a unique pub culture and literary heritage. Fluxora tracks 12,504 live award deals to Dublin.
Aer Lingus operates the primary nonstop route between the US and Dublin, flying from New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Washington (IAD), and several other US cities. Their business class ("Aer Lingus Business") on Airbus A330 aircraft features fully lie-flat seats in a 2-2-2 configuration, with duvet bedding, improved meal service, and priority boarding.
The best way to book Aer Lingus with miles is through British Airways Avios, which prices Aer Lingus transatlantic flights at a zone-based rate. Economy from the East Coast costs around 15,000–18,000 Avios one-way; business class runs 50,000–60,000 Avios one-way. Avios transfer from American Express, Chase, Capital One, and Citi, making them widely accessible.
Alaska Mileage Plan also books Aer Lingus at competitive rates. For travelers with Capital One miles or Alaska Visa cards, Alaska is often the best option for Aer Lingus awards as it has no fuel surcharges on most partner bookings — saving $100–$300 compared to booking the same Aer Lingus flight through British Airways Avios, which can carry substantial carrier-imposed fees.
Dublin Airport is one of only two airports in Europe (the other is Shannon) with a US Customs and Border Protection preclearance facility. When you fly from Dublin to the US, you clear US immigration and customs before boarding your flight in Dublin — meaning you arrive in America as a domestic passenger, with no customs queues at the arrival airport.
The practical benefit: if you're connecting to a domestic flight at a major US hub like Boston, New York, or Chicago, you skip the international arrivals terminal entirely and proceed directly to the domestic gates. For tight connections — or anyone who's experienced the customs queue at JFK on a busy transatlantic arrival — pre-clearance is a genuine quality-of-life improvement. It's also one of the reasons Dublin is popular as a connection point when flying into Europe: you can collect your bags and continue elsewhere without the standard US arrival process on the way home.