The Emerald Isle, just off the coast of mainland Great Britain, is a must-see for the avid traveler. Complete with rolling green countryside and bustling cities, Ireland is a treat to visit. Getting there is as easy as heading online and picking out a carrier such as Delta, bmi or Aer Lingus and flying over.
There are a total of four international airports located in Ireland. They are in Galway, Dublin, Shannon and Cork. Your final destination will dictate where you want to fly into--Dublin lies in the east while the other three are predominantly on the west coast.
The origin of your flight also plays a major factor in the cost. Flying out of the United States on the East Coast will obviously be on the cheaper side than flying out of the West Coast. Flying in from other European cities is another option. Ryanair, one of Europe's premier budget airlines serves all major international airports in Ireland except for Galway.
Ireland's official national carrier is Aer Lingus, a budget airline that offers flights from several origins to Dublin or Shannon airports. A number of other major airlines serve Ireland: bmi, Delta, Air France, KLM, British Airways, Iberia, Iberia and Lufthansa.
Planning a road trip through the scenic green countryside? Perhaps you'll want a direct flight to Galway or Cork. From there, you're a simple car rental away from heading out to drink in the luscious scenery. However, to genuinely keep cost down, a flight into Dublin on Aer Lingus could be a better option.
Most flights to Ireland from the East Coast of the United States are direct. The more common departure points include Boston, New York City and Newark. From there, a direct flight usually takes somewhere between six-and-a-half to seven hours.
Looking to make a trip to Europe, but don't want to spend it all in Ireland? One of the ways to justify a one or two day trip is to simply extend a layover. Either that, or book a flight just to Ireland on Air Lingus or other carrier, and fly out of Dublin onto another city. This method helps to save money and ensure you get a chance to stop in on the Emerald Isle.
