This summer, travelers on America’s West Coast will have a better way to get to and from Europe connection-free, thanks to new routes between Dublin and San Francisco and London and Portland, Oregon.
Beginning June 1, as part of their Atlantic Joint Business partnership, British Airways and American Airlines will start running the first-ever year-round direct flight from Portland to the UK. The flights will be offered five days a week – no service on Tuesdays or Thursdays – on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, landing at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 in a cool ten hours and 20 minutes.
Round-trip tickets are now available to book, with fares starting at £459 (US$600) in World Traveller, £758 (US$992) in World Traveller Plus, and £1399 (US$1830) in Club World. In a press release, British Airways director of networks and alliances Neil Chernoff called Portland “a fantastic addition to our route map,” adding, “As a major technology and innovation hub, the city is drawing ever-increasing numbers of international visitors…. We’re confident the route will be warmly welcomed by both business and leisure travellers.”
Then on 5 June, United Airlines will debut its new nonstop service from San Francisco to Dublin, becoming the first US carrier to run daily direct flights from the West Coast to the Irish capital. The schedule is still subject to government approval, but the airline is proposing a red-eye from San Francisco and a lunchtime departure from Dublin, both on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The City by the Bay will be United’s fourth hub to offer direct flights to Dublin, joining Chicago, Washington, and Newark in their service.
"Dublin and the Silicon Valley are two regions synonymous with big tech," United vice president of international network Patrick Quayle said in a press release. "Many global tech companies have a major footprint in both regions, and they need a carrier with an extensive worldwide network to help conveniently connect their business. As the only US airline to serve Ireland from the West Coast, United is uniquely suited to provide the connectivity these companies and economies need to continue thriving."
