The temporary flights come as Aer Lingus prepares to close its Manchester base
Alleynes Bay in Barbados (Getty)
Aer Lingus will operate a limited run of direct flights from Dublin Airport to Barbados this spring.
The surprise service is due to the pending closure of its base in Manchester.
The temporary route between Dublin and Bridgetown will take off from March 31 and operate to May 31, running three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, it said.
Flights will be on an Airbus A321XLR – one of its newest single-aisle aircraft – and fares are currently available from €229 each way.
Aer Lingus is to close its Manchester base from March 31, and will cease transatlantic services from the UK airport from that date.
Its Manchester to New York operations will cease from February 23.
The temporary Dublin to Barbados route is primarily “to reaccommodate affected customers” in April and May, according to a note on its website.
However, it also hands Irish customers an opportunity to fly direct to the Caribbean this spring.
Barbados is home to dozens of postcard-pretty beaches, turquoise waters, hundreds of resorts – and of course enticing hours of winter sun.
It follows the launch of a new, seasonal route from Dublin Airport to Cancun in Mexico – flights for which are also now available to book next winter.
The Cancun route is operated three times weekly on an A330-300 twin-aisle plane. It and the 184-seater narrowbody Airbus A321XLR offer both business and economy class cabins.
“Ireland shares a long-standing connection with Barbados, strengthened by deep cultural and community ties,” said Élan Mottley-Harris of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
Barbados established a resident embassy in Dublin in 2024, and the “landmark development” reflects its growing appeal as a distinctive, year-round destination for Irish travellers, she added.
As well as its sun holiday appeal, Barbados offers wildlife, festivals and heritage, nightlife and market shopping in its capital, Bridgetown.
The closure of its Manchester base will not impact Aer Lingus or Aer Lingus Regional (Emerald Airlines) flights between Manchester and Ireland, it said.