US immigration pre-clearance facilities at Dublin and Shannon airports will be available for passengers using new budget transatlantic flights to be operated by Norwegian.
Dublin and Shannon are among only a few airports worldwide to offer US pre-clearance, with Dublin airport the only European capital to offer the facility.
US pre-clearance allows passengers to undertake all US inspections prior to departure – enabling them to be treated as domestic arrivals, avoid immigration queues and pick up their bags and go.
Meanwhile, a new direct shuttle service from Stewart International airport into central New York City will be timed to meet Norwegian’s flight arrivals, allowing passengers to take a direct journey into central Manhattan for $20.
The airline starts flying to Norwegian offers flights to Stewart International in New York State in July along with Providence airport as a gateway into Boston and New England.
Cork will also gain its first transatlantic flights with a service to Providence but without pre-clearance.
Norwegian’s chief commercial officer, Thomas Ramdahl, said: “Our new transatlantic routes offer Irish passengers more choice, lower fares and now even greater convenience, with use of pre-clearance facilities at Dublin and Shannon, and a convenient shuttle bus service to take passengers into the heart of New York City.”
“The countdown is now on for these exciting new routes and we look forward to welcoming many Irish passengers on-board our affordable flights to the US this summer.”
The airline will run 12 transatlantic flights a week from Dublin starting on July 1, four a week from Shannon and three a week from Cork.