AER LINGUS will begin operating five weekly flights to Dublin from the North East's biggest airport today.

Fares for the flights from Newcastle International Airport start at £34.99, for one-way as part of a return trip.

Customers will also be able to connect onto Aer Lingus’ North American network, with connections from the North East via Dublin to New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington D.C.,  Philadelphia and Toronto.

Customers choosing Aer Lingus to travel from Newcastle International to North America will experience the benefit of US Immigration Pre-clearance at Dublin, which allows them to arrive into the US like a domestic passenger, which will help them to avoid any lengthy immigration queues.

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Ciarán Smith, Head of Commercial at Emerald Airlines said: “We’re delighted to commence our services between Newcastle International and Dublin, right in time for the pent-up summer demand. This new route will increase connectivity between the two regions and allow customers to travel seamlessly to Dublin and onwards to North America.

"We look forward to working with the team at Newcastle International Airport in ensuring the success of this new route.”

Leon McQuaid, Director of Aviation Development at Newcastle International Airport, said: “We are delighted to welcome Aer Lingus Regional to the region today!

"Not only is the airline providing additional connectivity to Ireland, it also adds one more hub to our portfolio of destinations – giving passengers another option when looking for a seamless one-stop connection to cities across the USA and Canada from Newcastle.

"I am sure the new flights will be welcomed by both business and leisure passengers alike."