New direct Dublin to Shanghai flight announced as part of 2026 tourism push

Kenneth Fox

A new direct flight between Dublin and Shanghai has been announced by the Minister for Tourism, Peter Burke.

It is part of Tourism Ireland’s programme to capitalise on new growth opportunities and continue to attract value-adding visitors to Ireland in 2026.

These new developments follow the launch of “A New Era for Irish Tourism” last December, as well as the Market Diversification Action plan, also brought forward by the Minister last year.

As part of this, Tourism Ireland now has representation in the UAE and India, dedicated to growing business from these markets.

A new China Eastern Airlines Shanghai to Dublin service has been announced as part of this.

While a direct flight from Dublin to Beijing currently exists through Hainan Airlines, this will only be the second direct flight from Ireland to China.

Tourism Ireland has also increased resources for 2026 in Mainland Europe, which will enable the organisation to run year-round promotional campaigns in the key markets of Germany and France.

Speaking about the new route, Minister Burke said: “As we advance the Government’s Action Plan on Market Diversification, I am pleased to announce progress we have made in securing new global opportunities through deeper engagement in China, the UAE, and India. China is a significant growth market for Ireland, and we now have a direct Dublin to Shanghai flight for the first time.

"I am also announcing that we will now have people in the market in both the UAE and India, where previously we had no representation.

"At the same time, Tourism Ireland’s expanded presence across North America, particularly on the West Coast and in Canada, along with improved air access from the United States, is opening fresh pathways for growth.

"Since my appointment as Minister, it’s been clear to me that we need more boots on the ground in locations where we have good connectivity and direct flights, to ensure we are capitalising on all the opportunities to increase our visitor numbers and support the 46,000 tourism SMEs across the country."