Passengers flying out of Dublin this holiday week found an unexpected new option on the departure boards: SkyUp Airlines’ inaugural Dublin–Chisinau service. The Ukrainian-founded carrier, now operating under an EU licence, began twice-weekly rotations on 18 December and completed its first full commercial week yesterday (24 December). Services leave Dublin on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, arriving in Moldova’s capital just after midnight local time and returning in the early hours, providing convenient same-day connections for business and VFR (visiting-friends-and-relatives) traffic.
Although Moldova is outside the EU and Schengen Area, it has become a growth market for Ireland-based employers in agri-tech and IT off-shoring who require short-haul access for project teams. Until now, Irish travellers faced multi-stop itineraries via London, Vienna or Bucharest. Direct flights cut journey times by 3–4 hours and eliminate the need for an extra UK or Schengen transit visa, a benefit immigration advisors say will reduce administrative costs for assignees.
For travellers navigating these visa questions, VisaHQ can take the hassle out of the process. The Dublin-based team (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) offers fast online applications, real-time status tracking and expert advice on both Irish short-stay C visas for Moldovan citizens and Moldova’s visa-free rules for Irish passport holders, ensuring mobility planners stay compliant without the paperwork headache.
![Dublin Airport Opens New Twice-Weekly Service to Moldova, Expanding Ireland’s Eastern European Links]()
SkyUp is initially using a 189-seat Boeing 737-800 and advertising launch fares from €89 one-way, undercutting legacy carriers by up to 40 percent. Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has supported the route with a one-year marketing rebate under its “Emerging Europe” incentive scheme, designed to diversify Ireland’s air-connectivity post-Brexit. Passenger feedback on the first flights was positive, with several business travellers telling local media that the service was “brilliant” for opening a little-known market to Irish exporters.
For mobility managers, the new link offers practical advantages. Moldovan citizens can enter Ireland on short-stay C visas that currently take six weeks to process; eliminating transit stops reduces the risk of Schengen visa delays. Irish staff heading to Chisinau, meanwhile, continue to benefit from Moldova’s 90-day visa-free entry. Duty-of-care teams should, however, brief travellers on the unresolved Transnistria conflict along Moldova’s eastern border and advise against side trips into that region.
If load factors exceed 70 percent, SkyUp says it will consider adding a Saturday flight from summer 2026. Ryanair has already hinted it may enter the Dublin–Chisinau market, which could stimulate further fare competition. For now, Ireland’s first direct connection to one of Europe’s least-visited capitals marks a small but meaningful expansion of the country’s global mobility footprint.
Although Moldova is outside the EU and Schengen Area, it has become a growth market for Ireland-based employers in agri-tech and IT off-shoring who require short-haul access for project teams. Until now, Irish travellers faced multi-stop itineraries via London, Vienna or Bucharest. Direct flights cut journey times by 3–4 hours and eliminate the need for an extra UK or Schengen transit visa, a benefit immigration advisors say will reduce administrative costs for assignees.
For travellers navigating these visa questions, VisaHQ can take the hassle out of the process. The Dublin-based team (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) offers fast online applications, real-time status tracking and expert advice on both Irish short-stay C visas for Moldovan citizens and Moldova’s visa-free rules for Irish passport holders, ensuring mobility planners stay compliant without the paperwork headache.
SkyUp is initially using a 189-seat Boeing 737-800 and advertising launch fares from €89 one-way, undercutting legacy carriers by up to 40 percent. Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has supported the route with a one-year marketing rebate under its “Emerging Europe” incentive scheme, designed to diversify Ireland’s air-connectivity post-Brexit. Passenger feedback on the first flights was positive, with several business travellers telling local media that the service was “brilliant” for opening a little-known market to Irish exporters.
For mobility managers, the new link offers practical advantages. Moldovan citizens can enter Ireland on short-stay C visas that currently take six weeks to process; eliminating transit stops reduces the risk of Schengen visa delays. Irish staff heading to Chisinau, meanwhile, continue to benefit from Moldova’s 90-day visa-free entry. Duty-of-care teams should, however, brief travellers on the unresolved Transnistria conflict along Moldova’s eastern border and advise against side trips into that region.
If load factors exceed 70 percent, SkyUp says it will consider adding a Saturday flight from summer 2026. Ryanair has already hinted it may enter the Dublin–Chisinau market, which could stimulate further fare competition. For now, Ireland’s first direct connection to one of Europe’s least-visited capitals marks a small but meaningful expansion of the country’s global mobility footprint.
