AER Lingus has begun four new routes to Malaga, Faro, Rome and Budapest from Belfast International Airport.

Flights began on Monday, February 25 to Rome and Malaga operating four times a week, followed the very next day with flights to Faro and Budapest, operating three times weekly.

Fares begin at £32 one-way including taxes and charges.

This expansion brings to eight the number of routes introduced by the airline since December 10, 2007 when Aer Lingus began flying from its new base at Belfast International Airport to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Geneva and London Heathrow.

On March 30, a new daily service will commence to Paris and on April 1, flights to Nice will take off marking the complete network to 10 destinations.

Aer Lingus Chief Executive Dermot Mannion said: "These exciting new routes add to our growing network of services to and from Belfast International Airport and reinforces Aer Lingus' commitment to offering customers from all over the island of Ireland greater choice, value for money and a quality service.

"We are particularly delighted to be the first airline to offer Budapest as a destination from Belfast International Airport.

"The beautiful Hungarian capital's dramatic setting and diverse cultural attractions make it an attractive short break destination and we anticipate it will be hugely popular."

John Doran, Managing Director at Belfast International Airport, commented: "We are very pleased to see the arrival of the third Aer Lingus aircraft to be based at Belfast International.

"This is the culmination of the initial £100million Aer Lingus investment at the airport and we look forward to working with the airline over the coming months to grow and develop these routes."