Ireland Sees 7% Passenger Growth As Uk And Spain Top Travel Destinations Through Dublin, Cork, And Shannon Airports

Published on September 17, 2025

The latest information from nan Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows that Ireland’s airports are experiencing robust maturation successful rider traffic. In nan 2nd 4th of this year, 12 cardinal people traveled done nan country’s airports, marking a 7 percent increase compared pinch nan aforesaid play successful 2024. This represents an further 800,000 passengers complete past twelvemonth and shows a beardown rebound successful some home and world travel. Looking further back, nan fig was moreover little successful 2023, pinch 10.7 cardinal travelers recorded successful nan aforesaid quarter. In nan first six months of 2025, nan full number of passengers passing done Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Kerry, and Knock reached 20.3 million, underlining nan value of these airports arsenic Ireland’s main gateways to nan world.

Flight Operations Across Key Airports

Between April and June, nan 5 main airports handled 81,000 flights. Unsurprisingly, Dublin Airport dominated pinch 83 percent of each flights, while Cork accounted for 8 percent and Shannon for 6 percent. Kerry and Knock managed nan remainder, providing basal location connections. Dublin’s power reflects its domiciled arsenic Ireland’s cardinal hub for some long- and short-haul flights, while Cork and Shannon proceed to support important rider flows, peculiarly successful confederate and occidental Ireland.

The Most Popular Routes for Travelers

The busiest world routes retired of Dublin Airport included London Heathrow, pinch astir 460,000 passengers, Amsterdam Schiphol pinch 343,000, and Manchester pinch much than 273,000 passengers. Leisure destinations stay strong, pinch Malaga, Faro, and Barcelona each making nan apical 10 astir celebrated routes. For nan location airports, London airports consistently topped nan lists for Cork, Shannon, and Knock, reflecting Ireland’s enduring ties pinch nan UK. For Kerry Airport, nan busiest relationship was domestic, linking straight to Dublin.

Travel Patterns and Destination Preferences

According to nan CSO, astir 85 percent of world passengers walking done nan 5 airports were flying to aliases from Europe. The UK and Spain remained nan 2 astir celebrated countries for Irish travelers, underlining beardown cultural, family, and leisure connections. Beyond Europe, nan United States was nan astir predominant long-haul destination, continuing nan agelong contented of transatlantic links that are captious for some tourism and business.

Air Freight and Commercial Traffic

In summation to rider travel, freight operations besides showed growth. Dublin Airport, Ireland’s starring cargo hub, handled 49,544 tonnes of freight successful nan 2nd quarter, a 4 percent increase compared pinch nan aforesaid play past year. This reflects nan airport’s value not conscionable for tourism but besides for waste and acquisition and logistics, supporting Ireland’s broader economy.

Record-Breaking Months for Dublin and Cork

Both Dublin and Cork airports person recorded grounds rider numbers successful caller months. Dublin welcomed adjacent to 3.8 cardinal travelers successful nan astir caller month, a emergence of 4.1 percent compared pinch nan aforesaid play past year. Cork Airport besides saw awesome growth, handling complete 375,000 passengers successful a azygous month, a 10 percent increase. Forecasts propose that Cork could scope 3.4 cardinal passengers by nan extremity of 2025, making this 1 of its busiest years connected record. The DAA, which operates some Dublin and Cork, confirmed that nan momentum astatine some airports is expected to continue.

The Broader Significance of Passenger Growth

This sustained emergence successful aerial recreation illustrates nan resilience of Ireland’s aviation assemblage and its domiciled successful driving nan wider economy. Increased rider postulation brings benefits to airlines, airports, and section economies, from hotels and restaurants to shops and services connected to tourism. The numbers bespeak shifting user behaviors, pinch beardown request for leisure trips, renewed business travel, and visits to family abroad.

Outlook for nan Rest of nan Year

If nan existent inclination continues, 2025 is apt to beryllium a record-breaking twelvemonth for Irish airports, peculiarly Dublin and Cork. Short-haul European recreation will stay nan mainstay, but nan summation successful request for long-haul flights to nan United States suggests that Irish travelers are erstwhile again looking beyond Europe for holidays and business opportunities. Regional airports specified arsenic Shannon, Knock, and Kerry will stay captious successful serving section communities and facilitating world tourism extracurricular Dublin.

Ireland’s Airports connected a Strong Growth Path

The maturation of 7 percent successful rider numbers done Ireland’s airports since past June highlights nan country’s beardown betterment successful travel. With 81,000 flights handled successful nan 2nd 4th and millions of passengers passing done Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Kerry, and Knock, nan aviation assemblage is showing resilience and strength. Popular routes to nan UK and Spain underline accepted recreation links, while transatlantic request remains robust. As rider volumes proceed to climb, Ireland’s airports are well-positioned to build connected this momentum, reinforcing nan country’s domiciled arsenic a cardinal hub for European and world travel.