“Simply the best” – Cork Airport makes history with its busiest year ever
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46 million passengers flew to and from Cork Airport last year – the busiest year since the airport opened in 1961.
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Significant increases in passengers travelling between Cork and key markets of UK, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.
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Strong growth in European hub connectivity with even more hub growth to follow in 2026.
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2026 will be a year of major infrastructure development and expansion at Cork Airport, with key projects running on-time and on-budget.
FREE REPO FOR PRESS: Cork Airport, Cork, Ireland. 04th September, 2025. Pictured for the signing of contracts between Cork Airport and PJ Hegarty for the €200 million Capital Development Plan with the construction of new mezzanine floor were Peter Riordan, Roy O’Driscoll, Feidhlim O’Neill, Dorothy Coffey, Maurice Killeen, Niall MacCarthy, Fergus O’Rourke and Ciarán McCann. The contract for works was awarded to Cork based PJ Hegarty after a competitive tender process. – Picture: David Creedon
Cork Airport — January 6, 2026 — 2025 was a landmark year for Cork Airport as it recorded its busiest year ever. A total of 3.46 million passengers travelled to and from the airport last year, making it the busiest and best year for the airport in its 64-year history. With passenger traffic up +13% versus 2024, it marks the third consecutive year of double-digit growth at the busiest airport in the South of Ireland. In the decade since 2015, passenger traffic at Cork Airport has grown by 67%.
Key market performance
With demand for international air travel remaining strong, passenger traffic on routes between Cork and some key international markets experienced significant growth in 2025. There was particularly strong traffic growth on routes between Cork and the UK provincial cities of Bristol (+37%), Liverpool (+31%) and Manchester (+27%). In European markets, passenger traffic to and from Germany was up +61%; passenger traffic to and from Belgium was up +29% while passenger traffic to and from Switzerland was up +27%. Passenger traffic on key outbound leisure markets remained quite strong in 2025 with +32% more passengers flying between Cork and Spain and +20% more passengers flying between Cork and Portugal.
New routes
Last year’s record passenger numbers were bolstered with the addition of several new routes including Bilbao (Aer Lingus), Bordeaux (Aer Lingus), Izmir (SunExpress), Prague (Aer Lingus) and Geneva (Aer Lingus). For 2026, passengers can look forward to the introduction of new services to Nice (Aer Lingus), Santiago de Compostela (Aer Lingus) and Antalya (SunExpress). These new and exciting destinations will operate as part of Cork Airport’s 2026 summer schedule.
Hub connectivity
A key aspect of Cork Airport’s business model is its direct, frequent connections with some of Europe’s biggest, busiest and best-connected hub airports. Thanks to increased frequencies from some of the world’s most recognisable airlines like KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa and SWISS, there will be 60% more seats to and from Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt and Zurich next summer.
European accolades
For the third time in a decade, Cork Airport was awarded the title of Europe’s Best Airport (under 5 million passengers) by Airports Council International (ACI) Europe in 2025. With 440 regional airports in the “under 5 million passengers” category, Cork Airport won the “grand prix” at ACI Europe’s General Assembly last June, for its friendly customer service, efficient airport experience, innovative sustainability initiatives and collaborative inbound tourism projects.
Infrastructure developments
Following the announcement of Cork Airport’s €200 million capital development plan last May, infrastructure development and expansion will headline the airport’s activities for 2026. Work on the construction of a new mezzanine floor and new passenger security screening area is progressing on-time and on-budget, with an expected completion date of December 2026. Once completed, passengers can look forward to a brighter, more expansive security screening area complete with a fast-track lane and an even better security experience. Work on the upgrade of a new, state-of-the-art oversized baggage facility and a newly redeveloped staff and goods screening area were completed at the end of the year. In 2026, works will commence on extending car parking with 700 new long-term spaces and the construction of Ireland’s largest solar “carport” over the existing Holiday Blue long-term car park, which will generate up to 20% of the airport’s future electricity needs.
Reflecting on the business performance of 2025 and an exciting year ahead in 2026, Niall MacCarthy, Managing Director at Cork Airport, said: “The team at Cork Airport is delighted with the growth and success delivered in 2025. Our industry representative body recognised Cork Airport as Europe’s best regional airport and passengers who used us for the first time complimented us on the ease and friendliness of the airport experience. In 2026, we will be expanding our facilities and delivering on our capital development programme while delivering the same exceptional service our passengers love, and we look forward to another tremendous year in Cork Airport’s history.”
ENDS
For more information, contact:
Barry Holland
Communications Manager, Cork Airport
(087) 353 9917
Kathleen Walshe
Communications Specialist, Cork Airport
(087) 938 9769
Notes to Editor:
Free reproduction on photography attached.
About Cork Airport
Cork Airport is the best-connected international airport serving the South of Ireland and was voted “Best Regional Airport in Europe” by Airport Council International (ACI) Europe in June 2025. Last year, Cork Airport welcomed 3.46 million passengers (+13% vs. 2024), flying on over 50 routes to the UK and continental Europe.
Cork Airport offers a very pleasant passenger experience, complemented by modern facilities and friendly teams delivering high passenger satisfaction levels, excellent customer service and punctual departures for airlines.
Cork Airport is progressing its €200 million Capital Development programme, to put in place the necessary infrastructure to support its growth to beyond 5 million passengers per annum in the next number of years.
In addition, Cork Airport is leading the way on sustainability and was named as the “Best Performing Commercial Semi-State Body” for energy reduction for two years running (2021, 2022), as assessed by SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland).
