Cork Airport recorded its busiest year on record in 2025, welcoming 3.46 million passengers and marking a 13% year-on-year increase. This was the third consecutive year of double-digit growth, with passenger traffic now 67% higher than in 2015.
Growth was particularly strong on UK routes, with passenger numbers rising sharply to Bristol (+37%), Liverpool (+31%) and Manchester (+27%). Continental Europe also saw robust gains, including traffic increases of 61% to Germany, 29% to Belgium and 27% to Switzerland. Demand for leisure travel continued to underpin performance, with passenger numbers up 32% on routes to Spain and 20% to Portugal.
The record year was supported by the launch of new services to destinations such as Bilbao, Bordeaux, Izmir, Prague and Geneva. Further expansion is planned for 2026 with new routes to Nice, Santiago de Compostela and Antalya.
Reflecting its performance and service quality, Cork Airport was named Europe’s Best Airport (under 5 million passengers) by Airports Council International Europe in 2025, the third time it has received the accolade. Sustainability initiatives are also advancing, with construction due to begin in 2026 on Ireland’s largest solar carport, expected to generate up to 20% of the airport’s electricity needs.