Passenger numbers at Dublin and Cork airports exceeded 2.5 million in December, marking a successful year for both facilities.
Combined passenger traffic reached 37.7 million in 2024, driven by strong tourist, business, and public travel demand, alongside continued population growth.
Cork Airport Achieves Historic Growth
December proved exceptional for Cork Airport, with passenger numbers reaching 211,000, marking a 7% increase from December 2023. The airport experienced its busiest day on December 28, handling 10,000 passengers. This represents a 15.6% rise from the previous year.
A significant milestone occurred on December 20 when Cork welcomed its three millionth passenger, breaking a record unseen since 2008. The airport achieved its highest international passenger traffic in its 63-year history and emerged as Ireland’s fastest-growing airport in 2024.
Looking ahead to 2025, Cork Airport will expand its services to include direct flights to 14 countries, offering 56 routes through nine scheduled airlines. The airport is completing a new Capital Development Plan to enhance infrastructure capacity, with details expected in early 2025.
Dublin Airport Faces Growth Constraints
Dublin Airport’s consistent growth streak ended in December, processing 2.29 million passengers. Albeit a modest 1% decrease from December 2023, it contrasted with growth in the previous 11 months.
December 29 saw the highest traffic with 98,000 passengers, down 4% from 2023. These reductions stem from the Irish Aviation Authority’s winter seat cap implementation, addressing Dublin Airport’s 32 million passenger planning limit.
Despite daa’s efforts to moderate demand, 2024 saw overall growth with 33.3 million terminal passengers, representing a 4% increase from 2023. Including connecting passengers, total traffic reached 34.6 million.
The airport demonstrated its operational capability by handling over 100,000 passengers on 171 days, showing capacity for 36 million annual passengers.
Ireland Among Top 20 EU Markets
Industry data indicates Ireland stands alone among Europe’s top 20 aviation markets in showing decreased scheduled seat capacity for Q1 2025, with a projected 3.3% decline.
This contrasts with growth in the UK (3.9%), Germany (4.7%), France (7.1%), and Spain (8.1%). The reduction relates to Dublin Airport’s winter seat restrictions and airline route adjustments.
Planning Applications and Future Development
On December 20, daa submitted an Operational Application to Fingal County Council, seeking to increase the passenger cap to 36 million annually.
This application, requiring no new construction, aims to provide a quick solution to current capacity constraints. Additionally, daa filed an Infrastructure Application on December 15, 2023. This proposed a cap increase to 40 million passengers and €2.4 billion in infrastructure improvements.
Leadership Perspectives
Kenny Jacobs, daa CEO, praised both airports’ performance and highlighted Cork’s achievement in surpassing three million passengers. He emphasized the challenges facing Dublin Airport due to capacity restrictions and outlined ongoing efforts to address these constraints through the planning system.
Peter Dunne, daa CFO, reported strong financial results for 2024, with group revenue increasing approximately 8% to over €1.1 billion. Capital investment reached €230 million, while net debt decreased to below €700 million. Complete financial results will be released on April 30, 2025.
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