- Shannon Airport is a finalist for the under 5 million category
- Dublin airport is a finalist in the over 30 million category
- The airport operates 40 routes, its highest number in 17 years.
- New destinations for 2026 include Madrid, Rome, Frankfurt, Warsaw and Poznan.
- The winners will be announced in Frankfurt on 22 October 2026.
- Shannon competes in the Under 5m Passengers category.
Dublin and Shannon Airports have both been named a finalist in the Under 5m Passengers category at the Routes World Awards 2026, recognising excellence in route development and airline partnerships. The airport currently operates 40 routes, its highest number in 17 years, including five new services to Madrid, Rome, Frankfurt, Warsaw and Poznan. The final winners will be announced at a ceremony in Frankfurt on 22 October 2026.
Dublin Airport is currently undergoing a massive legislative and structural overhaul, highlighted by the enactment of the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Act 2026 to remove the strict 32m annual passenger cap. This legal change clears the path for a €2.9bn capital investment programme managed by airport operator daa to boost capacity to 40m passengers per annum. Ten years ago Dublin was named the top airport in the 20-50 million passenger category at the event in China. It is up against Athens, Orlando, Rome Fiumicino and Singapore.
Shannon shared in a written press release its nomination highlights the airport’s strategy to boost regional business and tourism, with the Shannon Airport Group praised for its work in supporting airline partners through marketing and growth initiatives. The airport’s CEO, Ray O’Driscoll, has been credited with leading the expansion that has seen passenger numbers grow significantly. Shannon competes in its category against Cardiff Airport, Cork Airport, Bratislava Airport, and Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
The Routes World Awards 2026 feature an expanded scale, including a new Route of the Year category to celebrate innovative new route launches. The awards ceremony in Frankfurt will see winners selected by the global aviation community. Shannon’s shortlisting reflects its growing connectivity and importance as a regional gateway for the Mid-West of Ireland.
This year’s awards include a brand-new Route of the Year category celebrating the most innovative and impactful new route launches, and an additional airport category to ensure more comprehensive recognition across different scales of operation.
Ray O’Driscoll shared the nomination reflects the team’s dedication to growth.
Route of the Year
- Air France – Orlando-Paris
- Indigo – Athens-Delhi
- LATAM – Brussels-São Paulo
- Scoot – Vienna-Singapore
- TAP – Los Angeles-Lisbon
Under 5m Passengers
- Bratislava Airport
- Cardiff Airport
- Cork Airport
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport
- Shannon Airport
5-10m Passengers
- Adelaide Airport
- Cagliari Airport
- Malta International Airport
- Newcastle International Airport
- Pittsburgh International Airport
10-17.5m Passengers
- Da Nang International Airport
- Edinburgh Airport
- Helsinki Airport
- Milan Bergamo Airport
- Prague Airport
17.5-30m Passengers
- Brisbane Airport
- Brussels Airport
- New Chitose Airport
- Oslo Airport
- Vancouver International Airport
Over 30m Passengers
- Athens International Airport
- Dublin Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- Rome Fiumicino Airport
- Singapore Changi Airport
Destination
- Cape Town Air Access
- Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
- Malta Tourism Authority
- Moroccan National Tourist Office (MNTO)
- Turismo de Portugal
Airline
- Aegean Airlines
- Air Canada
- LATAM Airlines
- Transavia Airlines
- Wizz Air
Rising Star Award
- Aymeric Le Leizour, Aviation Marketing Specialist at Melbourne Airport
- Rachel Griffiths, Manager, Air Service Development at Halifax Stanfield International Airport
- Saad Alzamel, Route Development Specialist at Cluster2 Airports
- William Green, Aviation Development Manager at Edinburgh Airport
- Wojciech Gluch, Airport Development Manager at easyJet
Individual Leadership Award
- Bobby Spann, Vice-President Air Service Development at CVG Airport Authority
- Jonny Macneal, Head of Aviation at London Gatwick Airport
- Peggy Croes, Senior Vice President Aviation Market Development at Curacao Airport Partners NV
- Shaun Browne, Aviation Director at Bristol Airport
