Cork airport handled 295,333 passengers in April, down 4.4pc on April 2025 and 40.3pc ahead pf pre-pandemic. Rolling annual was 3,462,370, 8.8pc up from the twelve months to April 2025.
The figure was affected by the earlier date for April, which took the start of the Easter traffic out of the April figure. Easter 2027 will fall even earlier, March 28, the earliest easter since 2016, meaning a likely even lower figure for April.
Cork Airport has progressed its €200 million capital development programme in 2026. Construction continues on a new mezzanine floor above the existing arrivals area to accommodate a new passenger security screening zone. The airport advances multiple projects to support growth towards five million passengers per year.
Work on the mezzanine began in September 2025 with steel frame installation and remains on track for completion in December 2026. Plans include an expanded duty-free shop, a new executive lounge, additional boarding gates, increased car parking capacity, and a new pier with more aircraft stands. The airport lodged planning permission for a 1.7-megawatt solar farm that will cover part of an existing car park and supply around one fifth of the airport’s power needs.
The development programme, launched in May 2025, addresses record passenger numbers that reached 3.4 million in 2025. daa invests in upgraded facilities including new airbridges and improved public transport links. Projects proceed while minimising disruption to ongoing operations.
Niall MacCarthy shared “All of our team are delighted to see that the growth continues at Cork Airport in 2026 having recorded our highest passenger numbers ever in 2025.”
Cork Airport recorded its busiest year on record in 2025 with 3.46 million passengers. Passenger traffic increased 13pc compared to 2024, marking the third consecutive year of double-digit growth.
The previous busiest year in the history of Cork airport was 2008 with 3,258,639 passengers. The Mitchelstown bypass opened on May 25 2009, completing the motorway from Cork to Dublin.
Airport passenger numbers
Belfast City – Belfast International – Belfast combined – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Dublin – Heathrow – Kerry – Knock – Manchester – Shannon
