Donegal airport passenger numbers surged by 35pc in 2025 to 55,119. The figure represents a strong recovery for the small regional facility in north-west Ireland and marks the busiest year in the airport’s history.
Passenger traffic has now more than tripled since the low point of the pandemic years and reflects growing demand for direct air links from County Donegal.
The airport at Carrickfin near Dungloe opened in March 1978 as a basic airstrip built to serve the nearby industrial estate. Passenger operations began on Christmas Eve 1985 when the Scottish carrier Malinair launched flights to Glasgow.
The runway was upgraded from grass to a hard surface in the mid-1980s and later extended to 1,500 metres with a modern terminal added in the 1990s. Donegal County Council has owned and operated the airport since its early days with support from government and European funding.
Route growth has been steady over the decades. The core Dublin PSO service has operated for more than 30 years and remains the backbone of the schedule with year-round flights.
Seasonal and charter routes to Glasgow, Manchester and other destinations have been introduced and withdrawn at different times while recent years have seen additional capacity on the Dublin link and the launch of new summer services.
Passenger numbers climbed from 2,784 in 1985 to over 65,000 by 2008 before falling sharply during the financial crisis and again in 2020 and 2021 because of pandemic restrictions. Post-pandemic recovery began in earnest in 2022 and has accelerated with consistent double-digit growth each year leading to the 35p jump recorded in 2025.
Airport passenger numbers
Belfast City – Belfast International – Belfast combined – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Dublin – Heathrow – Kerry – Knock – Manchester – Shannon
