England overtakes Spain as the highest spend for Irish people abroad

AIB data from 85m card transactions in August 2025 shows England (23.4pc) and Spain (22.8pc) as top destinations for Irish spending abroad.

Cross channel spending by Irish visitors rose 8pc year-on-year, with 1.4m card transactions in England, up 11pc from August 2024. US spending by AIB customers fell 18pc compared to August 2024, while Spain’s spending remained unchanged.

Restaurant and takeaway spending increased 8pc, with 17pc via delivery apps, led by Dublin (21.9pc), Louth (21.1pc), and Kildare (17.2pc). The anonymised data is designed to help businesses plan for peak and off-peak periods.

Adrian Moynihan of AIB shared: “August is typically a month where people are on holidays and it’s interesting to see spend by Irish visitors to the US has decreased significantly. There is movement in the top two destinations abroad for AIB customers, with England topping the list, as evidence of Ireland’s close cross channel travel links.”