Record 3.5m passengers used Cork Airport in 2025

An unprecedented 3.5m passengers travelled through Cork Airport last year, a 13% increase on 2024, marking its busiest year since opening in 1961.

The news comes as the company which operates Cork and Dublin airports has reported that Dublin Airport also recorded its busiest year ever, welcoming 36.4m passengers in 2025, a 5% increase on the previous year.

The global airport and travel retail group daa, which operates both airports, recorded a turnover of €1.18bn for the year ending December 31, 2025, and a profit of €230m after tax.

DIVIDEND

The daa board has recommended a dividend of €66m to the State for the 2025 financial year, bringing total dividends paid since 2024 to €165m.

These results supported €272m of capital investment during the year, focused on improving the passenger experience, as well as key airfield and aircraft stand upgrades.

Those included the installation of new C3 scanners at terminals 1 and 2 at Dublin Airport, and the start of construction on a new mezzanine floor to incorporate a new passenger screening area and lounge at Cork Airport.

Dublin Airport saw 98% of passengers clearing security in under 20 minutes, while Cork continued to deliver a high punctuality rate.

Basil Geoghegan, outgoing daa chair, said the results highlighted the company’s success in sustaining economic growth, tourism, trade and connectivity.

“We successfully translated strong passenger growth at our airports into a solid financial performance, helping to fund investment in our ambitious plans for the future, and return a significant dividend to the State,” he said.

“A continuing issue is the challenge posed by operating in multiple, and at times, conflicting regulatory regimes, which impacts our ability to meet the objectives we are set by our shareholder and provide for Ireland’s growing connectivity needs.

“The most immediate short-term constraint, the 32 million annual passenger cap, has been recognised by government and we welcome its commitment to address the cap by introducing legislation in 2026.” 

Nick Cole, daa’s deputy CEO, said operational reliability had been the company’s priority throughout the year.

“That focus remains as we navigate ongoing regulatory processes and an increasingly uncertain external geopolitical environment,” he said.

Peter Dunne, daa group chief financial officer, said the group’s solid financial performance last year built on the record results it had achieved in 2023 and 2024.