Cork Airport welcomes record-breaking year for international passenger traffic

Cork Airport has recorded its busiest year in its 62-year history for international passenger traffic.

A total of 2.8 million passengers travelled through Cork Airport in 2023 which represents a 25% increase on 2022 levels when 2.24 million passengers travelled through the airport.

A total of 19,736 flights arrived at and departed Cork Airport in 2023.

Together, the country’s two busiest airports – Dublin Airport and Cork Airport – welcomed almost 35 million passengers in 2023, according to new figures released on Wednesday by daa, the operator of both airports.

Cork Airport also recorded a busy end to the year, with a total of 196,800 passengers flying to and from Cork Airport, marking a 20% increase on passenger traffic when compared to December 2022.

The number of flights that arrived at and departed Cork Airport during December was 1,433 and the most popular destination was London Heathrow.

Cork Airport’s strong performing European hub routes, London Heathrow (Aer Lingus), Amsterdam (Aer Lingus, KLM) and Paris Charles de Gaulle (Air France), were some of the main drivers of growth in 2023.

Significant investments were also made by daa in key capital infrastructure projects at the airport, including a €6.2 million electrical substation, constructed with financial support from the Department of Transport, which was opened in November 2023.

daa CEO Kenny Jacobs said: “Cork Airport is the fastest growing airport in Ireland and Cork’s strategic location is proving very attractive from a traffic development point of view.

The addition of five new summer routes and four winter routes contributed to Cork Airport’s strong growth, and the addition of these new routes was in direct response to the demand that exists in Munster and south Leinster for new and exciting destinations.

Mr Jacobs also thanked the team at Cork Airport for delivering a record-breaking year in 2023.

“With further growth anticipated in 2024, Cork Airport will continue to offer a ‘best-in-class’ service to passengers, with more new and exciting destinations in the pipeline,” he said.