The 11 largest airports and airlines in Ireland

The largest airports in Ireland

The island nation of Ireland relies heavily on air transport to maintain connections both internationally and with the UK and mainland Europe. The aviation market is dominated by just a few players, with Dublin Airport playing the leading role. Air traffic is growing steadily and is mainly driven by the strong presence of low-cost carriers. Of note is Dublin's increasing importance as a hub for North American flights.

Dublin Airport (DUB)

Dublin Airport is the largest international airport in Ireland and is located around 10 kilometers north of the capital. It has two terminals with a total capacity of over 35 million passengers per year. The two terminals are currently divided into 4 piers. Piers A, B and D are located in Terminal 1. Pier E in Terminal 2 is used almost entirely by Air Lingus.

The vast majority of flights from Dublin currently go to the 3 London airports. However, Dublin is also playing an increasingly important role as a transatlantic hub with numerous flights to the USA. A special feature here is that passengers can already pass through US border control in Dublin.

Freight volume

In 2021, a total of 86.36 million ton-kilometers (= total mass transported in tons multiplied by kilometers traveled) of cargo was moved by air in Ireland. Dublin Airport alone accounted for around 152,800 metric tons.

Ireland's largest airlines

The most important and world-renowned Irish airline is Ryanair, the largest low-cost carrier in Europe with an exceptionally large network of destinations throughout Europe and North Africa. Ryanair is headquartered in Dublin and is best known for its drastically discounted services, which enable low-cost travel, especially on short and medium-haul routes. Aer Lingus, based in Dublin, serves as Ireland's flag carrier and offers both European and transatlantic flights. For the latter, Aer Lingus is also becoming increasingly popular in the USA and Canada.