Published 9 Sept 2026
Dublin Airport is Ireland’s main international gateway, handling over 36 million passengers annually. It operates as the leading aviation hub connecting the country to destinations across five continents.
How many passengers pass through Dublin Airport each year?
Dublin Airport processes more than 36 million passengers annually, making it Ireland’s busiest airport and a significant hub in European aviation.
- The airport handled 36.42 million passengers in 2025, a 5.2% increase from the previous year and a new all-time high.
- Passenger numbers surpassed pre-pandemic levels, exceeding the 2019 figure of 32.91 million by 10.7%.
- During the pandemic, traffic dropped sharply to 7.39 million in 2020.
- Recovery began in 2021 with 8.46 million passengers and accelerated in 2022 with 28.09 million.
- Passenger volumes further grew to 33.52 million in 2023 and 34.63 million in 2024.

Domestic vs International Passengers
Dublin Airport has a predominantly international profile, with domestic travel making up less than 1% of total passenger traffic.
- International passengers comprised over 99% of total traffic in 2025, with 36.25 million passengers.
- Domestic passengers accounted for only 171,501 passengers.
| Origin of Passengers at Dublin Airport (2019-2025) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Domestic Passengers | International Passengers |
| 2019 | 103,896 | 32,807,331 |
| 2020 | 33,738 | 7,352,689 |
| 2021 | 38,056 | 8,417,269 |
| 2022 | 128,549 | 27,957,013 |
| 2023 | 156,570 | 33,366,024 |
| 2024 | 173,250 | 34,460,757 |
| 2025 | 171,501 | 36,249,414 |
What is the total number of aircraft operations at Dublin Airport each year?
Dublin Airport handles nearly 250,000 aircraft movements annually, reflecting its central role in Irish aviation.
- In 2025, aircraft movements totaled 247,520, a 4.7% increase from 236,303 in 2024.
- Pre-pandemic, there were 232,142 operations in 2019.
- Activity dropped to 83,252 in 2020 and 85,431 in 2021 due to the pandemic.
- Operations rebounded to 202,773 in 2022 and 233,162 in 2023.

Which airlines operate the most flights out of Dublin Airport?
Two carriers dominate Dublin Airport’s flight operations: Ryanair and Aer Lingus.
- Ryanair operates flights to 122 destinations, offering the largest network.
- Aer Lingus serves 102 destinations, focusing on long-haul and premium routes.
- Delta Airlines ranks third with just 5 routes.

What are the monthly trends in passenger traffic at Dublin Airport?
Passenger traffic is highest between April and October, with each of these months exceeding 3 million passengers in 2025.
- August was the busiest month, with 3.79 million passengers, followed by July (3.75 million) and June (3.55 million).
- The lowest volumes were in January (2.18 million) and February (2.14 million).

How many routes are there at Dublin Airport?
- Dublin Airport connects to over 190 destinations across 42 countries, supporting wide global access.
- About 46 airlines operate from the airport.
- Route numbers fluctuate seasonally between 180 and 197, depending on charter services and seasonal demand.
- The network spans five continents, with especially strong links to Europe and North America.
Which destinations are the most popular from Dublin Airport?
- London-Heathrow was the top destination in 2025, with 1.83 million passengers.
- It was followed by Amsterdam-Schiphol with 1.33 million, Manchester with 1.15 million and London-Gatwick with 999,525.
- London-Stansted ranked fifth, handling 999,076 passengers.

How much cargo does Dublin Airport handle annually?
Dublin Airport manages nearly 200,000 tonnes of cargo each year.
- In 2025, freight volume reached 191,838 tonnes, a 10.4% rise from 173,849 tonnes in 2024.
- Before the pandemic, cargo totaled 133,229 tonnes in 2019.
- In 2020, volume dropped to 123,248 tonnes, then recovered to 144,264 tonnes in 2021 before dipping slightly to 142,382 tonnes in 2022 and rising again to 152,328 tonnes in 2023.

How much revenue has Dublin Airport generated each year?
Dublin Airport generates over €700 million in revenue annually.
- The airport brought in €200 million in 2021.
- Revenue jumped 141.5% to €483 million in 2022, then increased to €710 million in 2023 and €793 million in 2024.

Related Travel Statistics
What are the notable incidents at Dublin Airport?
- November 30, 1975: UDA bombing - A bomb planted by the Ulster Defence Association killed one person and injured eight in the arrivals terminal.
- January 2, 2010: RDX explosive incident - A passenger unknowingly carried plastic explosives from Slovakia, causing a major bomb alert.
- November 24, 2018: Workplace fatality - A Swissport employee died during cargo operations, leading to a €250,000 fine.
- January-March 2023: Drone incursions - Six illegal drone sightings disrupted operations and prompted deployment of counter-drone systems.
- November 2024: Terminal fatality - A man in his 60s died at the airport, temporarily affecting traffic.
Other relevant facts related to Dublin Airport
- Dublin Airport is the 13th busiest airport in Europe, and is the busiest of Ireland's airports by total passenger traffic.
- The airport has 2 terminals.
- The airport has 3 runways.
- 10L/28R: 3,110 m (length)
- 10R/28L: 2,637 m
- 16/34: 2,072 m
References
- Knock Airport Aviation Statistics — Central Statistics Office · cso.ie
- DAA — Dublin Airport Passenger Statistics 2025 · daa.ie
- DAA — Annual Reports (Revenue Data) · daa.ie
- FlightConnections — Airlines Flying from Dublin Airport · flightconnections.com
- Aviation Safety Network — Notable Incidents at Calgary Airport · asn.flightsafety.org