Cork Airport reported the busiest year in its 62-year history for international passenger traffic, with 2.8 million passengers travelling through in 2023 which represented an 25% increase on 2022 levels of 2.24 million passengers.

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. I want to thank 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.”

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.

Aer Lingus Regional commenced a new six times weekly service between Cork and Bristol operated by ATR72-600 aircraft .

Ryanair deployed 1.4 million seats from its Cork base on 29 routes in Summer 2023. In Winter the carrier increased base fleet from two to three 189 seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft adding 5 new routes to Barcelona, Fuerteventura, Paris Beauvais, Seville & Treviso and increased Increased frequency on 6 existing routes to Faro, Las Palmas, Lanzarote, Malaga, Rome & Tenerife South.

Image Credit: Cork Airport

Irish Aviation Research Institute © 3 February 2024 All Rights Reserved