CORK Airport is celebrating its busiest year for international passenger traffic as it welcomed its three millionth passenger at the weekend.
Anaesthetist Dr Muhammad Asim was travelling from Edinburgh back home to Cork and was the three millionth through the gates.
He was presented with a bottle of champagne and a hamper from Cork Airport Duty Free.
2024 has been a momentous year for Ireland’s fastest-growing airport – being the busiest year for international passenger traffic in the airport’s 63-year history.
The airport is the fastest growing in Ireland, pushing outside its traditional catchment area of Munster to incorporate counties in south Leinster such as Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wexford, and even Kildare.
Cork Airport contributes over €1 billion to the Irish economy and supports over 12,000 jobs.
Breaking the three million passenger mark was ‘the cherry on top of a brilliant 2024’, said daa chief executive Kenny Jacobs.
‘I’m extremely proud of the great work that the team in Cork are doing in driving that growth. Looking ahead, 2025 promises to be an even busier and better year for Cork Airport and it will continue to enjoy the fullest support of daa Group in pursuing that ambitious growth strategy,’ Mr Jacobs said.
The year saw the opening of a new café/wine and growth in passenger traffic, including a 20% increase in passengers travelling to and from Spain; a 19% increase in passengers travelling to and from France; a 19% increase in passengers travelling to and from Portugal; a 15% increase in passengers travelling to and from The Netherlands; a 38% increase in passengers travelling to and from Poland and a 13% increase in passenger traffic between Ireland and Germany.
New services added during the year including a year-round route to Brussels Charleroi, a year-round route to Glasgow along with summer seasonal services to Rhodes and Zadar.
