Record passenger numbers in January at Dublin and Cork airports

Both Dublin and Cork airports saw record passenger numbers in January, according to the airport operator’s daa.

Ublin Airport experienced its busiest opening month of the year with just over 2.1 million passengers flying through Dublin.

The number of passengers using Dublin Airport in January was 2 per cent higher than in January 2019 – the previous record for January – and more than double (113 per cent) than in January 2022.

Daa said there were some “very busy days” at Dublin Airport in early January as thousands of people traveled home after the Christmas break.

The operator said security screening “went smoothly” during the month, with 95.7 percent of passengers clearing security in less than 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, 162,000 passengers used Cork Airport in January, which was 149 per cent more than in January 2022 and 12 per cent more than in January 2019.

Daa said passenger numbers at Cork Airport are expected to increase by almost 10 per cent to around 2.4 million in 2023.

A total of 2.27 million passengers used both airports last month. That’s an increase from 2.15 million in January 2019 and 956,000 in January 2022.

The busiest day at Cork Airport during the month was Tuesday 3rd January with 6,900 passengers while the busiest day at Dublin Airport was Monday 2nd January with 88,900 passengers.

The most popular destination from Dublin and Cork airports was London Heathrow. Overall, in January, 78 per cent of flights departed Cork Airport on time, while 76 per cent departed Dublin Airport on time

Kenny Jacobs, CEO of Daa, said the volume of people traveling to both Dublin and Cork airports in January shows the “continued strong appetite for post-Covid international travel”.

“The addition of an extra bank holiday weekend in February, combined with Valentine’s Day and the mid-semester school holidays, means February will be another very busy month at both airports,” he said.

“We are expecting and planning another busy year at Dublin Airport and the main focus is on improving security queue times and our standards in both terminals but particularly in Terminal 1.

“Moving through the terminals is already easier and more comfortable for passengers after a recent decluttering. We’ve listened to passenger feedback and designed a number of areas for additional seating.

“A big focus will also be placed on improving basic services such as toilets and general cleanliness. Work to further enhance the Dublin airport experience will accelerate in the coming weeks and months.”