We all knew Donegal is one of - if not the - most beautiful settings in Ireland, and thanks to an international poll of the most scenic airports in the world, the rest of the world can add the craggy paradise to its travel bucket list.
Donegal Airport, located in the magnificent landscape of Carrickfinn, beat out Nice Airport in France, Toronto Billy Bishop Airport in Canada and more for the accolade, which it also won last year.
Praised for its dramatic and awe-inspiring natural beauty, it's no wonder Donegal Airport topped the list, as one voter wrote "The view is spectacular! Mountains on one side and a beautiful rugged coastline dotted with islands and golden sandy beaches running adjacent to the runway".
Another commented, "There is nowhere as lovely as the wild rugged beauty of unspoiled Donegal".
The poll is conducted with votes from travelers around the world, assessing 129 countries which are then judged by an expert panel. You can view the full list below:
- Donegal Airport (Ireland)
- Barra Airport (Scotland)
- Nice Airport (France)
- Orlando Melbourne International Airport (USA)
- St Maarten (Netherlands Antilles)
- Saba Airport (Netherlands Antilles)
- Queenstown Airport (New Zealand)
- Toronto Billy Bishop (Canada)
- London City Airport (England)
- Aosta Airport (Italy)
Donegal Airport celebrated the news as though they had not won the accolade multiple times already, writing on Twitter that "Management and staff are delighted to have Donegal Airport as the No1 most scenic airport for the second year".
Whohoo!!! No1 2019
— Donegal Airport (@DonegalA) March 21, 2019
Management and staff are delighted to have Donegal Airport as the No1 most scenic airport for the second year.
A big thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for Donegal Airport. #No1mostscenicairport2019 @Failte_Ireland @DiscoverIreland @govisitdonegal pic.twitter.com/0w08Viy70i
With just two routes operating out of the minute airport - to Dublin and Glasgow - it truly is an enormous achievement and speaks to the general beauty of our small island.
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Thirty years ago, the Carrickfinn airport received £400,000 in funding from the Department of Tourism as part of a half-million-pound development at the site, where in 1985 flights between Carrickfinn and Glasgow were operated by Malinair, before the company folded.
