Passenger numbers at Dublin and Cork airports reached record numbers last month with a total of 3,667,073 people passing through the two airports, new figures from airport operator daa show.
Dublin Airport saw a total of 3,346,400 passengers in September, which was 3.6% higher than the same month in 2024.
Every single day in September saw more than 100,000 passengers using Dublin Airport, with 18 days in the month seeing more than 110,000 passengers passing through, and six days coming in above 120,000, daa noted.
September has now joined June, July and August as a peak summer month, with passenger numbers averaging 111,000 a day.
Dublin Airport operator daa said that September was a landmark month for Dublin Airport as it was finally able to remove the 100ml liquid limit at security after the completion of the roll-out of new C3 scanners in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
Meanwhile, Cork Airport saw a total of 320,673 passengers in September, a 9% increase on the same month last year and the daa said that Cork airport remains on track to be Ireland's fastest growing airport once again this year, with passenger numbers ahead by 14% during the opening nine months of 2025.
September also saw the first phase of Cork Airport's €200m capital development programme get underway, including the construction of a new mezzanine floor, which will be the location of a new passenger security screening area that will open in late 2026.
Kenny Jacobs, the CEO of daa, said that passengers are loving the fact that they no longer need to remove liquids or electronics from their hand luggage when going through security screening in Dublin.
He also said that work is progressing on a doubling in size of the T1 Lounge, as well as a new and improved Fast Track facility in T1. Work is also underway on the fit-out of a new Irish bar, while a full renovation of the 51st and Green lounge in T2 has also just started.
"We also need to invest and build new infrastructure to ensure Dublin Airport can continue to cope with the passenger and airline demand that's coming its way over the years ahead," he said.
"We're working hard behind the scenes to progress our Infrastructure and Operational planning applications, and we welcome the decision this week by the Cabinet to approve Minister Darragh O’Brien’s request to proceed with the drafting of legislation to remove Dublin Airport’s 32 million a year passenger cap," Mr Jacobs said.
"We hope this process can move swiftly to give Dublin Airport the ability to meet the strong and growing demand from passengers and airlines worldwide to fly in and out of our national gateway, safeguarding Ireland’s connectivity, jobs, tourism and wider economic growth," he added.
On Cork Airport, Mr Jacobs said that while the school holiday period may have ended, load factors remain solid at Cork Airport with particularly strong performances on its key European services to Rome, Milan, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt, and very positive inbound demand from the UK, especially London, Bristol and Glasgow.
"September also saw more than 1,700 pilgrims travel on diocesan pilgrimages to Lourdes from Cork Airport, continuing a proud Cork tradition," he said.
"I'm really excited to see work start on the new mezzanine floor, which will allow us to move fully to new C3 scanning technology that will mean passengers no longer need to remove liquids or gels from their hand luggage," he added.
