Taoiseach Micheál Martin officially opened Kerry Airport’s new arrivals hall on 17 November 2025, marking the completion of the airport’s €5 million two-phase terminal upgrade. The arrivals facility, which has been operational since March, includes an expanded Garda immigration area, a larger baggage belt and upgraded public foyer.
Phase 2, finished in July, enlarged the departures hall with extra seating, a quiet space, catering outlets and an additional boarding gate—features expected to push the regional gateway past last year’s record 417,000 passengers. Airport chair Denis Cregan said the investment “positions Kerry to attract new routes” as airlines seek regional capacity away from Dublin.
![€5 Million Arrivals Hall Opens at Kerry Airport, Adding Larger Immigration Zone]()
From a global-mobility perspective, the improved immigration zone and baggage handling will shorten connection times for business travellers heading to growing tech and pharma clusters in the south-west. Employers running assignment programmes to Tralee, Killarney or the Shannon IFS region now have a more convenient entry point, reducing onward road time by up to 90 minutes compared with arriving via Shannon or Cork.
State funding of €1.8 million under the Regional Airports Programme 2025 contributed to safety and carbon-reduction elements, while the airport self-funded the remainder. The arrivals hall also incorporates e-gate infrastructure, which management says is “future-proofed” for EU Entry/Exit System compliance in 2026.
With Ryanair already operating daily links to Dublin and London plus seasonal sun routes, local tourism boards expect the larger terminal to underpin new year-round services to European business hubs such as Frankfurt or Brussels—potentially boosting corporate connectivity for the wider Munster region.
Phase 2, finished in July, enlarged the departures hall with extra seating, a quiet space, catering outlets and an additional boarding gate—features expected to push the regional gateway past last year’s record 417,000 passengers. Airport chair Denis Cregan said the investment “positions Kerry to attract new routes” as airlines seek regional capacity away from Dublin.
From a global-mobility perspective, the improved immigration zone and baggage handling will shorten connection times for business travellers heading to growing tech and pharma clusters in the south-west. Employers running assignment programmes to Tralee, Killarney or the Shannon IFS region now have a more convenient entry point, reducing onward road time by up to 90 minutes compared with arriving via Shannon or Cork.
State funding of €1.8 million under the Regional Airports Programme 2025 contributed to safety and carbon-reduction elements, while the airport self-funded the remainder. The arrivals hall also incorporates e-gate infrastructure, which management says is “future-proofed” for EU Entry/Exit System compliance in 2026.
With Ryanair already operating daily links to Dublin and London plus seasonal sun routes, local tourism boards expect the larger terminal to underpin new year-round services to European business hubs such as Frankfurt or Brussels—potentially boosting corporate connectivity for the wider Munster region.
