Dublin Airport expects 1.8 million passengers between 18 December and 5 January—a 22 % jump on last year—making it the busiest festive season in the airport’s history. The operator, daa, said daily traffic will average 96,000, with peak days of 110,000 on Sunday 21 December and 115,000 on Sunday 28 December.
To smooth the surge, both terminals have fully deployed next-generation CT security scanners, allowing passengers to leave liquids and electronics in carry-on bags. The long-standing 100 ml liquids limit has been scrapped, and the airport cheekily notes that “snow globes” can stay in hand luggage for the first time. Ninety-five per cent of travellers have cleared security in under 20 minutes since the rollout, according to daa metrics.
Meanwhile, travellers with multi-country itineraries over the holidays may still need visas or electronic authorisations at short notice. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) streamlines the process from start to finish, offering up-to-date requirements, live status tracking, and courier pickup—so passengers can avoid embassy queues and focus on making their flight.
![Dublin Airport lifts 100 ml liquids rule as it prepares for record 1.8 million Christmas travellers]()
The upgrade positions Dublin among a handful of EU hubs that have implemented the technology ahead of the 2026 EU deadline. For business travellers, the change reduces queueing time and the risk of laptop damage during bin handling—important for those connecting to North America via the airport’s U.S. pre-clearance facility.
daa is running its largest ever programme of festive entertainment, with local choirs performing daily. The airport will close, as usual, on Christmas Day, although emergency services and Airport Police will remain on site. Passengers are still advised to arrive two hours before short-haul and three hours before long-haul flights.
Travel-managers should update pre-trip communications to reflect the liquids change and remind staff not to gift-wrap items in hand luggage, as security may still open packages. The data also suggest that premium-lane bookings could be safely reduced on most days, freeing budget for 2026 travel spend.
To smooth the surge, both terminals have fully deployed next-generation CT security scanners, allowing passengers to leave liquids and electronics in carry-on bags. The long-standing 100 ml liquids limit has been scrapped, and the airport cheekily notes that “snow globes” can stay in hand luggage for the first time. Ninety-five per cent of travellers have cleared security in under 20 minutes since the rollout, according to daa metrics.
Meanwhile, travellers with multi-country itineraries over the holidays may still need visas or electronic authorisations at short notice. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) streamlines the process from start to finish, offering up-to-date requirements, live status tracking, and courier pickup—so passengers can avoid embassy queues and focus on making their flight.
The upgrade positions Dublin among a handful of EU hubs that have implemented the technology ahead of the 2026 EU deadline. For business travellers, the change reduces queueing time and the risk of laptop damage during bin handling—important for those connecting to North America via the airport’s U.S. pre-clearance facility.
daa is running its largest ever programme of festive entertainment, with local choirs performing daily. The airport will close, as usual, on Christmas Day, although emergency services and Airport Police will remain on site. Passengers are still advised to arrive two hours before short-haul and three hours before long-haul flights.
Travel-managers should update pre-trip communications to reflect the liquids change and remind staff not to gift-wrap items in hand luggage, as security may still open packages. The data also suggest that premium-lane bookings could be safely reduced on most days, freeing budget for 2026 travel spend.
