Irish airports are gearing up for an unprecedented Christmas rush, with nearly two million passengers expected between 19 December and 5 January. Dublin Airport alone forecasts 1.8 million travellers—22 per cent more than last year—averaging 96,000 passengers a day and peaking at 110,000 on 19 December and 115,000 on 28 December. Shannon anticipates 125,000 flyers, a ten-per-cent annual increase.
To cope, the daa has deployed additional seasonal staff, extended opening hours for fast-track lanes and introduced festive perks such as carol-singing choirs and pop-up gift-wrapping stations. Crucially for business travellers, both Dublin terminals now use CT scanners that scrap the 100 ml liquids rule and allow laptops to remain in bags—steps the airport says keep 95 per cent of passengers under the 20-minute security-clearance target.
Airlines have responded by adding more than 40,000 extra seats on short-haul routes to the UK and continental Europe. Ryanair is operating 22 additional rotations to London alone, while Aer Lingus has up-gauged aircraft on popular U.S. routes. Mobility managers should nevertheless advise employees to arrive at least two hours before short-haul flights and three hours before transatlantic departures, as immigration queues can still fluctuate during peak waves.
![Irish airports brace for their busiest Christmas on record—1.8 million travellers in 19 days]()
Before finalising travel itineraries, organisations should also ensure that all staff have the correct entry documents for their onward destinations—a process that can be streamlined through VisaHQ. The digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) offers Irish travellers real-time visa requirements, application support and courier options, helping to avoid last-minute paperwork snags amid the holiday rush.
The surge is testing the legal 32 million-passenger annual cap at Dublin Airport, which chief executive Kenny Jacobs insists “must be lifted in early 2026” to preserve connectivity. A decision now rests with Fingal County Council after a High Court stay delayed enforcement of the limit. In the meantime, daa has appointed Nick Cole—formerly managing director of Cork Airport—as deputy CEO to oversee Christmas operations.
For corporates, the record flow underscores the value of flexible ticket policies and off-peak travel windows. Companies with critical year-end trips may wish to use regional airports such as Cork where queues are shorter, or leverage private-aviation partners given slot availability at Dublin’s General Aviation terminal.
To cope, the daa has deployed additional seasonal staff, extended opening hours for fast-track lanes and introduced festive perks such as carol-singing choirs and pop-up gift-wrapping stations. Crucially for business travellers, both Dublin terminals now use CT scanners that scrap the 100 ml liquids rule and allow laptops to remain in bags—steps the airport says keep 95 per cent of passengers under the 20-minute security-clearance target.
Airlines have responded by adding more than 40,000 extra seats on short-haul routes to the UK and continental Europe. Ryanair is operating 22 additional rotations to London alone, while Aer Lingus has up-gauged aircraft on popular U.S. routes. Mobility managers should nevertheless advise employees to arrive at least two hours before short-haul flights and three hours before transatlantic departures, as immigration queues can still fluctuate during peak waves.
Before finalising travel itineraries, organisations should also ensure that all staff have the correct entry documents for their onward destinations—a process that can be streamlined through VisaHQ. The digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) offers Irish travellers real-time visa requirements, application support and courier options, helping to avoid last-minute paperwork snags amid the holiday rush.
The surge is testing the legal 32 million-passenger annual cap at Dublin Airport, which chief executive Kenny Jacobs insists “must be lifted in early 2026” to preserve connectivity. A decision now rests with Fingal County Council after a High Court stay delayed enforcement of the limit. In the meantime, daa has appointed Nick Cole—formerly managing director of Cork Airport—as deputy CEO to oversee Christmas operations.
For corporates, the record flow underscores the value of flexible ticket policies and off-peak travel windows. Companies with critical year-end trips may wish to use regional airports such as Cork where queues are shorter, or leverage private-aviation partners given slot availability at Dublin’s General Aviation terminal.
