Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports have entered peak-season mode with almost two million travellers forecast between 19 December and 5 January—a 22 % jump on last year. Dublin Airport alone expects 1.8 million passengers, peaking at 110,000 today and 115,000 on 28 December. Operator daa has hired extra seasonal security staff, opened additional fast-track lanes and rolled out festive perks ranging from choir performances to gift-wrapping stations.
Operationally, the biggest win for travellers is full deployment of CT scanners in both Dublin terminals. The technology abolishes the 100 ml liquids rule and allows laptops to remain in bags, keeping 95 % of passengers below the 20-minute security-screening target. Airlines have responded by adding more than 40,000 seats on short-haul routes, while Aer Lingus has up-gauged aircraft on North-American services.
The surge is once again testing the airport’s contested 32-million-passenger annual cap. Chief executive Kenny Jacobs says the limit must be lifted early in 2026 to preserve connectivity. Fingal County Council is due to rule on a permanent solution after a High Court stay deferred enforcement.
![Irish airports gear up for record 1.8 million Christmas passengers]()
Travellers arriving from outside the EU or UK should remember that immigration formalities can be as time-consuming as security screening. VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) offers an easy way to check entry requirements, obtain electronic travel authorisations and track visa applications in real time, helping corporate travel managers to pre-clear documentation before staff reach the airport.
For corporates the message is plan ahead: advise staff to arrive at least two hours before European flights and three hours before transatlantic departures, and consider routing time-critical trips through Cork or Shannon where queues are shorter. Mobility managers should also monitor weather warnings that could cascade into knock-on delays at regional hubs.
The daa has published a live-dashboard tool showing real-time security wait times and car-park occupancy, which travel teams can integrate into mobile apps to keep employees informed.
Operationally, the biggest win for travellers is full deployment of CT scanners in both Dublin terminals. The technology abolishes the 100 ml liquids rule and allows laptops to remain in bags, keeping 95 % of passengers below the 20-minute security-screening target. Airlines have responded by adding more than 40,000 seats on short-haul routes, while Aer Lingus has up-gauged aircraft on North-American services.
The surge is once again testing the airport’s contested 32-million-passenger annual cap. Chief executive Kenny Jacobs says the limit must be lifted early in 2026 to preserve connectivity. Fingal County Council is due to rule on a permanent solution after a High Court stay deferred enforcement.
Travellers arriving from outside the EU or UK should remember that immigration formalities can be as time-consuming as security screening. VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) offers an easy way to check entry requirements, obtain electronic travel authorisations and track visa applications in real time, helping corporate travel managers to pre-clear documentation before staff reach the airport.
For corporates the message is plan ahead: advise staff to arrive at least two hours before European flights and three hours before transatlantic departures, and consider routing time-critical trips through Cork or Shannon where queues are shorter. Mobility managers should also monitor weather warnings that could cascade into knock-on delays at regional hubs.
The daa has published a live-dashboard tool showing real-time security wait times and car-park occupancy, which travel teams can integrate into mobile apps to keep employees informed.
