Dublin Airport (DUB) has issued a peak-period advisory ahead of the St Brigid’s Day bank-holiday weekend, forecasting 382,000 passengers between Friday 30 January and Monday 2 February—about 40,000 more than the equivalent weekend in 2025. Friday alone is expected to see 100,000 travellers, surpassing previous winter highs despite the seasonally quiet period.
DAA, the airport operator, attributes the 12 % year-on-year increase to pent-up leisure demand, removal of temporary seat-capacity limits, and new routes such as Cancun and Tromsø. Shannon Airport, meanwhile, anticipates 24,000 passengers, a 14 % rise fuelled by winter-sun services to Lanzarote and Málaga.
For anyone unsure about visa or transit requirements ahead of the busy holiday rush, VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) offers a quick way to check eligibility and submit applications online. The service covers more than 200 nationalities and can arrange expedited processing, helping travellers avoid last-minute complications at DUB’s immigration desks.
![Dublin Airport projects record 382,000 passengers over St Brigid’s weekend]()
To manage flows, DUB is advising passengers to arrive two hours before short-haul and three hours before long-haul departures. The airport’s full roll-out of C3 CT scanners means liquids and electronics can stay in cabin bags, but security staffing has been increased to avoid bottlenecks at peak waves (04:30-07:30 and 17:00-19:00). Immigration queues are also under scrutiny as non-EU travellers are now processed under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) pilot, adding biometric capture for first-time entrants.
Corporate travel managers should alert employees of possible landside congestion and encourage Fast-Track or Platinum-Service bookings for tight connections. Relocation advisers bringing talent into Ireland during the long weekend should flag potential accommodation shortages, as hotels in Dublin city report 85 % occupancy. Employers planning group moves may wish to shift arrival dates beyond 4 February when volumes normalise.
Airlines and handling agents have been asked to staff extra desks, and taxi regulators will allow a 20 % uplift in licences over the four-day period. While the surge underscores Ireland’s growing connectivity, it also revives debate over the airport’s statutory 32 million-passenger cap, which the government hopes to abolish later this year.
DAA, the airport operator, attributes the 12 % year-on-year increase to pent-up leisure demand, removal of temporary seat-capacity limits, and new routes such as Cancun and Tromsø. Shannon Airport, meanwhile, anticipates 24,000 passengers, a 14 % rise fuelled by winter-sun services to Lanzarote and Málaga.
For anyone unsure about visa or transit requirements ahead of the busy holiday rush, VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) offers a quick way to check eligibility and submit applications online. The service covers more than 200 nationalities and can arrange expedited processing, helping travellers avoid last-minute complications at DUB’s immigration desks.
To manage flows, DUB is advising passengers to arrive two hours before short-haul and three hours before long-haul departures. The airport’s full roll-out of C3 CT scanners means liquids and electronics can stay in cabin bags, but security staffing has been increased to avoid bottlenecks at peak waves (04:30-07:30 and 17:00-19:00). Immigration queues are also under scrutiny as non-EU travellers are now processed under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) pilot, adding biometric capture for first-time entrants.
Corporate travel managers should alert employees of possible landside congestion and encourage Fast-Track or Platinum-Service bookings for tight connections. Relocation advisers bringing talent into Ireland during the long weekend should flag potential accommodation shortages, as hotels in Dublin city report 85 % occupancy. Employers planning group moves may wish to shift arrival dates beyond 4 February when volumes normalise.
Airlines and handling agents have been asked to staff extra desks, and taxi regulators will allow a 20 % uplift in licences over the four-day period. While the surge underscores Ireland’s growing connectivity, it also revives debate over the airport’s statutory 32 million-passenger cap, which the government hopes to abolish later this year.
