Dublin Airport Passenger Volumes Up 4% in Year to Date

Dublin Airport has catered for nearly 29 million passengers so far this year - 4% more than at the same point in 2025 - with 2026 gearing up to be another record year for the hub.

Latest monthly operational figures, from airport operator daa, show Dublin Airport saw a total of 3.34 million passengers travelling through its two terminals during September, a level broadly in line with the same month last year. 

Around 17.4 million of those passengers travelled through Terminal 1, while almost 11.6 million travelled through Terminal 2. 

September in focus

Dublin Airport recorded its three busiest-ever September days during the month, with Sunday, 13 September, the busiest of all, when 128,600 passengers travelled through the terminals. This was 4% higher than the previous busiest September day.

In September, 26 of the 30 days saw Dublin Airport welcome more than 100,000 passengers.

In the first nine months of the year, 186 out of 273 days (68%) have seen more than 100,000 passengers travel through the airport. 

The most popular routes in September were: 1) Heathrow, 2) Amsterdam, 3) Manchester, 4) Malaga and 5) Gatwick. 

The strong September performance was supported by a significant increase in transfer activity, with the number of passengers connecting to other destinations through Dublin’s route network up 37% on September last year.

Transfer passengers play an important role in supporting the viability of existing routes and helping Dublin Airport attract new direct services to destinations around the world, strengthening connectivity for Ireland and supporting tourism, trade and wider economic activity. In total, 493,000 passengers travelled on routes between Dublin and North America in September, 3% higher than the same month last year, while traffic on UK routes was up 2%. 

Gary McLean, Managing Director of Dublin Airport, said: “September was another busy month at Dublin Airport, bringing an end to our busiest-ever summer period, with almost 15 million passengers travelling through our terminals since the end of May. 

“Passenger demand was supported by a number of notable events, including Ireland’s EU Presidency, which continues to bring politicians and delegates from all over the world to Ireland. Golf was also a big driver of September’s numbers, with thousands of golf fans flying in from around the world for the Walker Cup and Irish Open at Lahinch and Doonbeg respectively. The return of business and student travel after the summer also helped drive demand."