Ireland West Airport Named Fastest-Growing Airport as Passenger Traffic Hits New Record

Dublin: Ireland West Airport has officially become the fastest-growing airport in the country, marking a major milestone as Knock Airport prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026.

Airport Chairman Arthur French confirmed that 2025 marked the third consecutive year of record-breaking passenger growth, calling it a “historic achievement” for the region.

Record Passenger Numbers

A total of 946,381 passengers travelled through the airport last year — a 13.5% increase on 2024’s figure of 834,000.
August was the busiest month, with 106,361 passengers passing through the terminal.

Projections indicate that passenger numbers could exceed 950,000 in 2026.

Expanded Routes Driving Growth

Three airlines — Aer Lingus, Lauda Europe and Ryanair — operated services to 21 international destinations.

Record-breaking performance was recorded on key routes including:

• Edinburgh
• Liverpool
• London Luton
• Manchester
• Faro
• Malaga

UK and Europe Demand Surges

UK routes saw exceptional growth:

• 732,501 passengers travelled between Knock and Britain — a 10% rise and a record high.
• Aer Lingus enjoyed its busiest year, with more than 96,000 passengers on the London Heathrow route alone.

Continental European routes grew even faster:

• 207,603 passengers travelled to destinations including Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Mallorca, Malaga, Milan, Cologne, Lanzarote and Tenerife — a 28% year-on-year increase.

Ryanair has already announced plans to add more services in 2026, including expanded schedules to Malaga, Milan, Liverpool and London.

Regional Demand Growing Stronger

Chairman Arthur French noted that demand for new routes continues to rise — not only across the west and northwest of Ireland but also from international travellers.

Ireland West Airport now stands as a key gateway for tourism, business travel and regional growth as it enters its milestone anniversary year.

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