More than 36 million passengers (36.43m) travelled through Dublin Airport in 2025, the airport’s busiest ever year. This represented a +5.1% increase on 2024, demonstrating the continued high demand for travel through Ireland’s national hub airport.
The total number included 1.7 million transfer passengers, which was -3% on the previous year.
While total passenger numbers climbed to record heights, so too did independently measured passenger satisfaction scores, which increased consistently throughout 2025 to sit at all-time high levels.
Dublin Airport Managing Director, Gary McLean paid to tribute to Dublin Airport’s hard-working staff for delivering such reliable standards for passengers during the airport’s busiest ever year:
“Maintaining standards at such consistently high levels during the busiest year in our 85-year-history is testament to the commitment and hard work of the Dublin Airport team. The airport operation ran smoothly throughout the year, with 97% of passengers passing through security in less than 20 minutes, boosted by the roll out of new best-in-class security scanning technology across both terminals.
“Go back 10 years and Dublin Airport had never handled more than 100,000 passengers in a single day. Fast forward to 2025 and 3 out of every 5 days saw 100,000+ passengers moving through our terminals, while we also recorded our busiest ever day on Sunday, 10th August when130,427 passengers went through smoothly. Our terminals and road network handled those numbers comfortably, helped by the continued progress in encouraging passengers to use non-private car methods to get to and from the airport, with more than half using public transport.
“The strong passenger numbers in 2025 are indicative of the huge demand that’s there to fly in and out of Ireland and also of the importance of ensuring that Dublin Airport, as the island’s main gateway, has the capacity and infrastructure needed to meet the needs of our fast-growing population. Transatlantic activity was strong in 2025 with numbers processed by our US pre-clearance facility in Terminal 2 exceeding 2 million in a 12-month period for the first time ever.
“Dublin Airport has room to accommodate higher numbers of passengers in the years ahead, but it is essential that we soon start building new gates, stands and other infrastructure to set us up to meet the demand that’s coming over the coming decades – and removing the passenger cap is key to that happening. We are encouraged by the progress being made by the Minister for Transport in introducing new legislation, which will see the cap removed, and its inclusion this week in the Spring Legislative Programme, while daa continues to work with other stakeholders to progress its Infrastructure Application through the planning system.”
2025 in More Detail
The number of passenger numbers going through Dublin Airport has increased by 46% since 2015.
The year included a total of 215 days with more than 100,000 passengers, representing 59% of the year and a 25% increase on 2024.
Dublin Airport facilitated a total of 255,000 flights in the year, an increase of 5% on 2024.
Punctuality of flights departing on time from Dublin Airport improved for the fourth year running in 2025 to 71% – up 3% on 2024. When it comes to the first wave of departures, 85% of flights left on time, up 1% on last year.
The top destinations in the year were: 1. London Heathrow; 2. Amsterdam; 3. Manchester; 4. London Stansted; and 5. London Gatwick.
December 2025
December contributed more than 2.7 million passengers to the final tally, up +13% on the same month in 2024. This sharp increase reflected the suspension by the High Court of the seat restrictions that were in place the previous December due to the airport cap.
Ten days in December 2025 saw more than 100,000 passengers passing through (versus zero in December 2024). The busiest day was in the month was Sunday, December 28, when 114,735 people travelled through (+17% versus the busiest day in December 2024).
Gary McLean added: “The fact Dublin Airport is performing so well is no accident and is the result of concerted focus and investment by daa in the product and service level that we are offering to passengers. The eight-figure investment in new C3 scanners, which was completed in September 2025, made Dublin Airport one of the first major European airports to be fully C3 enabled.
“Elsewhere, 2025 saw us complete the final phase of a three-year transformation of the food and beverage offering in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, meaning passengers now have the choice of 40+ outlets for something to eat or drink before their flight.
“The relentless focus on standards and choice for passengers will continue in 2026 with the opening of two revamped lounges, a new dedicated Fast Track floor in Terminal 1 and the full overhaul of the shopping area in Terminal 1, which will see us introduce a number of exciting new retail brands,” said McLean.
Community Outreach Progress
2025 was another big year for daa’s Dublin Airport Community Fund with a total of €500,000 awarded to 117 different projects in the local area, ranging from sensory equipment to solar panels, musicals and lawn mowers.
To mark Dublin Airport’s 85th anniversary, daa announced a unique €2 million support programme – Elevate ’25 – for local schools in North Dublin and East Meath, which will be used by the 86 eligible primary and secondary schools to fund projects to enhance learning and create lasting benefits for students and teachers.
Gary McLean said: “It’s a balancing act to run a national airport that is mandated to meet the needs of an island with a fast-growing population, whilst also limiting the impact of our operations on the daily lives of those in our local communities. Through our various generous support schemes, we’re making real progress, with recent research carried out by polling company RED C finding that 86% of Fingal residents support the further development of Airport, while 84% agree that having the airport in their community helps to fuel economic development. Our full focus in 2026 and beyond is to further improve this positive picture, with tangible actions and outreach that will make a difference.”
