Shannon Airport Breaks One Million Summer Passenger Mark as Traffic Jumps 11.5%
Tuesday 22nd September 2026: More than one million passengers travelled through Shannon Airport between May and August this year, as the airport recorded an 11.5% increase in summer passenger traffic compared with the same period in 2025.
The milestone comes during a year of significant network expansion at Shannon, with five new routes added in 2026 to Warsaw, Madrid, Rome, Poznań and Frankfurt.
Passengers had a choice of 40 routes during the year, including five daily transatlantic services at the height of the summer season. Barcelona, Faro, Málaga and Alicante were among the popular European sun destinations, while London, Manchester, New York, Boston, and Chicago continued to provide important connectivity to the UK and US.
The summer growth follows a particularly strong start to the season, with Shannon Airport named Ireland’s fastest-growing major airport for three consecutive months in May, June, and July, according to the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC).
It also builds on momentum from the first six months of the year, when passenger numbers at Shannon increased by 12% compared with the same period in 2025.
Niall Kearns, Airport Director of Shannon Airport, said: “Passing the one million passenger mark across the four summer months is a fantastic milestone for Shannon Airport and reflects the strong demand we are seeing across our network.
The addition of Rome, Frankfurt, Warsaw, Poznań and Madrid, alongside increased frequencies on some of our most popular routes, gave passengers even greater choice this summer, and they responded strongly.
Summer at Shannon was about much more than outbound travel. We welcomed thousands of overseas visitors coming to experience the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s world-renowned golf courses, as well as sports fans travelling to and from major events in Ireland and the United States.
Our team worked tirelessly throughout the busy summer period to give passengers the easy, hassle-free journey they expect from Shannon. We are now focused on carrying that momentum into winter while continuing our investment in the terminal and overall passenger experience.”
Passengers travelling through Shannon this winter will also benefit from the airport’s recently enhanced hand-luggage arrangements. Passengers can now bring liquids, aerosols, and gels in containers of up to two litres in their hand luggage, replacing the previous 100ml restriction.