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International Airports In Ireland (Map + Key Info)

International Airports In Ireland (Map + Key Info)

There are a number of different regional and international airports in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

You’ll likely have heard of the main Irish airports, like Dublin Airport and and Shannon Airport, while others may be completely new to you, like Ireland West Airport.

The different Ireland airports differ greatly – some take transatlantic flights while others, like Connemara Airport, serve specific destinations.

You’ll find everything you need-to-know about airports in Ireland, without the fluff, below.

A map of the main regional and international Airports in Ireland

The map above will give you a quick glance at where all of the ‘main’ Irish airports are located around the island.

Keep in mind that there are other airports in Ireland, like Sligo Airport, but the chances of you flying in/out of them are slim.

When planning a trip to Ireland, it’s important to think carefully about where you fly into, as it’ll determine the first leg of your road trip.

If you want to see Irish road trip itineraries that start at each of the main Irish airports, see our Ireland itinerary library.

Airports in the Republic of Ireland

Airports in the Republic of Ireland

Photos via Shutterstock

Right – let’s give you a speedy overview of each of the main Ireland airports, first, like Shannon, Cork and Dublin.

We’ll then looking at the various airports in Northern Ireland, after.

1. Dublin Airport

Dublin Airport is the busiest of the international airports in Ireland and it’s the starting point for many transatlantic flights.

Located a 20-60 minute drive (depending on traffic) from Dublin City, Dublin Airport is home to two terminals and it has been running since on January 19, 1940.

It’s served by the likes of Delta, American Airlines, Aer Lingus and countless other airlines of varying sizes. It recorded a staggering 28.1 million passengers in 2022.

2. Shannon Airport

Another of the more popular Ireland airports is Shannon Airport thanks to its prime location along the Wild Atlantic Way on Ireland’s west coast.

Interestingly enough, Shannon is one of the few airports outside North America that offers US Preclearance facilities, which is nice and handy.

Airline wise, it’s serviced by including Aer Lingus, Ryanair, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines. Shannon welcomed 1.5 million passengers in 2022.

3. Connemara Airport

Connemara Airport is one of the smaller Irish airports and you’ll find it in Inverin, 28 km outside of Galway City Centre (around a 40-minute drive).

Connemara Airport solely serves the magnificent Aran Islands – Inis Mor, Inis Oirr and Inis Meain, acting as a gateway to countless adventure opportunities.

Now, you don’t have to fly to get to the Aran Islands – you can get a ferry. However, this landing on one of the islands is a very unique experience.

4. Cork Airport

Cork Airport is another of the busier international airports in Ireland and it’s uniquely positioned at the start of the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East.

Cork Airport is Ireland’s second-largest international airport, offering more choice of routes than any other airport outside of Dublin. It’s also a short 6 km from Cork City.

The airport welcomed just over 2.2 million passengers in 2022.

5. Donegal Airport

Few Irish airports offer a landing like Donegal Airport over at Carrickfinn Beach. On a clear day, the views as you come into land are out of this world.

They’re so goo, in fact, that Donegal Airport has been given the title of ‘One of the most picturesque airports in the world’ on several occasions.

It’s a handy spin from Dungloe and Gweedore and just 45 minutes from Letterkenny. In 2022 the airport recorded 36,934 passengers.

6. Kerry Airport

Kerry Airport is located in Farranfore just under 13 km from Killarney and it’s a very handy option for those landing in Dublin and looking to get to the Wild Atlantic Way as soon as physically possible.

It offers direct flights to Dublin, London-Stansted, London-Luton, Berlin, and Frankfurt-Hahn, along with some seasonal flights.

In 2022, Kerry Airport welcomed over 356,000 passengers through its doors.

7. Ireland West Airport Knock

One of the better-known international airports in Ireland is Ireland West Airport in Knock in County Mayo.

Welcoming a whopping 722,000 passengers in 2022, Knock Airport is another great place to fly into if you’re looking to explore the west coast.

Airlines such as Ryanair, Aer Lingus, and Flybe provide connections to various destinations across the UK and Europe.

Airports in Northern Ireland

airports in northern ireland

Photos via Shutterstock

There are a number of airports in Northern Ireland that’ll make things smoother for those of you looking to explore Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Tyrone and Fermanagh.

Arguably the most notable is George Best Belfast City Airport, but the others get good footfall, too.

1. George Best Belfast City Airport

One of the major airports in Ireland is George Best Belfast City Airport and you’ll find it at the heart of Belfast City, on the south shore of Belfast Lough.

Airlines like Aer Lingus, British Airways, KLM, Icelandair and Eastern Airways fly in and out of George Best Belfast City Airport.

This airport is a single-runway airport and UK’s 17th busiest airport, handling around 1.65 million passengers in 2022.

2. Belfast International Airport

Belfast International Airport is Northern Ireland’s main airport. It’s the second largest of the many international airports in Ireland and it takes flights from over 70 destinations.

Everyone from Ryanair and Jet2 and TUI and Thomas Cook fly in and out of Belfast International Airport.

Although its 2022 passenger figures don’t appear to be available, millions land and take off here each year.

3. City of Derry Airport

The City of Derry Airport is located 11.2 km outside of Derry City and it’ s a great starting point if you’re looking to explore Derry, the Antrim Coast or Donegal.

This is one of the better connected Irish airports, with direct flights to London, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Liverpool, along with connections to the UAE, Australia and America via Manchester and Glasgow all available.

It recorded 163,130 passengers in 2022.

FAQs about Ireland airports

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What Ireland airports fly to the Aran Islands?’ to ‘Which are the cheapest?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.

How many major airports are in Ireland?

There are 5 international airports in Ireland (Shannon, Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Knock and Cork) and 3 in Northern Ireland (Belfast City, Derry City and Belfast International).

How many airports are there in southern Ireland?

There are 7 major Irish airports located in the south of the country – Shannon, Dublin, Cork, Knock, Kerry, Donegal and Connemara.

Where is the best airport in Ireland?

We’d argue that none can be regarded as ‘best’. What’s ‘best’ depends on where you’re travelling and the time and cash you have to play with.

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