Dublin Airport Reports Record-Breaking September Traffic
Dublin Airport handled its three busiest September days on record, led by 13 September with 128,600 passengers. More than 100,000 travellers passed through the terminals on 26 days that month, and the airport has served almost 29 million passengers so far in 2026, 4% ahead of the same period last year. Transfer passenger numbers increased by 37%, while North American routes carried 493,000 passengers and UK traffic rose 2%.
September produced three record days for that month at Dublin Airport. The standout was 13 September, with 128,600 passengers, 4% above the previous September peak. On 26 of the month’s 30 days, more than 100,000 people used the terminals. Across the first nine months, 186 of 273 days passed that mark.
Transatlantic North American services accounted for 493,000 travellers, up 3%, while UK journeys rose 2%. Connecting passengers increased 37%. Year-to-date traffic neared 29 million, 4% ahead of the same point in 2025; Terminal 1 handled about 17.4 million and Terminal 2 almost 11.6 million. Since late May, nearly 15 million passed through. The EU Presidency, golf tournaments and the return of corporate and student journeys supported demand.
Record passenger volumes could intensify demand for terminal services, ground transport, and nearby accommodation, affecting travellers, airport staff, and local communities. Stronger connectivity may support tourism, trade, and jobs, while higher transfer traffic could help sustain routes. However, growth may also add pressure on queues, roads, and environmental capacity, so benefits and burdens could be unevenly shared.