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Which Irish airports fly where

Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Knock, Kerry and the two Belfast airports: who flies from each, where they go, and how to pick the right one.

Updated Saturday 17 October 2026

Ireland has seven airports with regular holiday flights. Dublin has by far the most choice. The regional airports have fewer routes, but they can save you a long drive and a night in an airport hotel.

Route lists change every season. The details below come from each airport’s current Wikipedia “Airlines and destinations” table, checked in October 2026. Always confirm on the airline’s own site before you book.

Dublin (DUB)

Dublin is the main hub. Ryanair and Aer Lingus run most short-haul routes, and dozens of other airlines fly here too.

For sun holidays, you can fly direct to all the main Canary Islands and to the Algarve, Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and the Balearics. In summer, routes open to Greek islands, Croatia, Turkey and Italy. Ryanair flies to Paphos in Cyprus and Malta. SunExpress flies to Antalya.

City breaks are easy from Dublin. There are direct flights to Barcelona, Lisbon, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest and many more.

Dublin also has long-haul flights to North America and the Middle East. In winter, Ryanair runs seasonal flights to Rovaniemi in Lapland, and charter flights also serve Lapland.

Best for: the widest choice of dates, destinations and airlines.

Cork (ORK)

Cork has a solid list of sun routes for a regional airport. Ryanair and Aer Lingus are the main airlines.

Year-round sun routes include Lanzarote, Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Málaga, Alicante and Faro. In summer, you can also fly to Palma, Rhodes, Reus, Girona and Venice, among others. SunExpress runs a seasonal route to Izmir in Turkey.

KLM to Amsterdam and Air France to Paris give you easy connections to the rest of the world.

Best for: Munster families heading to Spain, Portugal and the Canaries.

Shannon (SNN)

Ryanair is the main holiday airline at Shannon. Routes include Lanzarote, Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Málaga, Alicante, Faro and Madeira.

Seasonal routes include Corfu, Malta, Palma, Reus, Girona, Naples and Porto. Ryanair also flies to Rome Ciampino, and runs a seasonal Rovaniemi service in winter.

Aer Lingus flies to London Heathrow, Paris and the US. United and Delta add seasonal US flights.

Best for: the Mid West and Galway, and anyone who wants a quieter airport.

Ireland West Airport Knock (NOC)

Knock is small, with a short list of sun routes, all with Ryanair. Year-round routes include Lanzarote, Tenerife South and Málaga. In season, Ryanair adds Alicante, Faro, Girona and Palma.

Aer Lingus flies to London Heathrow, which opens up onward connections.

Best for: the West and North West, if your dates match the flights.

Kerry (KIR)

Kerry has the fewest holiday routes. Ryanair flies to Dublin, London and Manchester, with seasonal flights to Alicante and Faro. Chalair runs seasonal flights to a handful of French cities.

Best for: Kerry and West Cork, for Spain and the Algarve in season.

Belfast International (BFS)

Belfast International has a strong holiday list, served by easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and TUI.

You can fly to all the main Canary Islands, Spain, Portugal and the Balearics. Seasonal routes reach Antalya, Dalaman, Rhodes, Corfu, Heraklion, Kos, Larnaca and Paphos. easyJet flies to Hurghada and Enfidha, and starts Sharm El Sheikh from 25 October 2026. easyJet also runs a seasonal Rovaniemi route.

Jet2 and TUI sell package holidays from here, as well as flights.

Best for: Turkey, Egypt and more Greek islands than you will find from the southern regional airports.

Belfast City (BHD)

Belfast City is mainly a UK and business airport. Most flights go to British cities, plus KLM to Amsterdam.

For holidays, easyJet runs a seasonal Palma route. British Airways and Aer Lingus run a few seasonal charter flights, such as to Palma, Bologna and Verona.

Best for: connecting via London or Amsterdam, and quick trips to Britain.

How to pick an airport

Start with the destination. Some places only have direct flights from one or two Irish airports. Egypt is a good example: from the list above, only Belfast International has direct routes.

Compare the total cost, not just the fare. Add fuel, tolls and airport parking to the cheaper flight. A small saving per person can disappear once you add a long drive and a night’s parking.

Think about the clock. Early morning flights from a distant airport may mean a hotel the night before. That cost adds up for a family.

Check the flight days. Regional routes often run only two or three times a week. Your dates may decide your airport for you.

Look at both Dublin and your local airport. Dublin has more flights, so prices can be lower when demand is high, such as in school holidays. Your local airport may still win once you count travel time.

Belfast is an option from the border counties. It adds routes such as Egypt and extra Turkish and Greek destinations. Remember that Belfast is in the UK, so prices may be shown in sterling and your passenger rights may differ.

On latedeals.ie, you can filter deals by departure airport. Check two or three airports within reach before you decide.

Sources

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