Adam Mulkerrin, Airport Operations and Rebecca Gubbins, Screening Supervisor with the Easter Bunny at Shannon Airport. Photograph: Arthur Ellis
MORE THAN 132,000 passengers are to fly through Shannon Airport over the Easter period.
Representing a seven percent increase on the holiday period in 2025, Shannon Airport’s passenger numbers jump from 123,000 to 132,000 for this Easter.
Interim CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, Ray O’Driscoll, said the figures reflect the “consistent growth we’ve experienced since the beginning of the year. This Easter’s projected uplift mirrors the strong performance we saw across the St. Patrick’s Day period. Demand remains solid, and we’re seeing people take full advantage of the school holidays and expanded choice across our network”.
This week, Shannon Airport launches its summer 2026 schedule which features 38 routes across 11 countries and includes an additional 200,000 seats which brings the total capacity to two million seats, an eleven percent increase from summer 2025.
New services for this summer include Rome, Warsaw, Poznan, and Madrid with Ryanair, and Frankfurt with Discover Airlines. In addition, Ryanair has increased frequencies on several established routes including Manchester, Alicante, Barcelona‑Reus, Lanzarote, and Malta.
Shannon Airport’s transatlantic offering is also expanding this summer. Enhanced frequency on the Aer Lingus Boston service brings the total transatlantic capacity to more than 350,000 seats, the airport’s highest level since 2018. Shannon’s US network covers five services, Boston and New York–JFK with Aer Lingus; Newark and Chicago with United Airlines, and New York–JFK with Delta Air Lines.
Aer Lingus has also added an extra weekly summer frequency on its Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) route, adding a further 9,200 seats.
Commenting on the broader programme, Mr. O’Driscoll said, “Our summer 2026 schedule is among the most dynamic we’ve offered in many years. The range of destinations, increased frequencies, and improved connectivity reflect the strength of our airline partnerships and the confidence carriers have in the region. Our team is ready to ensure a smooth, enjoyable experience for passengers travelling this Easter and throughout the summer, and we look forward to welcoming them all”.
Also this week marked the first departures of Shannon Airport’s new summer 2026 Ryanair routes. Inaugural flights to Rome and Poznan operated on Tuesday, following the first Warsaw service on Monday.