Cork Airport Aerfort Chorcaí | |||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Owner | Government of Ireland | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | DAA plc | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Cork, Ireland | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Farmers Cross, Cork City | ||||||||||||||
| Opened | 16 October 1961; 64 years ago (1961-10-16) | ||||||||||||||
| Focus city for | Aer Lingus | ||||||||||||||
| Operating base for | Ryanair | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 502 ft / 153 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 51°50′29″N008°29′28″W / 51.84139°N 8.49111°W /51.84139; -8.49111 | ||||||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||||||
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  ORK/EICK Location of airport in Ireland Show map of Ireland ORK/EICK ORK/EICK (County Cork) Show map of County Cork | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2024) | |||||||||||||||
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Cork Airport (Irish:Aerfort Chorcaí) (IATA:ORK,ICAO:EICK) is the second-largestinternational airport in theRepublic of Ireland, afterDublin and ahead ofShannon. It is 6.5 kilometres (4 miles) south ofCork City centre,[2] in an area known as Farmers Cross.[4] In 2018, Cork Airport handled 2.39 million passengers,[5] growing by over 8% to 2.58 million in 2019. Following a decline during the COVID-19 global pandemic, which saw passenger numbers fall to 530,000 in 2020,[6] numbers had risen to 3,068,000 by 2024.[1]
Cork is the state'ssecond-busiest airport in terms of passenger numbers, after Dublin, and third busiest on theisland of Ireland, after Dublin andBelfast International.
In 1957, theGovernment of Ireland agreed in principle to the building of an airport for Cork. After considering many sites in the area, it was agreed that the airport should be built atBallygarvan. Tenders were invited for the construction of the airport in 1959 at an estimated cost of £1 million. The airport was officially opened on 16 October 1961, following proving flights four days earlier by Aer Lingus andCambrian Airways. In its first year the airport handled 10,172 passengers – close to the average number of passengers handled each day at the airport in 2007. Throughout the 1960s the airport expanded with the arrival of more advanced aircraft and more destinations. The first jet, aBritish Overseas Airways CorporationComet, landed at Cork Airport on 29 March 1964.[citation needed] By 1969 Aer Lingus was operating toLondon Heathrow,Manchester andBristol.
In 1975,Aer Rianta, the then state airports authority, undertook apassenger terminal study aimed at improving the terminal facilities. The findings resulted in the provision, over the next two years, of new departure and arrival halls, a newcheck-in area, office complex, information desk, duty office and executive lounge. The new extensions and facilities were opened in 1978.[citation needed]
The 1980s began with an extension of themain apron.[7] New services toLondon Gatwick began, while Aer Lingus' commuter division started a new domestic service to Dublin Airport. In 1985 following significant growth, Aer Rianta carried out a survey of the terminal facilities with a view to carrying out a major expansion and development programme. On 8 June 1987, Ryanair commenced services at Cork Airport. The following year, Phase I of the Terminal Expansion and Development Plan was completed. The following year the main runway extension of 1,000 ft (300 m) was opened.[citation needed]
The 1990s began with the completion of Phase II of the terminal expansion in 1991 and Phase III being completed in 1992 with the plan being brought to completion in 1994.[7]
AGreat Southern Hotel was opened on the airport grounds during 2001,[8] and plans were drawn up for the construction of a new terminal building and ancillary capital investment works at an estimated cost of €140 million.[citation needed] Also towards the end of 2001, new Irish regional airlineAer Arann opened its second base at Cork opening new routes to/from the airport.[citation needed]
Along with the construction of the terminal, roads were upgraded fromsingle todual carriageway and re-aligned, and a new short termmulti-storey car park was constructed.Airbridges were included in the original terminal design, however only one airbridge was built because airline representatives from thelow-cost carriers who use Cork Airport made it clear that they did not want airbridges, would not use them and would not pay for them. In the circumstances, theDAA removed the airbridges from the terminal design during construction of the new facility. The new terminal was completed with four fixed links to the main building, and was designed to accommodate additional airbridges in future or if needed.[citation needed]
In 2005,Ryanair opened its 15th European base and second Irish base at Cork.[citation needed] The following year, the new terminal opened on 15 August 2006.[8] Designed byHOK andJacobs Engineering Group, the new terminal was the first built in Ireland in the 21st century.[citation needed]
In April 2008, the board of Cork Airport Authority agreed by one vote to accept responsibility for a debt of €113 million incurred by the Dublin Airport Authority in the redevelopment of Cork Airport to secure independence from Dublin Airport. This was despite government commitments that the Cork Airport Authority would be established on a debt-free basis.[9] The Cork Airport Authority Board also stated that their strong reservations about the level of debt that Cork Airport was being levied with and the potential impact on its future sustainability. In late April 2008, Cork Airport Authority chairman, Joe Gantly, announced his resignation effective from the end of July 2008. Gerry Walsh replaced Gantly as chairman.[7]
TheIrish Aviation Authority completed a new control tower 1 km from the old terminal to the west of the main runway.The total cost was €7.5 million and was funded entirely by the IAA with nogovernment funding. Construction began in August 2007 and was completed in June 2008 but it took until mid October 2009 to get all the new systems tested and working. The new control tower officially opened on 20 October 2009 at 00:01.[10]
On 16 October 2011, Cork Airport celebrated its 50th anniversary.
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In 2014, the Airport met its public sector obligation of a 33% reduction in energy costs, 6 years earlier than their 2020 target, and were awarded first place in the public sector category at the Sustainable Energy Awards 2014.[11]
Norwegian Air Shuttle launched a service toProvidence, Rhode Island, in the United States, in July 2017.[12] This service, which was the first transatlantic route from Cork, ended in 2019.[13]
The airport was named as "Best Airport in Europe under 5 million passengers" at the Airports Council International (ACI) Europe General Assembly in 2017, 2019 and 2025.[14]
With an elevation of 153 m (502 ft) above sea level, Cork Airport is sometimes prone tofog and a lowcloud ceiling. TheInstrument landing system has been upgraded toCategory II, and together with a 305 m (1,001 ft) extension of the main runway has significantly reduced the number of diversions. However, during times of severe inclement weather the airport can suffer from delays or diversions to airports such as Shannon, Dublin orKerry. Similarly, diversions from these airports occasionally land at Cork.
The length of the main runway dictates that the airport cannot handle fully laden large widebody aircraft. Largewide-bodied aircraft do visit Cork Airport on an irregular basis, for example to operate ad-hoc charter services for flights to sporting events such as those of theMunster Rugby team.
From its opening in 1961, the airport was managed by the Department of Transport and Power, now theDepartment of Transport. Aer Rianta took control of Cork and Shannon Airports on 1 April 1969 and the assets of the airports were transferred to the company under the Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Act, 1998. The name of Aer Rianta was changed to the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) under theState Airports Act 2004, which also created the Cork Airport Authority[15] and the Shannon Airport Authority.[16] These companies were charged with preparing a business plan in preparation for taking over the assets of their airports from the DAA.
Cork Airport is responsible for the infrastructure which enables airlines and handling agents at the airport.[17]Aer Lingus provide their ownaircraft ground handling services, while other airlines and private flights contract services to third party ground handlers (Swissport and Weston Aviation).[citation needed]
The main terminal at Cork Airport contains several shopping and eating facilities both before and after the security screening area, a bureau de change kiosk and ATM (cash machine) and a business lounge operated by Swissport.[citation needed] There are eight departure gates in the airport, two of which have an airbridge.[18]Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminal.[19]
There are two hotels located adjacent to the passenger terminal, theCork International Hotel which is located in the business park, and the Cork Airport Hotel (previously branded Park Inn by Radisson) which is located opposite the terminal on airport grounds.
Parallel plans for transport infrastructure also exist, including upgrading theN27 to two lanes in each direction and a dedicatedbus lane for city–bound traffic. The roundabout at the entrance of the airport would be enhanced with an under-pass.[20]
In 2025 Cork Airport announced a €200m investment plan that includes a new pier & additional gates, new solar farm, car park extension and new security screening technology. The plan also requires the demolition of the old terminal and air traffic control tower. The upgrade will enable the airport to cater for five million passengers per annum.
The following airlines operate regularly scheduled and chartered flights from Cork Airport:[21][22]
Passenger numbers at Cork Airport increased every year during the ten years between 1998 and 2008 by an average of 14.8% per annum from around 1.3 million to over 3.2 million. Passenger numbers fell however during the subsequent seven years to just below 2.1 million in 2015.[55] Passenger numbers returned to growth in 2016, with a year-on-year increase of 7.7% to 2.23 million passengers.[56] In 2017 this number rose to 2.3 million, increasing during 2018 by a further 4% to around 2.4 million passengers. By 2019 it had increased to 2.6 million after which it suffered a drop due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, along with most "other airports [..] across the world".[6]
| Year | Passengers | % Change YoY |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1,315,224 | – |
| 1999 | 1,501,974 |  14.2 |
| 2000 | 1,680,160 | 11.9 |
| 2001 | 1,775,817 | 5.7 |
| 2002 | 1,874,447 | 5.6 |
| 2003 | 2,182,157 | 16.4 |
| 2004 | 2,254,251 | 3.3 |
| 2005 | 2,729,906 | 21.1 |
| 2006 | 3,010,575 | 10.3 |
| 2007 | 3,180,259 | 5.6 |
| 2008 | 3,258,639 | 2.5 |
| 2009 | 2,769,048 |  15.0 |
| 2010 | 2,425,131 | 12.4 |
| 2011 | 2,361,947 | 2.6 |
| 2012 | 2,340,115 | 0.9 |
| 2013 | 2,258,005 | 3.5 |
| 2014 | 2,144,476 | 5.0 |
| 2015 | 2,071,210 | 3.4 |
| 2016 | 2,230,564 | 7.7 |
| 2017 | 2,308,507 | 3.5 |
| 2018 | 2,392,821 | 3.7 |
| 2019 | 2,585,466 | 8.3 |
| 2020 | 527,014 | 79.7 |
| 2021 | 255,014 | 51.7 |
| 2022 | 2,235,260 | 776.5 |
| 2023 | 2,801,900 | 25 |
| 2024 | 3,068,449 | 10 |
| Sources: 1998–2001 – Aer Rianta[57] | ||
| Rank | Airport | Passengers handled | % Change 2023/24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London–Heathrow | 404,304 | 7.6 | |
| 2 | London–Stansted | 311,617 | 5.5 | |
| 3 | Amsterdam | 238,038 | 14.4 | |
| 4 | Málaga | 179,488 | 14.9 | |
| 5 | Manchester | 171,518 | 14.2 | |
| 6 | Faro | 168,005 | 18.6 | |
| 7 | Edinburgh | 130,211 | 12.5 | |
| 8 | London-Gatwick | 126,679 | 4.8 | |
| 9 | Lanzarote | 124,511 | 2.8 | |
| 10 | Tenerife South | 93,879 | - | |
| Source:Central Statistics Office[63] | ||||
Cork Airport has a number of services supportinggeneral aviation flying, and also servesbusiness jets.[64][65] Bothfixed wing androtary wing flight training providers operate at the airport,[66][67] with flying schools located to the south of the terminal building, on the east side of the main runway.
A 9.3 hectares (23 acres) business park was developed at the airport from October 1998.[68][7] As of 2017[update], there were in excess of 50 tenant companies in the business park, includingMarriott Vacations Worldwide,Amazon,IBM,BNY Mellon,Nuix,McKesson andAviva.[69][70]
Bus Éireann serve the airport on route number 225 (fromKent Rail Station toHaulbowline) and route 226 (Kent Rail Station toKinsale).[71]Irish Citylink also operate coach services to the airport fromGalway viaLimerick:[72]
The airport is served bytaxi, with a taxi rank outside the arrivals entrance.
There is no rail link to the airport, and the nearest station isKent Station on the edge of the city centre. There are multipleBus Éireann routes connecting the airport to Kent Station via the city centre.
Cork Airport is located 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) from the city centre. It is connected to the city centre via theN27 andN40. TheR600 connects the airport to the port town ofKinsale, which forms part of theWild Atlantic Way tourist route. The airport is approximately 260 kilometres (160 mi) away from Dublin and 107 kilometres (66 mi) from Limerick, accessed via theM8 andN20 respectively. DAA operates all car parks at the airport, with both short-term and long-term parking within the campus and over 4,600 spaces in total. A number of companies offer car-hire in the arrivals hall of the terminal building.[73]
The Norwegian Air route from Cork to Rhode Island was the airport's first transatlantic flight and has been in place since 2017
Cork Airport [..] was named the "Best Airport in Europe (under 5 million passengers)" at the prestigious Airport Council International (ACI) EUROPE Best Airport Awards 2025 [..] having won it previously in 2017 and 2019
Media related toCork Airport at Wikimedia Commons
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