Cork Airport to increase Frankfurt service as links to business hubs ramped up

Airport has announced 'major schedule increases' for services in 2026

A Lufthansa Regional aircraft at Cork Airport. Cork Airport will expand services to Frankfurt next year with up to six services to the European financial hub each week - part of a series of major schedule increases announced on Tuesday. Picture: Karol Kachmarsky/Cork Airport

Cork Airport will expand services to Frankfurt next year with up to six services to the European financial hub each week - part of a series of major schedule increases announced on Tuesday.

Lufthansa will increase its Cork-Frankfurt service to five flights per week while at peak periods during the summer season, Lufthansa will offer six flights per week. Frankfurt also offers potential for connections to over 150 destinations across Lufthansa’s worldwide network.

Meanwhile Swiss International Air Lines, through its subsidiary Edelweiss will return to Cork Airport with a twice-weekly service to Zurich from March 31. The service will give access to onward connections at 70 European and 25 long-haul destinations.

Elsewhere, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines confirmed it will maintain its three daily services to Amsterdam Schiphol next summer. Schiphol is one of Europe’s most important international hubs, linking to the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas.

A Swiss Airlines aircraft. Karol Kachmarsky/Cork Airport. Free reproduction. 

KLM's sister airline Air France, which is currently operating a year-round Cork-Paris service, will resume daily services to Charles de Gaulle earlier next year, beginning on March 1, with up to 10 flights per week from Cork to Paris during the peak travel period next summer.

Cork Airport’s busiest route - the Aer Lingus service to Heathrow - will maintain its four-times daily service next year.

“Having frequent, convenient connections to some of Europe’s biggest hub airports is a key part of our business model. From Cork, passengers can connect to any corner of the world with some of Europe’s biggest and recognisable carriers," said Cork Airport head of aviation business development and communications Tara Finn.

Regional business leaders welcomed Tuesday's announcement. Cork Business Association president Dave O'Brien said the increased services to European hubs "can only benefit the city and surrounding areas in terms of increased foreign direct investment into Cork", while Irish Travel Agents Association president Tom Randles said the enhanced hub connectivity offer leisure passengers significantly greater choice and easier access to long-haul holiday destinations.

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Jerry Buttimer said connectivity was vital for business and 

Cork Airport was worth over €1bn to the Irish economy each year.