Cork Airport celebrates 20 years since ‘new’ terminal opened

Heralded on its opening as a “superior, high-quality airport” and “something that we are proud to call our own”, the terminal, colloquially referred to as the “new terminal”, has welcomed over 47m passengers to date.

“Twenty years young and two million strong” was the cause for celebration at Cork Airport on Tuesday as staff from across the airport campus gathered to mark a double milestone – the two millionth passenger of 2026 and the twentieth birthday of the terminal’s opening in 2006. Photo: Cork Airport.

Cork Airport has celebrated the milestone 20th anniversary of its terminal’s opening as it looks ahead to the new mezzanine floor and passenger security screening area set to be unveiled later this year.

Shortly after 07.30am on August 1, 2006, the first passengers to use Cork Airport’s new terminal building arrived on a Ryanair flight from London Stansted.