Cork Airport celebrates 20 years since ‘new’ terminal opened

“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.

Staff from across the airport campus yesterday gathered to mark the milestone and to celebrate another - the two millionth passenger of 2026.

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.

This year, Cork Airport started work on what has been described as its most ambitious capital development programme since the construction of the terminal building 20 years ago.

The airport said that, later this year, passengers can look forward to a “major enhancement” of the airport facilities, with the opening of the new mezzanine floor and passenger security screening area.

In the coming years, additional developments such as the development of additional boarding gates and the construction of a new pier will further enhance the airport facilities as the international gateway is positioned for growth to 5m passengers and beyond.

Over the busy August bank holiday weekend, as the airport welcomed 72,000 arriving and departing passengers, the airport surpassed the 2m passenger mark of 2026 – just four days of a difference since the same milestone was marked last year.

Marking the momentous double celebration, Niall MacCarthy, managing director at Cork Airport praised the staff at the airport on their continued efforts. 

“It’s 20 years since we opened our ‘new’ terminal and all of our staff are very proud of that terminal.

“It retains its modern feel and is still as easy, clean and well-maintained as the day it was opened.

“Ultimately, buildings are buildings and they don’t function without excellent staff providing friendly, efficient services every day," he said. 

“I’m really proud to say that the experience at Cork Airport is even better, now than it was 20 years ago and will get better again as we open our new mezzanine floor and other enhancements in the months ahead.

“Happy birthday, Cork Airport terminal!”