Passenger numbers to and from Irish airports increased in 2021 compared with 2020 but remained well below 2019 levels
- The number of passengers handled by Irish airports in 2021 rose by 10% compared with 2020 but remained 76% below 2019 numbers
- Almost 29 million fewer passengers used Irish airports in 2021 compared with 2019
- The number of flights to and from Irish airports decreased by 1% in 2021 compared with 2020 but were 66% lower compared with 2019
- Passenger numbers for Q4 2021 were 47% lower than Q4 2019
- Almost 2,266,000 passengers travelled to Ireland and 2,275,000 passengers departed from Ireland in Q4 2021
- Air freight handled by Irish airports in 2021 rose by 16% compared with 2020
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (20 April 2022) published Aviation Statistics for Quarter 4 and Year 2021.
Passenger numbers handled by the main Irish airports in 2021 were 76% lower than in 2019
Air travel continued to be significantly impacted by COVID-19 travel restrictions last year. In 2021, 9.1 million passengers passed through the main Irish airports, an increase of 10% on 2020 but still down by 76% compared with 2019. See table 1.
In the fourth quarter of 2021, 4.5 million passengers passed through the main Irish airports, a fall of 47% compared with Q4 of 2019.
Dublin airport accounted for 90% of air passengers carried in 2021. See table 2.
Go to release: Aviation Statistics Quarter 4 and Year 2021
Commenting on the release, Nele van der Wielen, Statistician, said: “The figures continue to show a significant decline in international travel during 2021 compared to pre-COVID-19 travel figures, but an increase compared with 2020. Almost 29 million (28,924,756) fewer passengers used Irish airports in 2021 compared with 2019. This represents a fall of 76%. The number of flights fell slightly in 2021 compared with 2020 but there were more than one-third (34%) fewer flights taken in 2021 when compared with 2019, from 273,558 flights in 2019 to 94,040 in 2021.
In Quarter 4 of 2021, almost 2,266,000 passengers travelled to Ireland and 2,275,000 passengers departed from Ireland, representing a fall of 47% in both arrivals and departures compared with 2019.
The amount of air freight handled by the main airports rose by 16% to 160,855 tonnes in 2021 compared with 2020 and increased by 10% compared with 2019.”
Further commenting on the release, Nele van der Wielen said: “In 2021, nine out of every ten passengers (92%) on international flights were travelling to or from Europe. Within Europe, the United Kingdom and Spain were the most popular routes. Outside of Europe the most popular routes were to or from the United States of America.”
For further information contact:
Dr Nele van der Wielen (+353) 21 453 5379 or Noreen Dorgan (+353) 21 453 5260
or email [email protected]
or email [email protected]
