Winter 2025/26: Dublin Airport Expands Routes and Increases Global Connections
Dublin Airport has outlined its Winter 2025/26 flight programme, running from late October until the end of March 2026. The schedule features over 150 destinations served by 40 airlines, with more than 1,000 weekly flights to European cities. The update reflects a seasonal adjustment aimed at sustaining passenger demand across both short- and long-haul routes during the winter months, following a period of continued traffic growth at Ireland’s main international gateway.
Ryanair plans to run 96 routes from Dublin this winter, introducing a new connection to Rabat in Morocco and boosting flight frequencies on various established European destinations. Aer Lingus plans to broaden its network with new routes to Turin, Italy, and Tromsø, Norway, while continuing to operate its transatlantic flights to the United States. Additionally, a new long-haul connection to Cancún, Mexico, will begin in January 2026.
New destinations in the schedule highlight growing demand for diversified travel options. Turin provides access to the Italian Alps, a major attraction for winter sports enthusiasts, while Tromsø serves as a northern gateway for travellers interested in observing the aurora borealis. North American service will remain strong with as many as 190 weekly departures to major hubs including New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami, and San Francisco.
Connections to the Middle East are also set to rise during the season. Emirates will add a third daily flight to Dubai, Qatar Airways will increase its service to Doha to 20 flights weekly, and Etihad will operate up to 11 weekly flights to Abu Dhabi. These measures focus on boosting capacity rather than introducing new routes, offering greater comfort for business passengers and reinforcing regional air links.
These changes indicate that international air travel continues to stabilize after the fluctuations caused by the pandemic. The increase in flight frequency and the emergence of new destinations point to a steady recovery in passenger traffic and increased competition among airlines. According to Dublin Airport passenger traffic data, more than 26 million passengers used the airport in the first nine months of 2025, up 3.4% from the same period last year.
