Following a year where Shannon Airport exceeded its passenger growth target to reach 2.1 million passengers, Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group expressed strong confidence in the Group’s future and confirmed that an ambitious investment programme of over €30 million is underway across The Shannon Airport Group. 2024 saw a strong transatlantic performance at Shannon Airport. The airport now offers five transatlantic routes with Aer Lingus, Delta, and United, solidifying its position as an alternative transatlantic access point.
Ryanair expanded its capacity at Shannon in 2024, celebrating 20 million passengers through the airport since 1987, and announcing a new service to Madeira together with increased frequencies on eight routes, boosting capacity by 17% for summer 2025. In 2024, Shannon Airport maintained its status as Ireland’s favourite airport, ranking first in the travel category for customer experience in the Ireland Customer Experience Insights (CXi) Report. It also won the Best CX Team award in the transport category at the national Customer Experience Awards for the second consecutive year. The airport also received accolades including the RED C Brand Reaction Index (BRII) Ireland 2024, the Aviation Customer Focus Achievement award, and the Placemaking Initiative of the Year award for its initiatives across the Shannon Airport Business Park.
Commenting following the publication of The Shannon Airport Group’s 2024 annual report, the CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, Mary Considine said, “We exceeded our 2024 passenger growth target at Shannon Airport, welcoming over 2.1 million passengers, the highest number of passengers in fifteen years and a 7% increase on 2023. This strong growth milestone reflects the airport’s pivotal role in Ireland’s aviation sector, and success in 2024 was driven by a strong performance across our 33 routes to 11 countries with the addition of new routes and increased capacity. Over 200,000 additional seats on European, UK, and US destinations in 2024 enhanced connectivity and boosted tourism and business travel. Shannon Airport enjoyed increases in passenger traffic across all key markets. Continental European traffic rose by 16% to 870,000; transatlantic passenger numbers grew by 12% to 332,000; and UK traffic increased marginally to 839,000. Shannon Airport’s passenger growth soared by 44% from 2022 to 2024, making it Ireland’s fastest-growing airport. We will continue to work on growing strategic connectivity for Ireland.”
The Group recorded a solid financial performance in 2024, with turnover from continuing operations increasing by 7.6% on the 2023 figure to €73.1 million, while the Group reported an EBITDA of €18.3 million. This strong operational performance is reflected in the Group’s annual profit from continuing operations of €25.7 million, before tax and exceptional items.
The Group invested over €8 million in 2024, with a further investment of over €30 million in infrastructure planned to support the achievement of its ambitious sustainability goals, enhance customer experience, and drive regional economic growth. Key projects underway include a €3 million, 1.2-megawatt solar PV farm, the first of its kind on an airfield in Ireland, which will provide up to 20% of the airport’s electricity requirements once completed this year. Also planned is a €2.5 million thermal wrap facelift of the terminal building which, combined with other key projects, will assist the Group in achieving its goal of a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reaching Net Zero by 2050. Vital customer facing infrastructure will also see substantial investment including a significant upgrade to the immigration and baggage hall areas; the extension of Boarding Gates 1-5, optimising passenger areas; and 1,000 new carpark spaces.
