Watch: Cork Airport gives sneak peek at €200m upgrade works

It’s the start of a major transformation taking place over the next few years

10:21, 24 Jul 2026Updated 11:19, 24 Jul 2026

The new mezzanine floor is under construction at Cork Airport(Image: Cork Airport)

Since announcing an ambitious €200m capital development plan last year, teams at Cork Airport have been hard at work turning those plans into a reality – and this week they showed off a behind-the-scenes look at how the project is shaping up.

Cork Airport has grown steadily since the pandemic, swiftly recovering pre-covid passenger levels before going on to break passenger records year after year, inching closer to its five million passenger cap. Last year, the airport saw just shy of 3.5 million passengers, and the development plan aims to raise the cap long before the airport reaches max capacity.

The upgrades include construction of a new mezzanine floor, a new security screening area, a larger duty-free shop, and an expanded executive lounge. The old terminal building and control tower will also be demolished to make way for a new pier to accommodate additional aircraft, and an estimated 1,700 new long-term parking spaces will be added by the time the project wraps up.

Over 72,000 hours of work have gone into the upgrades so far, with crews eyeing a December completion for the new mezzanine floor and security screening area. Structural work has also been completed on the new executive lounge, with finishings and utility fitouts expected to commence in the coming weeks.

You can take a look at some of the upgrades in the video below:

The new passenger area will feature automatic entry gates, as seen in many EU airports, a new fast-track security lane, and new scanners that will allow passengers to keep electronics and liquids in their bags as they head through security.

Jim O’Connor, Head of Airport Police at Cork Airport, said: “We recently took delivery of our C3 scanners and they’re currently being assembled on the mezz floor. These new machines represent a significant step forward in screening technology; these C3 scanners can generate highly detailed 3D images of cabin bags using advanced CT technology, allowing our teams to make faster and more informed assessments.

“Perhaps the biggest benefit will be for our passengers, once the new facility opens, passengers can keep liquids and electronic devices such as laptops and tablets in their bags during the screening process. That means a simpler, smoother and more convenient journey through security.”

Work has also begun on new long-term parking outside the airport, with this first batch adding around 600 extra spaces for passengers. This will also be Ireland’s largest solar car park, featuring an array of panels to help Cork Airport meet its renewable energy goals.

The new mezzanine floor is expected to come into use by the end of the year, and these car parking spaces are to be brought into use by next summer. All of these upgrade works, along with the increase in the airport’s passenger capacity, are expected to bring new routes and airlines to Cork, but with the project still in its early stages, details are sparse on any new destinations

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