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Flights to Ireland: delays, cancellations and your rights

By passengers on routes within Europe in Eurostat’s 2024 data, Dublin was by far the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork, Shannon, Ireland West (Knock) and Kerry. Both Irish airlines, Aer Lingus and Ryanair, have their hub in Dublin. EU261 covers every departure from Ireland, whatever the airline, and flights to Ireland from outside the EU, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland when an airline licensed in one of those countries operates them.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

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In short: Flying to Ireland from elsewhere in Europe, a delay of 3 hours or more is worth €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes (EU261, any airline); from the UK £220 under UK261. On the way home, EU261 covers every flight leaving Ireland.

Your rights each way

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3h+ delay / late cancellation
Another EU/EEA country or Switzerland → IrelandEU261any airline€250–€400
Ireland → another EU/EEA country or SwitzerlandEU261any airline€250–€400
UK → IrelandUK261any airline£220
Ireland → UKEU261any airline€250
Outside Europe → IrelandEU261only an EU airlineby distance, up to €600

Amounts are per passenger and depend on the great-circle distance between your airports – the ranges cover the busiest routes. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide meals and drinks, and a hotel if you are stuck overnight – where EU261 or UK261 applies. Living in Ireland or flying from there? See how to claim in Ireland.

Check your flight to or from Ireland

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What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

Rather skip the questions? Start a claim with AirHelp straight away

Airports in Ireland

AirportPassengers 2024*ATFM delay per arrival 2025Main cause
Dublin (DUB)28,351,0710.33 minweather (72%)
Cork (ORK)2,926,2740.01 minweather (100%)
Shannon (SNN)1,638,9500.00 min–
Knock (NOC)812,1630.00 min–
Kerry (KIR)409,9830.00 min–
Donegal (CFN)–0.00 min–

* Passengers on routes reported to Eurostat (both directions).

Routes from the UK to Ireland

From the UK: the Republic of Ireland is one of the busiest destinations from UK airports; in the CAA’s 2025 data Dublin was followed by Cork, Shannon, Ireland West (Knock), Kerry and Donegal. Flights departing from Ireland are covered by EU261 whatever the airline; flights from the UK to Ireland by UK261; flights from Ireland to the UK by EU261.

Punctuality of the busiest routes in 2025, from UK Civil Aviation Authority data (departures from UK airports).

RouteFlightsOn time3h+ lateCancelled
London Heathrow – Dublin11,85175.3%0.15%1.16%
Manchester – Dublin9,28970.5%0.77%1.32%
Edinburgh – Dublin7,48368.7%0.33%1.55%
Birmingham – Dublin7,40369.7%0.42%1.50%
London Stansted – Dublin5,93070.4%0.30%0.13%
London Gatwick – Dublin5,79670.8%0.29%0.16%
Glasgow – Dublin5,61477.4%0.56%1.01%
Liverpool John Lennon – Dublin4,73481.1%0.48%1.05%
Bristol – Dublin4,06174.2%0.66%0.81%
Leeds Bradford – Dublin3,53675.4%0.42%2.40%
London City – Dublin3,38081.2%0.03%1.37%
London Heathrow – Cork2,88986.7%0.17%0.72%
London Luton – Dublin2,42767.6%0.74%0.00%
London Heathrow – Shannon2,05873.1%0.29%1.20%
London Stansted – Cork2,00775.7%0.85%0.00%
Newcastle – Dublin1,99674.9%0.35%0.60%
Southampton – Dublin1,66874.9%0.52%2.74%
London Stansted – Shannon1,60080.0%0.31%0.06%
Aberdeen – Dublin1,59474.3%1.23%2.09%
Manchester – Cork1,38879.4%0.79%0.22%

Busiest European routes

Why flights to Ireland are delayed

In 2025, air traffic flow restrictions held back arrivals at Ireland’s airports by 0.27 minutes per flight on average (EUROCONTROL, 6 airports). The worst month was Oct.

Causes of air traffic flow delay (2025)

  • weather72%
  • aerodrome capacity25%
  • other3%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Weather and air traffic control restrictions are usually extraordinary circumstances – but the airline must show they caused your delay. Check what happened on your travel day.

Strikes

No strikes affecting flights in Ireland are announced in our calendar at the moment.

Strike calendar

Where to complain

  1. The airline first – in writing, with your booking reference. Use our complaint letter generator.
  2. National enforcement body: Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) – Air Passenger Rights – The IAA took over the passenger-rights role of the former Commission for Aviation Regulation. Online complaint form on its site..
  3. From the UK: if you flew from a UK airport or with a UK airline, you can also use UK ADR, the CAA or the small claims court.

Time limit: 6 years from the date the cause of action accrued, under the general rule for simple contracts and sums recoverable by virtue of an enactment (Statute of Limitations 1957, s.11(1)). We found no Irish ruling specific to EU261.

Tips for flying to Ireland

  • Flights from Belfast and City of Derry are UK departures, covered by UK261 in pounds; flights from Dublin, Cork or Shannon are covered by EU261 in euros.
  • There is no airline-specific ADR body in Ireland. ECC Ireland advises complaining to the airline first and, if that fails, the Small Claims Procedure (up to €2,000).
  • In EUROCONTROL’s 2025 data Dublin’s arrival flow-control delay was mostly weather-related; the other Irish airports had almost none.

Frequently asked questions

Am I covered on a flight to Ireland?

From anywhere in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, yes: EU261 covers every departing flight, whatever the airline – €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes if you arrive 3 hours or more late. From the UK, UK261 covers every departing flight (£220). From outside Europe you are covered only on an EU airline.

Am I covered on the flight home from Ireland?

Ireland applies EU261 to every departing flight, so you are covered with any airline (€250–€400 on typical routes).

Who enforces passenger rights in Ireland?

Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) – Air Passenger Rights – The IAA took over the passenger-rights role of the former Commission for Aviation Regulation. Online complaint form on its site.. Complain to the airline first; if it rejects you or does not answer, you can turn to this body. All national enforcement bodies.

Are strikes covered?

It depends whose staff are on strike. Air traffic control or airport strikes are usually extraordinary circumstances; strikes by the airline’s own staff are not (CJEU C-28/20). See strikes and compensation.

Data: Eurostat 2024, EUROCONTROL, UK Civil Aviation Authority 2025. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. National enforcement bodies under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (updated 13 October 2026) – European Commission
  2. How to claim your air passenger rights – European Consumer Centre Ireland
  3. Statute of Limitations 1957, section 11 (revised) – Law Reform Commission
  4. Interpretation Act 1978, Schedule 1 (definition of “United Kingdom”) – legislation.gov.uk
  5. Air passenger rights – settling disputes (11 January 2023) – ECC-Net
  6. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – full text (Article 3: scope; recital 15: air traffic management decisions) – EUR-Lex
  7. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK (UK261) – Article 3, scope – legislation.gov.uk
  8. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 (flights by destination from UK airports) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  9. Airport arrival ATFM (flow-control) delay data, 2024–2025 – EUROCONTROL Aviation Intelligence Unit
  10. Air passenger transport by reporting airport (avia_par), 2024 – Eurostat
  11. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  12. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  13. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.