Ireland Moves To Lift Dublin Airport Passenger Cap

Ireland’s government has taken its first formal legislative step toward lifting the long-running passenger cap at Dublin Airport (DUB).

Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien confirmed on Feb. 10 that the cabinet has approved priority drafting of the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026, which would give him the authority to amend or revoke the airport’s 32 million annual passenger limit.

“This government recognizes the strategic importance of Dublin Airport as our primary international gateway and the vital role it plays in supporting economic growth, connectivity and jobs across the state,” O’Brien says.

The cap was imposed in 2007 as a planning condition tied to construction of Terminal 2. Although it remains formally in place, enforcement has been stayed by Ireland’s High Court, allowing traffic to exceed the limit. DUB handled about 36 million passengers in 2025.

Under the General Scheme, the transport minister would be empowered to issue an order to amend or revoke the cap, following engagement with planning authorities and any assessments required under European Union (EU) law.

“This approach will facilitate the sustainable development of Dublin Airport by ensuring compliance with applicable EU law, while balancing the rights of local residents with the objectives of Ireland’s National Aviation Policy and the needs of business and tourism,” the department says.

The legislative move follows a filing by Aer Lingus urging the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) to reject a complaint from Airlines for America (A4A), which has asked Washington to consider retaliatory measures if the cap is not lifted.

Airport operator daa welcomed the government’s action, calling it “decisive.”

“The move to remove the outdated cap artificially restricting growth at Dublin Airport is good news for Ireland,” daa says. “As a small island nation, global connectivity is crucial to our economic prosperity and to sustain jobs and investment across the country.”

Daa says it sees “significant unmet demand for connectivity between Ireland and South America, India and other fast-growing destinations,” and argues that ending uncertainty around the cap would help airlines commit to new routes. The operator is separately progressing a €2 billion ($2.4 billion) infrastructure plan, including new piers, aircraft stands and an integrated transport center, to support higher traffic levels.

On Feb. 6, Aer Lingus filed a complaint with the U.S. DOT stressing that it opposes the passenger cap but disputing claims by A4A that U.S. airlines—including JetBlue Airways—have been prevented from expanding at DUB because of the cap. The carrier said JetBlue’s difficulty securing historic slots for winter 2024-25 was unrelated to passenger limits and instead stemmed from EU slot-usage rules.

“There is quite simply no past or ongoing harm to U.S. carriers that would justify approval of the complaint at this time,” Aer Lingus said.

The airline also rejected assertions that it benefited from preferential access to slots, stating that recent transatlantic route launches were operated using slots obtained “in the normal manner from the available slot pool” managed by Dublin’s independent coordinator. It added that other U.S. carriers have added or expanded Dublin service since summer 2025, including Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

A4A’s Jan. 5 complaint argues that the cap threatens historic slots held by U.S. carriers and could force service reductions as early as the winter 2026-27 season. It asks the DOT to consider measures that could curtail Irish airlines’ access to the U.S. market if Ireland does not suspend or lift the cap.

Aer Lingus, which serves 12 U.S. destinations, warned that such action would be counterproductive and urged the DOT to allow Irish legislative and judicial processes to continue, noting the government’s public commitment to removing the cap. The International Airlines Group-owned carrier said the DOT should deny the complaint and “allow adequate time for the Irish legislative, planning and judicial processes to play out.”