Operational
Airport Profile · IE

Shannon Airport

SNN EINN
Shannon, IE Europe/Dublin Multi-airline hub
2.1M
Annual passengers
40+
Destinations
21
Airlines
1
Runway
Where SNN ranks
Among 534 international airports — and 128 in Europe
View full ranking →
Passengers
# 477 worldwide
# 117 Europe
Direct routes
# 268 worldwide
# 89 Europe
Airlines
# 348 worldwide
# 103 Europe
Runways
# 493 worldwide
# 112 Europe
Terminals
# 487 worldwide
# 113 Europe
Area
# 490 worldwide
# 110 Europe
Elevation
# 391 worldwide
# 107 Europe
Shannon Airport is the principal airport of western Ireland and one of the most historically significant airports in the world, having pioneered both duty-free shopping (invented at Shannon in 1947 by Brendan O'Regan) and US Customs and Border Protection preclearance outside North America — the only European airport alongside Dublin to offer full US preclearance, allowing passengers to arrive in the United States as domestic travelers. SNN handles roughly 1.9 million passengers annually and is Ireland's third-busiest airport after Dublin and Cork. Shannon's pre-jet-age heyday, when its location on Ireland's Atlantic coast made it a mandatory refueling stop for transatlantic propliners between 1945 and the mid-1960s, gave it a historical stature disproportionate to current traffic. Today the airport serves as a secondary Irish transatlantic gateway alongside Dublin, with Aer Lingus, United, American, and Delta operating seasonal summer service to New York, Boston, Chicago, and Newark. European low-cost operators Ryanair, Eurowings, and Lufthansa run European service; Ryanair is the largest European operator. A single runway, 06/24, measures 10,495 ft (3,199 m) and has handled 747, A380 (diversions and military), C-5, and other heavy aircraft. Shannon is a frequent technical diversion for transatlantic flights and has historically been used as a refueling and transit point for US military charter flights en route to Middle East deployments — a politically sensitive role given Ireland's formal neutrality. The airport's single-terminal layout with US preclearance facilities handling approximately 40% of traffic gives it an operational profile closer to a medium-hub US airport than a European regional one.

Global route network

Every direct destination, colour-coded by distance

Most popular route
SNN → LHR
142 observed departures
Longest route
SNN → OAK
8,093 km
Countries reached
19
Via direct passenger flights

Where can I fly from here?

Top direct destinations, sorted by daily frequency

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Get notified when airlines add new destinations, resume seasonal services, or launch direct flights from Shannon Airport. Flight tracking, alerts, and full route history live on AirportRoutes.com.

Airport data

Authoritative facts sourced from the airport authority

Elevation
46 ft (14 m)
Above sea level
Runways
1 · 10,495 ft max
1 runway, ASP
Passengers
2.1M/yr
Reported 2024
Airlines
21 carriers
FR · RR · EI
Hub status
Mega-hub
Multi-airline hub
Area
Data Coming Soon
Total airport area

Beyond the major hubs

SNN also serves 21 regional airports across 10 countries — secondary cities, islands, and niche destinations not ranked on BigAirports.

21
Regional airports
10
Countries served
4
Airlines operating
132
Observed flights
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Getting to the airport

Ground transport options from Shannon

Public transportation

Bus Éireann route 51 runs hourly between the airport and Limerick city (25 min, EUR 8.20) and onward to Galway (2 hr 15 min, EUR 20), with connections at both ends to the national rail network. Route 343 serves Ennis (20 min). There is no direct rail service to the airport; the nearest rail station is Limerick Junction, reached via Limerick city.

Taxis & rideshare

Licensed taxis queue at the rank outside the main terminal. Metered fares to Limerick city center run EUR 45–55 for a 25-minute trip, to Ennis EUR 35–45 (20 min), to Galway EUR 140–170 (75 min), and to Dublin EUR 300–350 (2 hr 30 min). All Irish taxis are metered and accept credit cards; Free Now (formerly Hailo) ride-hailing is widely available.

Rental cars

Rental counters are located in the arrivals hall with vehicles in the surface lot directly outside. Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Budget, Enterprise, Sixt, Dooley (a major Irish operator), and Thrifty operate at SNN. From the airport, the N19 and M18 motorway connect to Limerick (24 km / 15 mi southeast), Galway (90 km / 56 mi north), and via the M7 to Dublin (215 km / 134 mi east). Driving is on the left.

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