Dublin Airport (Irish: Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath) is an international airport serving Dublin, Ireland. It is operated by DAA (formerly Dublin Airport Authority). The airport is located in Collinstown, north of Dublin, and south of the town of Swords.
In 2019, 32.9 million passengers passed through the airport, making it the airport's busiest year on record. It is the 12th busiest airport in Europe, and is the busiest of Ireland's airports by total passenger traffic; it also has the largest traffic levels on the island of Ireland, followed by Belfast International Airport.
The airport has an extensive short and medium haul network, served by an array of carriers, as well as a significant long-haul network focused on North America and the Middle East. It serves as the main hub for Ireland's flag carrier Aer Lingus, and is a primary operating base for Europe's largest low-cost carrier Ryanair. British charter airline TUI Airways also operates a base at the airport.
United States border preclearance services are available at the airport for U.S.-bound passengers. Shannon Airport is the only other airport in Europe to offer this facility.
The airport began as a wartime aerodrome located in the townland of Collinstown, Fingal. In 1917, during World War I, Collinstown was selected as the base for the British Royal Flying Corps. By April 1918, when the Flying Corps was renamed the Royal Air Force, Collinstown Aerodrome was more than 20% complete. Construction was completed in 1919 when the Irish War of Independence broke out. On 20 March 1919, a group of 30 Irish Volunteers, including five employed by the RAF, stole 75 rifles and 5,000 rounds of ammunition from the base. As Collinstown Camp, the site was used for internment of Irish republicans. At the end of 1922, the land and buildings at Collinstown were transferred to the Irish Free State. The airfield fell into disrepair and grass grew on the former runways.
In 1936, the Executive Council of the Irish Free State established a new civil airline — Aer Lingus — which began operating from Casement Aerodrome, at Baldonnel.