- Aer Lingus has announced the launch of a new route connecting Cork, Ireland, with Nice Côte d’Azur. This seasonal service will operate from 2 May through 30 September 2026.
- Direct access for travellers from southern Ireland
Cork is Ireland’s second-largest airport. The new connection enables passengers from the south of the country to reach Nice without transiting through Dublin or London. As a result, it streamlines both leisure travel and business mobility between the two regions. - Momentum aligned with international growth recorded in 2025
In 2025, Nice recorded a 4.7% increase in international traffic, while regular long-haul services expanded by 5.8%. These figures confirm the continued strengthening of the airport’s European and intercontinental positioning.
Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is further expanding its European network with the introduction of this direct Cork–Nice route effective 2 May 2026. Operated by Aer Lingus as part of its summer programme, the service will run twice weekly.
A direct connection between southern Ireland and Nice Côte d’Azur
Cork serves a dynamic catchment area characterised by a strong presence of technology and pharmaceutical industries. The new route allows Irish travellers to access Nice without connecting flights via Dublin or London, improving operational efficiency for tourism and corporate travel alike.
This addition forms part of Aer Lingus’ broader European network expansion from Cork, alongside other newly introduced summer destinations.
A lever for international attractiveness
Ireland represents a high-income market with strong outbound mobility. According to the Central Statistics Office, Irish residents undertake several million international trips annually, with a pronounced preference for Southern Europe.
For the Côte d’Azur, this new connection contributes to:
- Broadening the geographic origin of European visitors
- Strengthening tourism flows
- Supporting economic exchanges between two innovation-intensive territories
2025 performance of the Côte d’Azur airports
The announcement follows a year of measured growth for Nice:
- 15.23 million commercial passengers (+3.2% compared with 2024)
- 163,052 commercial aircraft movements (+1.9%), reflecting capacity optimisation
- International traffic up 4.7%
In parallel, the airport became in 2025 the first in France to achieve Level 5 under the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme coordinated by Airports Council International, the highest standard within the framework. The group also obtained an EcoVadis gold medal, placing it within the top 1% of its sector globally.
Source: Aer Lingus Announcement
Nice Côte d’Azur Connectivity
- Twin Jet new routes Nice–Olbia and Nice–Menorca summer 2026
- Nice Côte d’Azur Airport Terminal 2 extension: 23,000 sq m and capacity increased to 18 million passengers
- Nice Côte d’Azur Airport summer 2026: a record network of 130 destinations
- Cork–Nice: Direct Aer Lingus service from May 2026
- €2.8 billion in economic impact in 2024 for Nice Côte d’Azur and Cannes-Mandelieu Airports
- The Côte d’Azur is emerging as a testing ground for decarbonised air mobility
- United Airlines reactivates the Nice–Washington route in summer 2026
- Nice Côte d’Azur: Second Place in Quality of Life Among Major French Metropolises in the 2025 Arthur Loyd Barometer
