Dublin Airport Passengers Buy a Whale's Weight in Toblerone Amid Record Year

Dublin Airport (DUB) operator daa has released its end-of-year figures for 2025, confirming a record year for passenger traffic and revealing unique passenger purchasing habits. The airport saw over 35 million passengers travel on approximately 240,000 flights. Final, confirmed passenger numbers are expected in January 2026.

Record Retail and Passenger Trends

Duty-free and retail sales figures provided a fascinating look into passenger preferences. Passengers bought 43 tonnes of Toblerone chocolate bars. This massive amount is equivalent to the reported weight of a humpback whale.

Traditional Irish favorites also proved extremely popular. The airport sold more than 1.2 million pints of Guinness during the year. Passengers also consumed over 550,000 packets of Tayto crisps. On average, an Irish breakfast was eaten every 50 seconds. The airport served nearly three million cups of tea and coffee.

Spirit sales were notably strong among international travelers. The figures show 409,000 litres of Irish whiskey were sold. Additionally, 133,000 litres of vodka were purchased at the airport's duty-free outlets.

Aviation Context and Operational Highlights

The Dublin Airport passenger statistics also included an interesting demographic note. The most common passenger names were John and Mary. According to the daa end-of-year figures, there were enough Johns and Marys to fill 1,096 and 603 Boeing 737 planes, respectively. The Boeing 737 is a key aircraft for many European carriers, typically seating 126 to 189 passengers depending on the model and configuration.

In terms of baggage, passengers checked in nine million suitcases. The total weight of this luggage exceeded 127,000 tonnes. This weight is comparable to 21,000 male African elephants.

Graeme McQueen, Head of Media Relations at the daa, confirmed 2025 as a record year. He highlighted significant improvements in the passenger experience. The airport completed the multi-million euro rollout of new C3 scanners in both terminals. This crucial security upgrade allowed the airport to remove the old 100ml liquid limit for hand luggage. This change is a major operational highlight for the daa C3 scanner rollout and a benefit for passengers.

Operational Safety and Efficiency

Airport operations extended beyond commercial sales and flights. Dublin Airport Police responded to 15,500 incidents throughout the year. They also managed over 3,100 medical incidents. This data underscores the critical role of airport police in maintaining safety and passenger welfare. Furthermore, nearly 2,000 fixed penalty notices were issued to drivers. These were for staying too long outside the terminals.

Industry Impact and Future Outlook

The record-breaking Dublin Airport retail sales and passenger numbers reflect a continued strong recovery in commercial aviation. This growth is a positive signal for Ireland's connectivity and tourism sector. The daa's investment in infrastructure, such as new lounges and food outlets, aims to support this increasing demand. The successful implementation of the C3 scanners aligns with broader European regulatory trends. This move enhances security efficiency and improves the passenger journey. For more commercial aviation news and analysis, visit flying.flights.

• 43 tonnes of Toblerone were sold, matching the weight of a humpback whale.
• Over 35 million passengers traveled through DUB on 240,000 flights.
• The airport successfully completed the C3 scanner rollout, ending the 100ml liquid limit.
• 1.2 million pints of Guinness and 409,000 litres of Irish whiskey were sold.