'Huge year' ahead for City of Derry Airport after success in growing routes and passenger numbers

The past year has proved to be a landmark one for Derry’s airport with government funding secured for four years, relieving the burden on Derry City & Strabane District ratepayers.

Easyjet is also now operating from the Eglinton airport for the first time and has expanded its route offering over the past year.

In an interview with the Derry Journal today, Mr Frazer said they expect airport passenger numbers to have grown a staggering 35% over the course of 2025, with hopes high that the Dublin route will be in place by autumn or possibly earlier in 2026.

"We've had a lot of good news the last year,” he said. “The first and biggest thing in the last year was that shift in funding from the ratepayers to central government and that has given us some security now for those four years which is fantastic.

"it stops you looking over your shoulder every year, and gives us some surety on job security for the next four years. It also shows that trust they have in the airport and that government recognise us as key infrastructure and part of that regional balance agenda to deliver for the north west.”

While not critical, the central support for the airport has been an added bonus in relation to talks on securing routes.

Praising staff at the airport, Mr Frazer said: "There is a lot of pride here in what we do and we really do feel that we are part of the heartbeat of the north west, delivering people here and delivering people outwards. We have always been proud of the job we have done and we hope now everyone realises we are heading in the right direction. We have got that security.”

Efforts towards securing new routes and new airlines coming onboard has also paid off handsomely with Easyjet joining Loganair, Ryanair and the other carriers which operate from City of Derry.

“Easyjet within less than 10 months became the biggest operator at City of Derry Airport in terms of volume. So that's a success story straight away," Mr Frazer said.

"We hadn't cracked the Easyjet nut ever at City of Derry Airport and then last November they agreed to move in and they picked up Liverpool and Edinburgh. Liverpool has gone from strength to strength. It's such a popular route, just as successful as Ryanair's Manchester route.

" The two aren't affecting each other and obviously there is a large diaspora in the Liverpool and Manchester areas.

"Easyjet also added Birmingham which has started off really well. We hope to grow frequency and build the relationship with Easyjet. They have become a very good partner.

"Then recently, post-election, we have now secured the Dublin route support from the Irish government which we are really pleased to see in 2026."

That crucial route, like with the Loganair London Heathrow route, will not only connect the north west to the Irish capital for business and leisure passengers biut will also open up global routes between Derry, the US, Canada and the rest of the world via Dublin.

At the moment the route is expected to start in or around October 2026. Mr Frazer said: "We're working very closely with officials to see if the timescales can be reduced. I'd love to see it by the summer. We are respectful of the officials and the work they have to do and the process they have to follow but we are doing everything we can to accelerate that and bring it forward by a little bit."

The vital London Heathrow Loganair route - which is supported by the UK government as a Public Service Obligation (PSO) route - also now flies more frequently.

"For an airport like ours getting access to Heathrow is almost unheard of, and not only access but flying three times a day which is absolutely fantastic,” Mr Frazer said. “We're seeing a change in the type of passenger. You have young people checking their bag in in Derry and heading off to Dubai and San Francisco or New York or anywhere at the world and they see their bag at the other end. That's working out fantastically for us and that hub connectivity is great and will only grow further when we get Dublin next year.”

It means people can book directly from the US, Canada, Australia or elsewhere to Derry and visa versa, check their bag in, get their connecting flight in Dublin without having to recheck their luggage and will only have to collect their luggage when they arrive at their final destination.

"We expect a significant uplift in the US market," Mr Frazer said. "Being able to arrive here, 10 to 15 minutes from your doorstep is fantastic.

"Also tourists really struggle with their itineraries for getting to the north west. 80% of people who visit the island are coming through Dublin and they look at these itineraries and they are quite off-putting when you see four hours in a coach in either direction so being able to deliver people here in 45 minutes - you'll be in the air probably less than 30 minutes - is a real attraction.

"And of course for the whole north region right across to Donegal, there’s the potential to attract investors and FDIs to come in, they now have a very clear route to get to the north west.

"We call ourselves the gateway to the north west but we are also now the gateway to the world for people from the region because they literally can get their bag checked here at City of Derry and pick it up in Sydney or wherever they are going to. It's fantastic."

City of Derry Airport expect to have carried 250,000 passengers by the end of 2025 and figures so far show significant growth over the course of the year. "We're looking at at least 35% growth this year and we would hope for at least another 25% growth next year. In terms of airports, not many jump up in double figures in terms of growth.”

In January flights bound for Verona for winter skiing holidays will also depart from Derry for the third year in a row. This route has already sold out and plans are being made for its return in 2027.

Mr Frazer confirmed that City of Derry Airport is also in talks with various airlines on the potential for adding summer holiday routes, although due to the long lead in for summer schedule planning, aircraft fleet renewal and available capacity, this will be for summer 2027.

"We'd love to back up that winter offering with some summer offerings and we are working very hard for 2027 to make sure they are secure and to get them on sale as soon as they can,” he said, adding:

"We have put forward several proposals and we look forward to some success from those in delivering the summer routes. We're looking at the most popular places, places like Malaga, Palma, Faro, Tenerife. "

Summing up the year past and looking towards 2026, Mr Frazer added: "It's been a year of success. Securing the funding was huge, renewing the London PSO to Heathrow has been fantastic and brings that hub connectivity and interest from foreign direct investors on how to get their people here as well, which is pretty useful. We’ve had Easyjet coming here and seeing immediate growth and becoming the biggest carrier, and now we are looking forward to a great year with adding at least Dublin onto our list, which will be absolutely huge for the north west."