Cork International Airport — Cork, Ireland

South of Cork city on an elevated plateau, ORK ranks as the Republic of Ireland's second-busiest airport, a status it has held since a new terminal replaced the original airfield's facilities in the early 2000s. Its relatively high elevation, unusual among Irish airports, makes it more prone to fog and low cloud than sea-level counterparts, a quirk that occasionally affects winter operations. The airport primarily handles routes across Britain and continental Europe, with Aer Lingus and Ryanair forming the backbone of its schedule, supplemented by seasonal transatlantic service in recent years. Cork itself, Ireland's second city, sits on the River Lee and serves as the commercial hub for Munster, a region encompassing much of the country's south and southwest. For residents across that region, the airport has long reduced dependence on the three-hour drive to Dublin for international connections.