1 popular destinations across Ireland — compare prices from 500+ airlines and OTAs, find the cheapest fares from any UK airport.
Ireland has the densest UK short-haul network outside intra-UK domestic. Almost every UK regional airport has at least one daily Dublin flight. London-Dublin is the second-busiest international air route in Europe by passenger numbers.
| Visa (UK passport) | Common Travel Area — UK and Irish citizens move freely between the two countries with no passport check (in practice you need photo ID). No visa, no time limit. |
|---|---|
| Currency | Euro (EUR, €). Cards everywhere; revolut/wise transfers from sterling are easy and cheap. |
| Time zone | GMT/IST (UTC+0/+1) — same as UK year-round. |
| Language | English (Hiberno-English) and Irish (Gaeilge). Bilingual signage in west; English universal. |
| Plug type | Type G (UK three-pin) — no adaptor needed. |
| Best months | June–August for warmest, driest weather (still expect some rain). May and September are good shoulder months. Christmas and St Patrick's Day are peak fares. |
| Flight times from UK | Dublin (DUB) 1h 15m; Cork (ORK) 1h 25m; Shannon (SNN) 1h 40m; Knock (NOC) 1h 35m |
You need photo ID to board a flight, but legally UK and Irish citizens can travel under the Common Travel Area without a passport. Most airlines require a passport in practice — bring one. There are no immigration checks at Dublin Airport for UK arrivals.
London Heathrow (Aer Lingus, BA — 25+ daily slots between them) is the heaviest. Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh each run 6–10 daily Dublin flights between Ryanair and Aer Lingus.
Aer Lingus departs from Heathrow Terminal 2, includes a free cabin bag and 22 kg checked bag in many fares, and has a faster lounge-side experience. Ryanair flies Stansted/Luton/most regional UK airports, charges for everything but undercuts Aer Lingus on raw fare by £20–£40 typically.
Outbound from Dublin can be slow during 6–9am peak — Dublin's US Pre-Clearance lanes for transatlantic passengers add complexity. For UK return flights, allow 90 minutes minimum at peak.
No — Ireland is in the eurozone. Cards with no foreign transaction fees (Revolut, Wise, Chase, Starling) are by far the cheapest way to pay. Avoid currency exchange at airport bureaux de change — rates are 8–15% worse than card rates.
Ireland is the only country where UK travellers don't need a passport in the strict legal sense — though airlines still require photo ID, and the practical distinctions matter.
