The vibrant cities are both known for cuisine, culture and beautiful scenery
14:25, 11 Dec 2025
View of the Promenade des Anglais, the mountains , the beach and beautiful buildings in Nice, France(Image: Getty)
Cork Airport has added two exciting new routes to its schedule for summer 2026, announcing new flights with Aer Lingus. The airline will add Nice and Santiago de Compostela to its list of destinations next year. The first flight to the lovely French city of Nice will commence on May 6, while flights to Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Spain’s Galicia region, will begin on June 1.
Meanwhile, Aer Lingus has extended its route between Cork and Prague from a winter-only service to a year-round service. The new routes announced today bring the total number of new Aer Lingus routes within the last 12 months to 6. Aer Lingus’ 2026 Summer schedule also includes popular services to Málaga, Faro, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Palma de Mallorca, Bilbao and Bordeaux, along with daily services to London Heathrow and Aer Lingus Regional services to Bristol and Glasgow.
Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela in the Galicia region of northern Spain
The new destinations are sure to be a hit with passengers, offering access to two beautiful cities and sun hotspots, known for culture, history and fine food. Nice is regarded as the jewel of the Côte d’Azur, nestled on the French Mediterranean coastline and known for its seafront, French cuisine, colourful old town heritage, cultural and heritage attractions, as well as inviting summer temperatures between 20 and 27 degrees. The Cork-Nice flights will operate from May 6 to September 30, 2026.
Meanwhile, Santiago de Compostela is a city steeped in spirituality and culture. It is best known as the final stop on the world-renowned Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route and for its UNESCO-listed Old Town with the impressive Cathedral of Santiago. Santiago is home to lively tapas bars, traditional Galician cuisine and is a gateway to the wider Galicia region. Aer Lingus will operate twice-weekly flights from Cork to Santiago de Compostela next summer, with services departing on Mondays and Thursdays from June 1, 2026, through October 22, 2026.
Tara Finn, Head of Aviation Business Development & Communications at Cork Airport, said the announcement of two new destinations is like “Christmas coming early” for the airport team. She said: “Nice and Santiago de Compostela are two fantastic cities, and both open up the options for visitors to explore the wider regions surrounding them – whether that is the Côte d’Azur or Galicia. Prague is an amazing Christmas market and summer destination, and it’s wonderful to see it going year-round. We are delighted to see Aer Lingus expanding and freshening its offering from Cork. They have a loyal customer base who will only travel Aer Lingus and insist on Cork, and these new routes will delight that loyal base and more.”
Susanne Carberry, Chief Customer Officer at Aer Lingus, added: “Aer Lingus customers in Cork and southern Ireland now have even more destinations to choose from as Nice and Santiago de Compostela join our European network. Both destinations are rich in culture and cuisine, offering charm in abundance. With Prague also moving to a year-round service, we’re ensuring our customers have even greater flexibility and choice next summer.”
