A return of a sun favourite from Cork Airport as Aer Lingus announces two new summer destinations
Aer Lingus has this afternoon put up flights from Cork to the sun-kissed city of Nice, nestled in the heart of the south-east of France, just a stone’s throw from the famous beach spots of Antibes and Saint-Tropez, as well as Monaco and the Italian border.
Three flights have been uploaded to the website, starting on Saturday, May 2. With another the following Wednesday (May 6) and then the following Saturday, May 9. The Wednesday flight is priced at just €70.37 on aerlingus.com, indicating that it will be a twice weekly service, with the best value found midweek.
The national flag carrier operated a seasonal flight between the two cities up until 2019, which was the only direct flight between Cork and the South-East of France, with flights to Nice and nearby Marseille available from Dublin.
As well as being a holiday hotspot, Nice is also rich with culture, as well as being a sporting hub, with rugby and football popular, as well as the Monaco Grand Prix, which next year will take place from 4 to 7 June, and traditionally hosts a ‘free’ day with feeder series on the Friday (June 9), where spectators are free to roam around the track and take in different vantage points across the iconic circuit in the principality.
The news is also proving a hit for Cork’s expansive French ex-pat community, who previously were forced to fly to Carcassonne or Paris, and take lengthy train journeys to reach the area.
Confirming the news this afternoon, Cork Airport has just confirmed the new Nice route, as well as a new route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, which commences on June 1.
Aer Lingus will fly twice weekly from Cork to Santiago de Compostela next summer, with flights operating on Monday and Thursday. The service will operate from June 1, 2026, through October 22, 2026.
Meanwhile, the previous winter service to Prague’s popularity hasn’t gone unnoticed, as Aer Lingus has extended the route to a year-round basis.
“Christmas has come early for us here at Cork Airport as we announce two new routes for summer 2026 with our friends at Aer Lingus,” said Head of Aviation Business Development & Communications at Cork Airport, Tara Finn.
“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 their 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.”
Meanwhile, 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.”
