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Shannon Airport has unveiled a bold new brand campaign, “The Best Place to Fly From,” promising a smoother, more relaxed and even fun travel experience as the midwestern Irish hub gears up for a record 2026 schedule.
A National Push to Redefine the Airport Experience
The new campaign, launched this week across television, digital and outdoor channels in Ireland and key UK markets, positions Shannon as the country’s most straightforward departure point at a time when many major hubs remain synonymous with queues and congestion. Executives at Shannon Airport Group say the strategy is designed to convert its long-standing reputation for calm, quick journeys into a clear national choice for holidaymakers and business travelers in 2026.
At the heart of the campaign is a 30-second semi-animated film that tracks a passenger’s journey from arriving at the car park to boarding the aircraft. Real terminal footage is blended with playful animation to showcase swift security, short walking distances and relaxed dwell time at the gate, underlining the message that a flight from Shannon should start the holiday rather than test passengers’ patience.
The brand push builds on Shannon’s status as Ireland’s Favourite Airport, with independent research consistently ranking it as the country’s top airport brand for customer experience. Airport leaders say the new creative is not only about awareness but also about setting clear expectations that queues will be shorter, staff more visible and facilities better aligned with the needs of families, older travelers and those with reduced mobility.
Advertising will be supported by a targeted digital and social media strategy, focusing on catchment areas across the west and midwest of Ireland, while also speaking to Irish diaspora and inbound visitors seeking an easier gateway for exploring the Wild Atlantic Way.
Infrastructure Upgrades to Back Up the Promise
To underpin its “Best Place to Fly From” claim, Shannon Airport has advanced a series of infrastructure investments aimed squarely at removing friction points in the passenger journey ahead of the 2026 peak season. A major expansion to the Park4Less facility has added around 1,000 extra parking spaces, giving travelers a greater choice of short- and long-stay options within a brief walk of the terminal entrance.
Inside the terminal, Shannon continues to refine its security screening operation, which was an early adopter of advanced screening technology that allows passengers to leave liquids and electronics in their bags. The new campaign leans heavily on this feature, presenting it as a tangible benefit that saves time at a process many travelers consider the most stressful part of flying.
Wayfinding and layout changes have also been introduced, with clearer signage, updated information screens and improved seating clusters designed to keep foot traffic moving smoothly. Airport planners say these smaller but cumulative tweaks reduce bottlenecks at pinch points such as check-in, security exits and boarding gates, reinforcing the perception of an airport that is intuitively easy to navigate.
Retail and food and beverage partners are adjusting their offerings in step with the campaign, with longer opening hours during the summer schedule and an emphasis on quick-service options for passengers who arrive closer to departure time, one of Shannon’s hallmarks compared to larger Irish hubs.
New Routes and a Busier 2026 Schedule
The marketing drive coincides with Shannon’s most ambitious route map in years, with airport officials forecasting a record 2026 schedule. New and returning services to sun destinations in Spain, Portugal and the Mediterranean are being promoted heavily as family-friendly options from a stress-free base, alongside growing connectivity to mainland Europe’s key city break markets.
Transatlantic travel remains a cornerstone of Shannon’s strategy. The airport is highlighting its United States preclearance facilities, which allow passengers to clear US immigration and customs before departure, arriving as domestic passengers stateside. The campaign frames this as a critical differentiator for West of Ireland travelers seeking to avoid early morning departures, lengthy queues and connection uncertainties at larger hubs.
Shannon Airport Group is also pitching the airport as a more sustainable choice where possible, tying in recent recognition at national green business awards and the rollout of energy-efficiency measures across its estate. While aviation emissions remain a challenge for the entire industry, management argues that smoother, shorter surface journeys to a less congested airport create incremental environmental and quality-of-life benefits for regional passengers.
Local tourism boards and hospitality businesses along the Wild Atlantic Way have welcomed the increased capacity, noting that easier point-to-point access via Shannon can be a decisive factor for tour operators crafting Ireland itineraries, particularly for visitors who want to avoid a rushed city arrival and instead start their trip closer to the west coast.
A Playful Creative Approach With Serious Intent
Visually, “The Best Place to Fly From” leans into a light, humorous tone. The campaign is fronted by a pair of animated bird characters described as frequent flyers, who glide through the real-world terminal while passengers and staff go about their journeys. The creative team behind the campaign says the characters embody the ease and freedom Shannon wants passengers to feel from the moment they step out of their car.
The semi-animated style also allows the airport to showcase operational features in a simple, digestible way, from the proximity of parking to the short distance between check-in desks and departure gates. Instead of focusing on glossy lifestyle imagery, the adverts zoom in on mundane but meaningful details, such as walking times, queue lengths and the ability to sit down with a coffee without keeping one eye nervously on the departure board.
Shannon Airport Group executives insist the playful tone is underpinned by serious service standards. Staff training programs in customer care and accessibility awareness are being refreshed ahead of the summer, and live queue time monitoring is being used more aggressively to respond to surges. The goal, they say, is to ensure that the on-the-ground reality consistently matches the effortless journey promised on screen.
Brand specialists point out that smaller airports like Shannon can overperform by focusing on the fundamentals rather than trying to imitate major international hubs. The campaign’s creative direction reflects that thinking, leaning into Shannon’s scale as an advantage rather than a limitation.
Competing in a Crowded European Market
Shannon’s move comes at a time when customer experience has become a central battleground for European airports, with recent rankings by industry bodies and consumer groups putting speed and friendliness at a premium. While larger hubs often dominate route networks, regional airports that can deliver consistent, low-stress journeys are increasingly positioned as attractive alternatives for time-poor travelers and families.
Within Ireland, the campaign is likely to sharpen comparisons between Shannon and the country’s busier east-coast gateways. By leaning into shorter queues, closer parking and a calmer terminal atmosphere, Shannon is effectively inviting passengers to re-think long-established habits about where to start their journey, particularly for those living west of the Shannon or along the Atlantic seaboard.
For now, airport management is framing the 2026 push as the start of a multi-year effort, with more service enhancements, digital tools and route announcements expected over the coming months. The success of “The Best Place to Fly From” will ultimately be measured not only in passenger numbers but in how many travelers feel their trip genuinely began the moment they walked through Shannon’s doors, rather than only once the aircraft left the runway.
If the airport can turn its creative promise of hassle-free flying into an everyday reality through the busy summer months of 2026, it could further cement its reputation as one of the most passenger-friendly gateways in Ireland and strengthen its role as a launchpad for exploring the country’s western heartlands.