Manchester airportArrivals and Departures

Manchester airport departures and check-in

Manchester Airport has three terminals. Check your flight itinerary or boarding pass to find out where your flight is taking off. The most popular short-haul and domestic airlines leave from Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, including easyJet (T1), Ryanair and Flybe (T3) while Terminal 2 generally hosts international flights from airlines like Air Canada, Air Malta and Qatar Airways.

How early do I need to check in at Manchester Airport?

• Three hours before long-haul flights.
• Two hours before European flights.
• One hour before domestic flights.

Manchester Airport arrivals

Terminal 1 is the largest terminal so you will find the main visitor facilities such as Tourist Information and hotel booking service here. The Arrivals hall is on the lower level, with lift and escalator access to the Skylink walkway and the Station transport interchange for onward travel.

Terminal 2 Arrivals are on the lower level, and there is an information desk next to the baggage reclaim area, although you might wish to go to Terminal 1 if you're meeting someone, as there is no dedicated meeting point here.

Terminal 3 is next to Terminal 1 and mainly serves UK and Ireland flights. You'll find Arrivals on the first floor, where there is also an information point and meeting point; the main information desk for the whole airport is a 5 minute walk way, in Terminal 1.

To hire a car for getting around Manchester, arriving passengers can take the free Manchester Airport Bus to the Car Rental Village, next to the T1/T3 Long Stay car park.

Manchester Airport drop off and pick up

You can drop off passengers for free outside the terminal buildings (no waiting). Picking someone up? Parking in the airport's multi-storey car parks costs £3.50 for 30 minutes and each terminal has its own car park, meaning it's a short two-minute walk to the terminal building.

All terminal parking is signposted from the M56, Junction 5. See below for directions to each terminal.

Terminal 1 Drop off and pick up

To drop off, follow the signs from the junction. The drop-off point is located to the left in the car park, past the Hilton Hotel and Clayton Hotel.
To pick up, follow directions as above. The postcode for Terminal 1 MSCP is M90 3PY.

Terminal 2 Drop off and pick up

To drop off, stay in the left lane as you exit the M56, and follow the signs for T2 at the first roundabout. At the second (Radission Hotel) roundabout, take the third exit and the drop off point is straight ahead.

To pick up, take the second exit at the Radission Hotel roundabout and follow the multi-storey car park signs. The postcode for Terminal 2 MSCP is M90 4ZY.

Terminal 3 Drop off and pick up

To drop off, T1 and T3 are signposted together but after you pass the Hilton and Clayton Hotels, head on to the roundabout (first exit). Next you will come to a pair of mini roundabouts – take the third exit, followed by the second exit. The drop off point is straight ahead.

To pick up, take the first exit at the first roundabout, as above. Then take the third exit at the next roundabout and you will see the car park on your right. The postcode for Terminal 2 MSCP is M90 4ZY.

Where can I park at Manchester Airport?

You can pre-book a space at Manchester Airport Long Stay car parks if you plan on leaving your car for several days, or simply turn up and pay. There is a Long Stay car park for T1 and T3 (postcode M90 3NS) and one for T2 (postcode M90 5PR). A 24 hour shuttle bus will ferry you quickly from Long Stay to the terminals.

A Meet and Greet Parking service is also available right next to each terminal if you're short on time, allowing you to drop your keys and have your car parked in a secure space by one of the attendants.

How do I get to and from Manchester Airport?

By train: All trains run straight to Manchester Airport station, otherwise known as 'The Station' transport interchange, which connects all public transport to the airport. Trains run every 10 minutes here from Manchester Piccadilly and there are further connections to destinations including York, Crewe and Carlisle, for Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Station can be accessed easily on foot from all three terminals via the Skylink walkway.

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By Metrolink: Manchester's commuter tram service also goes to Manchester Airport, from 92 stops around the city area. Coming from the airport, you can change at Cornbrook for access to the city centre.

By bus/coach: National Express run frequent coach services between The Station interchange and Greater Manchester, as well as other major cities like Birmingham, Liverpool, London, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

By car: The airport is signposted from the M56 Junction 5, which is easy to access from the rest of the UK, via the M60 and M60. From Manchester city centre, follow the signs via the A34 or A5103. The satnav postcode for the airport is M90 1QX, or see the pick-up and drop section for specific terminal postcodes.

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