FAQs
Answers to our most frequently asked questions
My Flight
You can find flight information on our website and on the screens in the Arrivals and Departures halls. Major updates can be found on our Twitter and social media accounts.
Visit our Which terminal page for information on which terminal you're travelling from. You can also contact your airline directly for this information.
We advise that you familiarise yourself with our security rules. Some airlines will also have different rules on hand luggage, so contact your airline directly for this information before you fly.
These are self-service, touch screen kiosks in the terminal, enabling you to skip the queues and check-in and print your boarding card yourself. Some airlines do not offer express check-in, so please check with your airline.
Check-in times can vary depending on your type of flight, so please arrive with a sufficient amount of spare time to pass through check-in and security. Checking-in times can usually be found on your individual ticket or itinerary, or alternatively by contacting your airline directly.
This can vary depending on your type of flight, so please contact your airline directly for this information.
If you have booked separately with two airlines (i.e. there is no transfer agreement in place and you do not have an onward boarding card) then you will need to reclaim your baggage and check in at the relevant terminal. Our three terminals are within walking distance of each other. If you have a transfer in place, you should follow the signs and proceed on foot to the Flight Transfer centre in the relevant terminal.
The transfer process depends on what kind of flight you are transferring from and to. Visit our Airport Transfer page for information on every type of transfer scenario.
At the airport
No, however, you can find out more about each of our terminals here.
As well as shops and restaurants, we have a number of different facilities and services. Find out more on our Airport Facilities page.
Smoking areas are available outside all three terminal buildings before check-in and after arrivals. They are clearly signposted. There are also clearly signposted outdoor smoking areas in the departure lounges at both T1 and T2. Electronic cigarettes are forbidden indoors in any of our buildings.
Terminal 3 - Unfortunately, there are no outdoor smoking areas in the airside section of Terminal 3. We recommend that smokers use the designated areas outside of the terminal before going through check-in.
The transfer process depends on what kind of flight you are transferring from and to. Visit our Airport Transfer page for information on every type of transfer scenario.
Yes, we offer free access for up to 60 minutes in a 24-hour period. You can find more information about our WiFi service here.
We have a wide range of shops in each of our terminals. For a list of shops, click on the terminal you will be visiting on our the airport page.
Duty Free allowances are listed here.
Yes, there is a printer in each terminal.
The only dogs we permit in our terminal buildings are Assistance Dogs. If you would like to travel abroad with your pet, you can use the Pet Travel Scheme. Find out more on our Pet Travel Scheme page.
We have a wide range of restaurants in each of our terminals. For a full list, click on the terminal you will be visiting on our At the airport page.
We currently don't have a dedicated breastfeeding facility, however, we promote feeding across our site and don't restrict where this can take place. Baby changing facilities can be found across all three terminals, either inside or nearby the ladies' toilets, and these facilities include chairs to make breastfeeding easier.
Yes, trolleys are available and cost £1, or a €2 coin.
Yes, post boxes are available in every terminal, next to check-in desks.
Manchester Airport does not currently offer shower facilities. However, the Radisson Blu Hotel at Manchester Airport, located in Terminal 2, offers a shower and change service.
Yes, in every terminal, offering GBP, Euros and US Dollars.
Getting to the airport
You can find directions by car, train, tram, bus and coach by visiting our Getting to & from page.
If driving, please note that your sat-nav may not reflect the most updated road layout.
Manchester Airport is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Smoking areas are available outside all three terminal buildings before check-in and after arrivals. They are clearly signposted. There are also clearly signposted outdoor smoking areas in the departure lounges at both T1 and T2. Electronic cigarettes are forbidden indoors in any of our buildings.
Parking
You may amend your booking up to 72 hours before your car parking commences, either online or by contacting us.
If your booking will change by less than 6 hours (for example if your flight time has changed slightly) there’s no need to contact us to change your booking. You can arrive in the car park up to 6 hours earlier and leave up to 6 hours later without incurring a charge.
Please note, if you have booked Security FastTrack, Passport Control FastTrack or a lounge with your car park booking then your original booking time will still apply to those products.
To amend your booking online, please re-visit the website you used to book and follow the online instructions or click the links below.
Manchester Airport parking amendments
Amendments to the dates of stay are subject to the terms and conditions of your booking. Certain promotional products cannot be amended, it will be made clear at the point of booking if this is the case.
Please note if you booked during a sale or at a lower price and that rate is no longer available, the new rate will apply. Where specified in the product details some special offer bookings cannot be amended or cancelled.
Plans changed? Free cancellation up to 72 hours before your booking when you book directly with Manchester Airport.
To cancel your booking online, please re-visit the website you used to book and follow the online instructions or click the links below.
Cancellations are subject to the terms and conditions of your booking. Where specified in the product details some special offer bookings cannot be amended or cancelled.
Manchester Airport parking cancellations
Bookings cancelled within 72 hours of the time and date of arrival will not be refunded (or with booking where other cancellation conditions may apply).
If you chose to purchase the Cancellation Protection as part of your booking, you can cancel your booking up to 1 hour prior to arrival. Bookings cancelled within 1 hour of the car park arrival date will not be refunded.
Bookings made less than 72 hours before departure are non-refundable unless Cancellation Protection was purchased as the time of booking.
Customers who have booked via a third party should contact them directly.
If you are trying to amend or cancel your booking online via our website link below:
Manchester Airport parking amendments
And your booking reference is not recognised, it is likely that the booking has been made through a third-party site. Please check your booking confirmation email for information regarding how to amend/cancel your booking or click on the link below for third party contact details:
You will receive an on-screen confirmation which details your booking reference and instructions (please read these carefully). Please print this page for your records as you will need this information at the airport.
We will also send you a booking confirmation email. Please ensure that your vehicle registration details are correct as this is used to give you access to the car park. There is an option to amend your booking if you will be arriving at the airport in a different vehicle than originally planned.
You are responsible for supplying a valid email and we cannot be held responsible for non-delivery of booking confirmation emails due to transmission failure or incorrect address details.
Failure to receive the confirmation email has no bearing on the status of your booking, your booking is still valid, but please check your junk or spam folder just in case your booking confirmation email has been sent there. If not, your email address may have been entered incorrectly.
Yes. Bookings can be made up to at least 2 hours (6 hours for all Meet & Greet bookings) prior to your arrival time at the relevant Airport.
All Car Park bookings are subject to availability and the Airport reserves the right to withdraw availability at its entire discretion for a given date.
You may amend your vehicle details on your booking up to 24 hours before your car parking commences. To amend your vehicle details on your car park booking online, please re-visit the website you used to book and following the online instructions or click the links below.
Manchester Airport parking amendments
If you booked with one of our sales agents please get in touch with them directly.
You will be charged for the additional days in which you stay in the car park, based on the overstay rate applicable to the car park and Airport.
If you have booked Meet & Greet / Drop and Go parking and know in advance that you will be delayed, need to stay longer or need to collect your car earlier than expected, please contact the Meet & Greet / Drop and Go operation to inform them of your late / early return as soon as possible.
The Meet & Greet Operation / Drop and Go contact details can be found on the booking receipt given to you when you dropped off your keys.
For all other car parks, including JetParks, Short Stay and Multi Storey, to change or amend a car park or lounge booking, please call our After Sales Team on 0808 168 6222.
Lines are open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. We are closed on bank holidays.
For further details of these Overstay charges please refer to the terms and conditions on your booking confirmation or to ‘Section 6. Car Park Conditions of Use’ in the car parking terms and conditions on the Airport website.
Please note overstay charges are only applicable if you leave the car park 6 hours after the departure date and time entered at time of booking.
All our car parks are on site and are managed locally by the Airport.
However, the price can vary dependent on availability, car parking facilities and distance to the terminals.
View information on all our car parks to decide which one is most suitable to your needs.
All our Airport car parks have a tarmac surface, with the exception of our JetParks car parks that have a gravel surface. However, please note that all our car parks have the Park Mark® Accreditation.
A height restriction of 2.0 metres (6 ft. 6 inches) applies to all Meet & Greet car parks and all multi-storey car parks across all the Airport sites.
Trailers are not permitted in any of our parking facilities.
The Airport car parks have been awarded Park Mark® Accreditation.
This means you're visiting a safer parking area that has been vetted by the British Parking Association (BPA) and has measures in place in order to create a safer environment for both you and your vehicle.
Yes, the coordinates stated on your email booking confirmation will direct you to the car park entrance. Please enter your chosen car park coordinates carefully into your Sat Nav.
There is no minimum stay duration for our Meet & Greet, Short Stay or Multi-Storey car parks. However, the following car parks have the following minimum stay criteria:
JetParks (T1, T2, T3, Ringway): From 3 days
Meet & Greet (T1, T2, T3): From 3 days
Please note, these stay durations are subject to change due to car park availability.
Please allow 30 seconds for the ANPR to recognise your vehicle. If your vehicle has not been recognised by our automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, please scan the QR code on your booking confirmation (it must be a printed copy) which looks like this:
If the QR code is not recognised, or you do not have a QR code to hand, please do not take a token but instead press the intercom assistance button on the entry column, a member of staff will then assist you. Taking a token will disable the ANPR system in relation to your booking, resulting in issues arising when you exit the car park and you may be double charged.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition is used for pre-book customers only.
If you have pre-booked your parking, drive up to the barrier, once the ANPR cameras have recognised your vehicle registration the barrier will raise so you may enter the car park. Please allow 30 seconds for the ANPR to recognise your vehicle.
If for any reason the ANPR cameras do not recognise your vehicle registration plate (if the vehicle plate is obscured by dirt/snow etc.), the barrier will not lift. In this instance, please scan the QR code on your booking confirmation (it must be a printed copy) which looks like this:
If the QR code is not recognised, or you do not have a QR code to hand, please do not take a token but instead press the intercom assistance button on the entry column, a member of staff will then assist you. Taking a token will disable the ANPR system in relation to your book, resulting in issues arising when you exit the car park and you may be double charged.
Payment must be made in advance and online. We accept all major credit cards, debit cards and PayPal for pre-booking.
We reserve the right not to fulfil your booking if your card is declined for any reason, if the payment card has been used fraudulently or without the cardholder's permission, or if you are under the age of 18.
To protect your privacy and security, our website uses SSL encryption software, which is the industry standard. It encrypts your personal information so that it cannot be read.
You will know you are in the secure area of our site when the website address is preceded by “https://” and a padlock symbol appears in the frame of your browser.
All you need is your booking confirmation e-mail. This should be a printed hard copy to ensure you can scan the code at all our car park barriers.
The booking confirmation will help direct you to the correct car park and also states your booking reference number so you have it to hand, should you need to speak to a member of staff.
Approach the barrier, where your vehicle registration will be scanned by our ANPR cameras and verified against your booking details. The barrier should then open automatically. Please be patient, as this process may take up to 30 seconds to happen.
If your vehicle has not been recognised by the ANPR cameras, please scan the QR code on your booking confirmation (this should be a printed copy) which looks like this:
If the QR code is not recognised, or you do not have a QR code to hand, please do not take a token but instead press the intercom assistance button on the entry column, a member of staff will then assist you.
Taking a token will disable the ANPR system in relation to your booking, resulting in issues arising when you exit the car park and you may be double charged.
If you have pre-booked Mid Stay or Short Stay car parking, approach the barrier, where your vehicle registration will be scanned by our ANPR cameras and verify this against your booking details and the barrier should then open automatically. Please be patient, as this process may take up to 30 seconds to happen.
If your vehicle has not been recognised by the ANPR cameras, please scan the QR code on your booking confirmation (this should be a printed copy) which looks like this:
If the QR code is not recognised, or you do not have a QR code to hand, please do not take a token but instead press the intercom assistance button on the entry column, a member of staff will then assist you. Taking a token will disable the ANPR system in relation to your booking, resulting in issues arising when you exit the car park and you may be double charged.
Terminals 1, 2 & 3:
If you have pre-booked Meet & Greet parking, approach the entry barrier and your name will appear on the screen in front of you. Parking instructions will be provided on the screen and the barrier will lift to grant you access.
Please remember to hand your keys into the office or use our self-service kiosks.
Please also have your return flight details available, as the Meet & Greet operative will make a note of these to ensure your vehicle is ready upon your return.
When you return, the Meet & Greet operatives will direct you to your car and advise of the exit procedure.
Please be aware, under no circumstances can we reserve a space for blue badge holders.
For customers wishing to turn up and park, please follow the signs for your terminal and then for the multi-storey car park. All car parks have disabled bays clearly signed. For JetParks car parks, a regular bus service operates and the buses are Equality Act compliant.
Please be advised that pre-booking your car parking is highly recommended to ensure your space.
Find out more about services available at the airport for customers with disabilities or reduced mobility. If you are concerned about accessibility on your flight, please contact your tour operator, airline or travel agent for further details.
Lack of car park availability could be due to:
The car park being fully booked for all or part of your stay;
Because the booking conditions for the car parking product have not been met; or
Because you are trying to book for less than the minimum stay.
Try adjusting your selection or choose another car park. For Meet & Greet bookings, please check to ensure that you have entered the correct arrival time.
If you are still experiencing problems, please contact our Customer Contact Centre, on the following free phone numbers, who can advise on a suitable alternative car park:
Manchester Airport queries: 0808 168 6111
JetParks queries: 0808 169 7029
Car parks are priced per calendar day or part thereof. Prices are subject to change and quotes are valid at the time of booking only. The number of days charged is calculated on the basis of the dates and times you select at time of booking.
For example if you are travelling on a Monday and returning the following Monday you will be charged for 8 days.
All prices shown are in GBP and include VAT at 20%.
Car parking charges will also vary according to:
The time of year;
Location of car park in relation to the terminal; and
How far you book in advance.
We have a number of options available when picking up or dropping off at the airport, allowing you to choose what works best for you.
If you are dropping off at the airport, you can use the free drop off area at JetParks 1 which has frequent shuttle buses to Terminals 1 and 3. Alternatively you can use the forecourt drop off areas located outside the terminals. The charge for this is £5 for five minutes and £6 for 10 minutes. An overstay charge of £25.00 will apply after 10 minutes. Special arrangements are in place for Blue Badge Holders, local residents and private hire operators.
There are different parking options available depending on which terminal you’re visiting. The Short Stay car park is available for Terminal 1 and the train station, as well as Multi Storey car parks at Terminals 2 and 3.Charges in these car parks are £6 for 30 minutes or £12 for up to one hour, and can be booked in advance.
View more information about picking up and dropping off at Manchester Airport.
As our airport grows, we need to make changes to our infrastructure to enable that growth. Therefore, we have had to close our Long Stay car parks.
If you prefer to turn up and park, then you should use T2 West for Terminal 2 or Short Stay for Terminals 1 and 3.
Alternatively, you can pre-book a number of car park options. We recommend you pre-book to guarantee your space and price.
If you can’t see the answer to your question above, or for any other general enquiries, please call our Customer Contact Centre on the following free phone numbers:
Manchester Airport queries: 0808 169 7030
JetParks queries: 0808 169 7029
Our team are ready to help with your booking between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, Closed on Bank Holidays
For third party bookings, passengers should refer to their initial provider.
Travel
You will find up to date information here.
The Pet Travel Scheme, offered by the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) allows cats and dogs to travel between some countries and UK airports, without the need for quarantine. You can find out more here.
For up to date information on Visa requirements, you can find out more here.
The UK Government have introduced an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme as part of their transformation and digitisation of the UK border.
The ETA scheme is open to Qatari nationals, who can now apply and will require an ETA to travel to the UK on or after 15 November 2023. Other nationalities do not need to apply yet.
An ETA costs £10 and permits multiple journeys to the UK over two years or until the holder’s passport expires whichever is sooner.
For more information and regular updates on ETAs, please visit the ETA information page on GOV.UK
For up to date information on obtaining an emergency travel document, you can find out more here.
You can fly to over 200 destinations from Manchester Airport. For a full list, visit our Destinations page.
You must request a VAT refund form from any UK retailer that you buy goods from. You must complete and sign this prior to visiting the Travelex desk at Manchester Airport. You can find out more here.
Air Passenger Duty is calculated on each passenger at the rate for the place of their final destination. You can find out more here.
FastTrack
Security FastTrack
Open 02:30 until 23:00 at all terminals
Passport Control FastTrack
Terminal 1 - 24/7
Terminal 2 - 24/7
Terminal 3 - Open from 06:00 - 02:00 (overnight)
You can book Security FastTrack up to 1 hour prior to departure and Passport Control FastTrack at anytime before arrival. Both are subject to availability.
Both Passport Control FastTrack and Security FastTrack are non-refundable and non-amendable if booked as standalone products.
If you've booked Passport Control FastTrack or Security FastTrack as part of a car park booking, you can amend your FastTrack booking when you also amend your car park booking. The amendment fee is £7.50.
The amendment fee is waived if you purchased Cancellation Protection when you made your car park booking.
Bookings must be made by someone over the age of 18.
The service is not available to passengers arriving from Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.
A maximum of 9 passes can be purchased per booking.
All passengers will need to purchase a pass for access to the Passport Control FastTrack service, including children and small infants.
The service is ideal for those wanting the shortest wait at Passport Control and Security.
Ideal for business travellers, long weekend holiday makers and those travelling without checked-in luggage.
You can book FastTrack up to 12 months in advance, subject to availability.
Passport Control FastTrack aims to give you the quickest access to Passport Control using the exclusive lane, so it is ideal for passengers who don’t need to wait in Baggage Reclaim for their bags to be delivered by the airlines.
There may be exceptional operational circumstances that may require us to cancel the service and in this case we will give you a full refund.
There is no refund available in this case.
No, the border and passport control checks are mandatory.
Yes, the border controls and process remain exactly the same for Passport Control FastTrack lane passengers.
Once you’ve completed the booking process, you will receive a confirmation email. If you don’t receive it in your inbox, it is worth double checking your junk folder.
Simply follow the signs to Passport Control, Arrivals or Baggage Reclaim and on arrival at Passport Control the lane will be highlighted.
If you are delayed we cannot guarantee that you will be able to use the Passport Control FastTrack lane. This will be at the airport’s discretion and will depend on whether the total number of passengers for that hour has been exceeded.
Lounge
You're guaranteed to start your trip in style in any of our lounges. However, 1903 is open to adults only, and offers premium drinks such as champagne, and food freshly cooked by in-house chefs.
Yes, you can cancel/amend your booking by visiting the website you used to book and following the online instructions. If you booked with one of our Sales Agents please get in touch with them directly.
For up to date opening times, please visit our Escape Lounge or our 1903 Lounge pages.
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