Manchester Airport has busiest July on record

Image courtesy MAG

Just under 3.3 million passengers flew into or out of the UK’s global gateway in the North last month – making it the airport’s busiest July on record and its second busiest month ever. 

July saw the start of the school summer holidays and with it a huge exodus of people heading to their favourite hotspots. It included a record-setting day with more than 60,000 passengers departing from Manchester Airport on Friday 25 July for the first time ever. 

The busiest day across the whole month, taking into account both departures and arrivals, was Thursday, July 31, with more than113,000 passengers flying in or out of the airport.

It sets the scene for a bumper August, which is expected to be the busiest month in the airport’s history. Friday 22 August – ahead of the bank holiday Monday – is expected to be the peak day, with 118,000 passengers due to fly.

To serve the influx of passengers, the airport has extra staff in place across key areas, particularly in security. In July, 98% of passengers waited for less than 15 minutes to get to security and almost three-quarters waited less than five minutes.

July also saw the opening of a new section of Terminal 2, the centrepiece of Manchester Airport’s decade-long, £1.3 billion transformation programme. 

Phase one of the programme saw a brand-new extension double the size of Terminal 2. That was completed in 2021 and since then the older section of the building has been closed for a complete renovation to bring it up to the same standard as the new section.

Earlier this year, the check-in hall in phase two opened along with the new security hall – and last month a new section of the departure lounge opened with a swathe of new shops and eateries including the airport’s own LEGO Store, Pandora, Rituals, Joe and the Juice and more. 

Manchester Airport Managing Director Chris Woodroofe (above) said: “Here at Manchester Airport we’re proud to connect the people of the North to their favourite holiday destinations all over the world. 

“With the summer in full swing, it’s an incredibly exciting time here and it’s always a real joy to see excited groups of people getting ready to head away on their adventures. 

“We take our responsibility to give everyone the best start to their holidays extremely seriously and our colleagues all over the airport are working hard to make sure our passengers get the best experience. 

“I’m happy to see that the vast majority of our passengers are queueing for just a few minutes before they get to security meaning they can get into the departure lounges and relax, whether that’s with a good meal, a drink or a bit of airport shopping.

“It’s particularly exciting this summer because many passengers are experiencing our new, award-winning Terminal 2 for the first time. Last month I cut the ribbon on the newest section of the Terminal and it’s great to see passengers using the new shops and cafes. 

“August is set to be another busy month here so if you’re due to travel we’re looking forward to welcoming you and are ready to provide a great start to your holiday.”

Holiday hotspots make up the majority of the month’s top destinations. Mallorca was the most popular with more than 116,000 people heading to the Balearic island. Dublin was the second most popular, boosted by large numbers of people using the Irish airport as a connecting hub, followed by Antalya in Turkey.

The top long-haul destinations for the month were Orlando, New York and Toronto.

July’s top ten destinations: 

1. Palma de Mallorca – 116,422 passengers 
2. Dublin – 96,426 passengers
3. Antalya – 95,321 passengers 
4. Alicante – 94,423 passengers
5. Dubai – 93,446 passengers
6. Amsterdam – 91,211 passengers 
7. Dalaman – 77,313 passengers
8. Tenerife – 76,869 passengers
9. Malaga – 66,383 passengers
10. Doha – 64,057 passengers  

Manchester Airport is in the final stages of its 10-year, £1.3billion transformation of Terminal 2. More than 70% of the airport’s passengers will use the new facilities and Terminal 1 is set to close when the project is completed later this year. 

Further shops and restaurants are expected to open later this year – including Chanel, Grindsmith by WH Smith, a Fever Tree cocktail and champagne bar, and the Great Northern Market – a food court with a selection of street food options. 

The finalised terminal will also include 13 new flexible aircraft stands and boarding gates, currently under construction, and a passageway linking the new security hall with the departure lounge will feature a chandelier installation, paying homage to the much-loved Venetian chandeliers that graced Terminal 1 in the 1980s and 1990s.   

More than 30 million passengers have already travelled through the terminal extension since it opened in 2021 and last year it claimed a prestigious, UNESCO-backed Prix Versailles award recognising its outstanding design.