Whether you live locally or are travelling a longer distance, it pays to have a plan for your arrival at Manchester airport. On this page, you can check the status of current flights or use the form on the right to find information on your own inbound flight. Having confirmed the time that you will arrive at the airport, you can then view our advice on picking up passengers and getting to your next destination by public transport.

How to get to Manchester airport by car

Because it’s just 20 minutes from central Manchester, the airport is easy to find. If you have agreed to pick somebody up from the airport you’ll still want to check your route in advance though, to avoid getting stuck in delayed traffic or taking a wrong turn.

Leave Manchester on the M56 motorway and switch onto the airport link road at Junction 5. The postcode for the general airport site is M90 1QX, and from there all of the terminals are clearly signposted.

You can find more information on parking at the terminals below, and specific driving details, by visiting our directions to Manchester airport page. We’ve also provided a map, which you can print off for your journey.

Stopping at the right terminal at Manchester airport

Manchester airport has three terminals, so you don’t want to end up waiting at the wrong one. All of the terminals have free pickup zones where you can quickly collect your passengers; you can discover how to find these zones below:

• Terminal 1 – Leave the M56 at Junction 5 and follow the signs for the terminal. Stick to the right-hand lane and go past the Hilton Hotel. Drive up the ramp to the left and enter the arrivals level of the car park, where you’ll find the pickup zone to the left.
• Terminal 2 – After leaving the M56 follow the signs to Terminal 2, keeping to the left-hand lane. Take the second exit at the roundabout and then the third exit at the next one – you’ll find the pickup point at street level.
• Terminal 3 – At Junction 15, leave the M56 and keep to the right-hand lane. Pass the Hilton Hotel and take the first exit at the roundabout. When you reach two smaller roundabouts, take the third and then second exits, and you’ll find the pickup point directly in front of the terminal.

If you use a free pick up zone you won’t be able to stay long, or to leave your car. If you think you’ll need a little longer, it costs £2.80 for a 30-minute stay in one of the multi-storey car parks close to the terminal building*.

What to do if you’re not being picked up

Manchester airport also has plenty of transport links to the city and surrounding area, so you can get where you need to in a quick and cost-effective way. Choose from the options below to complete your journey in style:

• Train. The Station at Manchester airport has train service links to more than 100 destinations in the north of England and beyond. You can get to the station using a Skylink moving walkway from the terminal, and tickets can be booked in advance to save money.
• Bus and coach. Local and regional buses run regularly to Manchester and other nearby locations. You can also pre-book coach travel to major UK cities as far afield as London and Edinburgh.
• Taxi. If you’d like the convenience of taxi travel you have two options. Arrow Cars taxis can be booked from desks at each arrivals terminal, while Black Cab taxis are available outside the terminals.