Manchester Airport officially joins 30 Million Club after record-breaking year
· 30.1m passengers passed through Manchester Airport in the last 12 months
· Reaching the milestone puts Manchester on a level with some of the biggest airports in the world – and has been welcomed by airlines, tourism leaders and others
· September was another record-breaking month for the airport – the 12th in a row
· And 93% of September passengers got to security in under 10 minutes
Manchester Airport has reached a major milestone by recording 30m passengers in a year – putting it alongside some of the biggest airports in the world.
Reaching the milestone puts Manchester Airport in the so-called “30 Million Club” alongside major international airports like La Guardia, in New York, Melbourne Airport, in Australia, Hamad International Airport, in Doha, and Sabia Gokcen International Airport, in Istanbul.
Manchester boasts the most extensive route network of any UK airport outside London, with more than 200 destinations served – including several added in the last year like Shanghai with Juneyao Air, Las Vegas with Virgin Atlantic and Casablanca with Royal Air Maroc. The new routes have have proved popular, helping the airport reach the 30m passenger milestone.
More than 30.1m passengers flew into or out of Manchester Airport between the end of September 2023 and the end of September 2024. During that period the airport set monthly records in each individual month, paving the way to reach the 30m mark.
In September itself 3.05m passengers passed through the airport – up 8% on September 2023 – and 93% of those passengers waited less than 10 minutes to get to security.
Manchester Airport Managing Director Chris Woodroofe said:
“We’re proud to connect the North to the world - whether that’s for holidays, to see family and friends or for business – and breaking through the 30m passenger barrier tells us we are giving people across the region great access to the places they want to travel to.
“It cements our position as the UK’s global gateway in the North – the biggest airport outside London – and means we are rubbing shoulders with some of the best-known airports across Europe and the world. That means greater choice, value and flexibility for the people and businesses of the North.
“Hitting this milestone comes at a really exciting time, with our transformation programme set to be fully complete next year. It means we’ll be welcoming passengers to an airport that rivals any in major capitals around Europe in its all-around look and feel, service, facilities and the destinations it serves.
“I’m proud of everything we’ve achieved in the last 12 months. We’ve had our busiest year yet but at the same time over 98% of our passengers waited less than 15 minutes to get to security. We’ve also been given a good rating by the Civil Aviation Authority for the service we provide to disabled passengers and seen more than 80% of our passengers tell us the service they receive from us is good, very good or excellent.
“I want to thank all my colleagues and partners across the whole airport and, of course, our passengers. Joining the 30 Million Club gives us a great platform to build on and I’m excited to see everything the next 12 months bring.”
Airlines, tourist destinations, trade bodies and more have all welcomed the news that Manchester Airport has recorded 30m passengers in a year.
Victoria Braddock, Managing Director at Marketing Manchester, said:
“Manchester Airport’s record 30 million passengers over the last twelve months reflects the growing appeal of Greater Manchester as a visitor destination.
“Manchester Airport plays a vital role in connecting the region to destinations across the world and is a key driver to positioning Greater Manchester as a global Gateway to the North.
“This milestone highlights the opportunity to grow the visitor economy, which has continued to thrive and recover in recent years, welcoming international visitors from a wide range of destinations.”
Joe Manning, Managing Director of MIDAS, Greater Manchester's Inward Investment Agency, said:
"Manchester Airport's record-breaking passenger numbers are a testament to the region's growing status as a global business destination. The increase in routes and connectivity has been instrumental in securing major international investments, including Roku, Safety Culture, S&P Global and BNY Mellon.
"The airport's direct routes to key global markets, particularly the strengthened connections to North America and Asia and frequent daily flights to areas of Europe have been a factor for many companies choosing Greater Manchester as their UK base.
“With over 200 destinations now accessible from Manchester, we're seeing increased interest from international businesses who value the ability to connect easily with their global operations. The connectivity, combined with our world-class talent pool, makes Greater Manchester exceptionally well placed to attract further inward investment.”
Manchester Airport’s most popular destinations during September were:
1. Palma de Mallorca – 105,987
2. Dalaman (Turkey) – 89,919
3. Dubai – 89,269
4. Antalya (Turkey) – 89,269
5. Amsterdam – 88,697
6. Alicante – 87,079
7. Dublin – 84,876
8. Tenerife – 78,330
9. Malaga – 63,727
10. Faro (Portugal) – 58,596
Manchester Airport’s transformation programme will be completed in 2025. When it is finished more than 70% of its passengers will use the brand-new Terminal 2. The first half of the new Terminal opened in 2021 and the second is on track to open next year.
Last month airport announced a range of new shops and food and drink outlets – including a dedicated Chanel beauty outlet, a Lego Store, Pandora, a JD Wetherspoon pub and the Great Northern Market Hall - that will operate in the second phase of Terminal 2.
As part of the project Terminal 1 will close and the number of airlines operating from Terminal 3 will be reduced to make the new terminal the heartbeat of the airport. A number of airlines have already moved from Terminals 1 and 3 and more will move over the coming months.
