Why go
- City and metropolitan borough in England.
- Served by Manchester Airport (MAN).
History
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in North West England, at the centre of the eponymous county of Greater Manchester. It had a population of over 589,000 in 2024. It borders the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the city of Salford to the west. The two cities and the surrounding towns form one of the United Kingdom's most populous conurbations, the Greater Manchester Built-up Area, which has a population of 2.87 million.
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 50 airlines, 146 direct destinations
- Transavia France TO (737-800, 75W, 76W, 787-8) · 41 routes: Agadir, Alicante, Almeria, Amilcar Cabral, Antalya, Arrecife, Boa Vista, Bodrum, Cancun, Catania, Dalaman, Dubrovnik, Enfidha, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Heraklion, Hurghada, Ibiza, Izmir, Kerkyra/corfu, Kos, Larnaca, Malaga, Marrakech, Menorca, Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Preveza, Pula, Punta Cana, Reus, Rhodos, Sharm El Sheikh, Tenerife, Thira, Venice, Villafranca … +1 more
- Ryanair FR (737-800) · 36 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Barcelona, Beauvais, Bergamo, Beziers, Bologna, Bremen, Budapest, Charleroi, Dublin, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gdansk, Gerona, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Kerkyra/corfu, Krakow, Lisbon, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Reus, Riga, Rome, Rygge, Rzeszow, Tallinn-ulemiste International, Tenerife, Trapani, Valencia, Warsaw, Zadar
- Jet2.com LS (737-300, 737-800, 75W, 737-800, 757-200) · 35 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Barcelona, Bodrum, Budapest, Dalaman, Dubrovnik, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Heraklion, Ibiza, Jersey, Kos, Larnaca, Malaga, Menorca, Murcia, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Paris, Pisa, Prague, Pula, Reus, Rhodos, Rome, Split, Tenerife, Toulouse, Venice, Vienna, Zakynthos
- easyJet U2 (A320, A319) · 32 routes: Alicante, Amsterdam, Antalya, Athens, Belfast, Berlin, Bilbao, Catania, Copenhagen, Dalaman, Geneva, Hamburg, Heraklion, Keflavik, Kerkyra/corfu, Malaga, Malta, Marrakech, Moscow, Mulhouse, Munich, Mykonos, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Prague, Sharm El Sheikh, Sofia, Tel-aviv, Tenerife, Thessaloniki, Thira, Venice
- Monarch Airlines ZB (A321, A320, 757-200, A330-200) · 25 routes: Agadir, Alicante, Almeria, Antalya, Arrecife, Barcelona, Bodrum, Dalaman, Dubrovnik, Enfidha, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gibraltar, Gran Canaria, Hurghada, Larnaca, Malaga, Menorca, Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Sharm El Sheikh, Tenerife, Venice, Villafranca
- Thomsonfly BY (737-800, 75W, 76W) · 19 routes: Agadir, Amilcar Cabral, Arrecife, Boa Vista, Cancun, Dalaman, Enfidha, Gran Canaria, Hurghada, Larnaca, Malta, Marrakech, Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Punta Cana, Rhodos, Sharm El Sheikh, Tenerife
- Flybe BE (Dash 8-400, Embraer 175, D38) · 18 routes: Aberdeen, Belfast, Connaught, Duesseldorf, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Hannover, Inverness, Isle Of Man, Jersey, Milano, Nantes, Newquai, Norwich*, Paris, Southampton, Waterford
- Thomas Cook Airlines MT (A321, A330-200, 757-300, 767-300, 757-200) · 16 routes: Antalya, Arrecife, Bodrum, Cancun, Cunagua, Dalaman, Enfidha, Gran Canaria, Hurghada, Larnaca, Las Vegas, Malta, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Sharm El Sheikh, Tenerife
- Condor Flugdienst DE (330, 757, A320) · 11 routes: Arrecife*, Cancun*, Fuerteventura, Hewandorra*, Ibiza, Las Vegas*, Montego Bay*, Orlando*, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Zakynthos
- British Airways BA (FRJ, A319, A320, A321, 757, 767-300…) · 6 routes: Billund*, Chicago*, Gothenborg*, Helsinki*, London, New York*
- Virgin Atlantic Airways VS (747-400, A320, 76W, 777-300ER) · 6 routes: Atlanta*, Bridgetown, Las Vegas, London*, Munich*, Orlando
- American Airlines AA (A319, A320, A321, A330-200, 757, 767-300…) · 5 routes: Chicago, Helsinki*, London*, New York, Philadelphia
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (A319, A320, A321, 737-300, 757-200, CRJ-900…) · 4 routes: Duesseldorf*, Frankfurt, Munich, Newark*
- Scandinavian Airlines System SK (736, 717, A319, A320, A321, 737-800…) · 4 routes: Bergen, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm
- US Airways US (A330-200, A330-300, 757, 767-300) · 4 routes: Chicago, Doha, New York, Philadelphia
- Aer Lingus EI (ATR 72, A320, AT4) · 3 routes: Cork*, Dublin, Shannon*
- Air France AF (A320, A321, 76W, Embraer 175, Dash 8-400) · 3 routes: Atlanta*, Nantes*, Paris
- Air Transat TS (330, 310) · 3 routes: Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver
- Delta Air Lines DL (747-400, 76W) · 3 routes: Atlanta, Las Vegas*, Orlando*
- Finnair AY (757, 767-300, Embraer 190) · 3 routes: Chicago*, Helsinki*, New York*
- Iberia Airlines IB (A319, A320, A321, 757, 767-300) · 3 routes: Chicago*, London*, New York*
- Norwegian Air Shuttle DY (737-800) · 3 routes: Oslo, Stavanger, Stockholm
- Pakistan International Airlines PK (777) · 3 routes: Islamabad, Lahore, New York
- Germanwings 4U (A319, CRJ) · 2 routes: Cologne, Hamburg
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (737, EMJ, F70, 76W) · 2 routes: Amsterdam, Atlanta*
- Thai Airways International TG (A320, 717, 736, CRJ-900, 737-800) · 2 routes: Copenhagen*, Stockholm*
- Aegean Airlines A3 (A320) · 1 route: Athens
- Air Malta KM (A320) · 1 route: Malta
- Air Sicilia BM (ERJ-145) · 1 route: Aberdeen
- Alitalia AZ (A320, A321) · 1 route: Paris*
- Aurigny Air Services GR (ATR 72) · 1 route: Guernsey
- Brussels Airlines SN (A319, AR1, Dash 8-400) · 1 route: Brussels
- Egyptair MS (737-800) · 1 route: Cairo
- Emirates EK (A380, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Dubai
- Etihad Airways EY (A330-200, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Abu Dhabi
- Icelandair FI (75W) · 1 route: Keflavik
- Libyan Arab Airlines LN (A320) · 1 route: Tripoli
- Nas Air XY (330) · 1 route: Jeddah
- Olympic Airlines OA (A320) · 1 route: Athens*
- Qantas QF (A380, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Dubai*
- Qatar Airways QR (A330-200, A330-300) · 1 route: Doha
- Saudi Arabian Airlines SV (777) · 1 route: Jeddah
- Singapore Airlines Cargo SQ (777-300ER) · 1 route: Munich
- South African Airways SA (A319) · 1 route: Munich*
- Swiss International Air Lines LX (Fokker 100, A320, AR1) · 1 route: Zurich
- TAP Portugal TP (A319, A320) · 1 route: Lisbon
- Transaero Airlines UN (A330-300) · 1 route: London
- Turkish Airlines TK (A321) · 1 route: Istanbul
- United Airlines UA (757-200) · 1 route: Newark
- Virgin Australia VA (777-300ER) · 1 route: Munich*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Regional airports
Further out, but often the cheapest way in — the airports the low-cost carriers use. Each links to its own town's guide for getting from there into the city.
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 10 airlines, 57 direct destinations
- Ryanair FR (737-800) · 37 routes: Alicante, Almeria, Arrecife, Barcelona, Bergamo, Bergerac, Berlin, Carcassonne, Chania, Connaught, Cork, Dinard, Dublin, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gerona, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Kerkyra/corfu, Krakow, La Rochelle, Limoges, Malaga, Menorca, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Pisa, Reus, Rhodos, Riga, Rome, Rzeszow, Tenerife, Treviso, Valencia, Warsaw, Wroclaw
- Jet2.com LS (737-300, 737-800) · 20 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Bodrum, Budapest, Dalaman, Dubrovnik, Faro, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Heraklion, Ibiza, Malaga, Menorca, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Paris, Prague, Rhodos, Tenerife
- Transavia France TO (737-800) · 13 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Dalaman, Enfidha, Faro, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Larnaca, Menorca, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Rhodos, Tenerife
- Monarch Airlines ZB (A321) · 7 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Faro, Malaga, Malta, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife
- Flybe BE (Dash 8-400) · 5 routes: Amsterdam, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey
- Thomas Cook Airlines MT (A321) · 5 routes: Arrecife, Dalaman, Enfidha, Fuerteventura, Tenerife
- Thomsonfly BY (737-800) · 5 routes: Arrecife, Enfidha, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Tenerife
- Air Sicilia BM (ER3) · 1 route: Brussels
- Aurigny Air Services GR (ATR 72) · 1 route: Guernsey
- Eastern Airways T3 (J41) · 1 route: Aberdeen
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 13 airlines, 51 direct destinations
- Jet2.com LS (737-300, 737-800, 757-200, 75W) · 32 routes: Alicante, Amsterdam, Arrecife, Barcelona, Bodrum, Budapest, Dalaman, Dubrovnik, Duesseldorf, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Heraklion, Ibiza, Jersey, Kos, Larnaca, Malaga, Menorca, Murcia, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Paris, Pisa, Prague, Rhodos, Rome, Tenerife, Venice, Zakynthos
- Ryanair FR (737-800) · 22 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Bergamo, Chania, Dublin, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gdansk, Gerona, Ibiza, Kerkyra/corfu, Kos, Krakow, Limoges, Malaga, Malta, Montpellier, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Pisa, Tenerife, Treviso
- Monarch Airlines ZB (A320) · 11 routes: Antalya, Arrecife, Barcelona, Bodrum, Dalaman, Faro, Heraklion, Larnaca, Menorca, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife
- Transavia France TO (737-800) · 4 routes: Dalaman, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife
- Eastern Airways T3 (J41) · 2 routes: Aberdeen, Southampton
- Flybe BE (Dash 8-400, Saab 340) · 2 routes: Belfast, Glasgow*
- Alitalia AZ (F70) · 1 route: Amsterdam*
- American Airlines AA (A319) · 1 route: London*
- British Airways BA (A319) · 1 route: London
- Iberia Airlines IB (A319) · 1 route: London*
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (F70, EMJ) · 1 route: Amsterdam*
- Pakistan International Airlines PK (310) · 1 route: Islamabad
- Scandinavian Airlines System SK (CRJ-900) · 1 route: Copenhagen
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 4 airlines, 48 direct destinations
- Ryanair FR (737-800) · 33 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Barcelona, Bergerac, Bratislava, Carcassonne, Connaught, Cork, Dublin, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Kos, Krakow, Limoges, Londonderry, Malaga, Malta, Nimes, Palma de Mallorca, Pisa, Porto, Poznan, Reus, Rhodos, Sandefjord, Shannon, Szczecin, Tenerife, Vilnius, Warsaw, Wroclaw
- easyJet U2 (A319, A320) · 22 routes: Alicante, Amsterdam, Arrecife, Barcelona, Belfast, Berlin, Bodrum, Faro, Fuerteventura, Geneva, Isle Of Man, Jersey, Krakow, Larnaca, Lisbon, Madrid, Malaga, Naples, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Rhodos
- Wizz Air W6 (A320) · 2 routes: Gdansk, Warsaw
- Flybe BE (Dash 8-400) · 1 route: Isle Of Man
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Manchester Airport (MAN). Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: MAN has direct flights to 146 destinations on 50 airlines (incl. Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Arrecife, Paphos, Dalaman…). By water: 2 ferry terminals within 12 mi (nearest: Manchester River Cruises Ralli Quay, 0.5 mi).
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Manchester, England. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Trains & rail
Coaches & shuttles
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.