Manchester Airport records busiest ever month

August 2026 saw nearly 3.6 million passengers fly in or out of Manchester Airport, making it the airport’s busiest ever month.

The figure surpasses the previous record set in August last year of 3.4 million. Summer holiday hotspots, such as Palma, Alicante and Antalya, were among the most popular destinations as summer getaways were largely behind the record-breaking passenger numbers for the airport.

Despite the record numbers travelling, the vast majority of passengers (93%) waited for less than 10 minutes to get to security, with 99% waiting less than 15 minutes.

Looking ahead, September is also set to be another busy month, with Manchester Airport anticipating almost 3.5 million passengers travelling as holidaymakers take advantage of the ‘shoulder season’ when prices drop as children return to school.

Manchester Airport Managing Director Chris Woodroofe said:

 “Here at Manchester Airport we’re proud to connect the people of the North to the world – and that’s exactly what we’ve achieved this summer, with millions of passengers heading to the 200 destinations in our unrivalled route network.

“To cap it off with our busiest month on record is fantastic – and the fact we’ve done it while keeping waiting times low is a testament to the hard work of thousands of people doing jobs all over the airport.

“September is set to be another great month and I’m looking forward to welcoming passengers as they head on their travels.”