Manchester Airport has surpassed a major milestone by recording more than 30 million passengers travelling through its terminals in the last 12 months.
Reaching the milestone puts the airport on par with major international hubs as part of the so-called 30 Million Club, alongside 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 new routes added this year to destinations including Shanghai, Las Vegas and Casablanca helping the airport reach the 30 million passenger milestone.
More than 30.1 million 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.
In September itself 3.05 million 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.”
Joe Manning, Managing Director of MIDAS, Greater Manchester’s Inward Investment Agency, added:
“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.”
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