Manchester Airport unveils first look at new Terminal 2 experience

With the £1.3 billion transformation programme of Terminal 2 set to complete later this year, Manchester Airport has unveiled a video preview of what passengers can expect to experience when travelling.

The first phase of the programme – an extension that doubled the size of Terminal 2 – opened in 2021 and has already received the UNESCO-backed Prix Versailles award for architecture and design. Since then, work to revamp the original part of the building, creating more space for seating, security, shops and restaurants and check-in has been ongoing and will open fully to the public later this year.

Last year, the airport announced the names of more than 20 new shops, cafes, restaurants and bars will be opening in the new part of the terminal – including a Chanel outlet, LEGO Store, the airport’s first Wetherspoon pub, a Fever-Tree bar and its new Great Northern Market – a dining experience featuring a range of street-food-style kitchens around a central eating area.

Now the airport has shared a first look at what passengers will experience when they use the new terminal via a fly-through video that augments computer generated imagery of parts of the terminal that are under construction with the parts that have been finished to show the full experience.

The video begins in the new check-in area then goes into the security hall, which will be fully equipped with state-of-the-art new scanning equipment. It then turns left and flies upstairs to the international departure lounge before going through a new World Duty Free store.

After that, it goes into the Boutique Mall area – which will be home to high-end brands like Chanel and Fever-Tree – before joining with the section of the terminal that has already opened and features the striking honeycomb light art installation.

At that point the camera turns and passes through what is currently a wall but will be opened out to lead into a high street-style shopping area that will be known as The Avenue. There passengers will find the new LEGO Store, the Great Northern Market, the new JD Wetherspoon pub and more.

Manchester Airport Managing Director Chris Woodroofe said:

“Everyone here at Manchester Airport feels proud to be able to connect the North to the world – and that’s why it’s so exciting for us to finally be able to share this video our passengers, so they can get a preview of what they’ll be able to experience here later on this year.

“Our transformation programme has been 10 years and £1.3bn in the making but now we’re in the final stages of finishing everything off to open it to the public later this year. There’s a huge amount of work going on all over the airport but this video shows that it will all be worth it.

“That work isn’t just limited to Terminal 2 either. We’re modernising our airfield, building a new road to improve access to the new terminal – and we’ll soon be able to say more about some work we’re doing in Terminal 3 too.”

The video fly-through is the latest milestone in the transformation project, which is coming to a conclusion after a decade. In that time, thousands of people have worked on the project – several hundred of whom were apprentices starting out their careers – while an independent report commissioned last year showed around 16,400 extra jobs will be generated by 2040 as a result of the economic activity stimulated by the expansion of the airport and its route network.

The same research – by York Aviation – revealed that Manchester Airport’s contribution to the Northern economy is expected to soar by nearly 80%, to £6.3bn by 2040 as a result of the full delivery of the transformation programme. A further £2.9bn boost will be triggered through the increased productivity of businesses travelling and trading globally through Manchester over the same period.

More than 35 million passengers have already used the Terminal Two extension – which received the prestigious UNESCO-backed Prix Versailles architecture award in 2023.

Last year, plans were announced to reinstate one of Terminal 1’s iconic chandeliers as part of an art installation. A public competition was held to choose the final design and the winner will be announced soon before it is installed near the security area in the new part of the Terminal.