Manchester Airport is now a two-terminal airport. Ryanair flies from Terminal 3 and every other airline flies from Terminal 2. The Terminal 1 departure lounge has closed, but Ryanair passengers still check in at the former Terminal 1 check-in hall, now called the Terminal 3 Departures entrance. The airport's own car parks now use P-numbers, from P1 to P16.
If you’re flying from Manchester Airport soon, it’s worth checking your terminal and your Manchester Airport parking before you leave. The airport’s made some big changes, and if you haven’t travelled through the airport in a while, things might look a bit different.
The biggest change is that Terminal 1 has closed as a terminal. Manchester Airport announced in March 2026 that it is now officially a two-terminal airport, which means all airlines now fly from Terminal 2 except Ryanair, which uses Terminal 3.
Part of the old Terminal 1 building is still in use, though. The Terminal 1 departure lounge has closed, but its check-in hall remains open for Ryanair passengers only. Manchester Airport now calls this the Terminal 3 Departures entrance (it was previously Terminal 1 Departures A). Ryanair passengers check in there, go through security and then walk through to the Terminal 3 departure lounge. There are no shops, cafés or restaurants open in the former Terminal 1, but the Escape Lounge in Terminal 1 & 3 is still open to Ryanair passengers.
So in most cases, if you’re heading to the airport, you’ll be going to Terminal 2. If you’re flying with Ryanair, you’ll need Terminal 3 instead. Airlines can change terminal, so it’s worth checking yours on Manchester Airport’s which terminal page before you travel.
That’s a pretty major change, especially for passengers who’ve used Terminal 1 for years and it will probably be wise to allow a little extra time next time you fly from the airport.
There’s also an important change for drivers. Manchester Airport has renamed its own car parks using a new numbered system, from P1 to P16. Independent car parks near the airport are not part of this numbering. It’s meant to make things clearer and easier to follow, but it does mean you should double check your booking before setting off, especially if you booked parking before the changes came in.
Manchester Airport lists the old and new names on its terminal and parking name changes page. To find out which terminal your car park serves, use the airport’s directions for that car park rather than the old name.
For travellers, the message is simple: don’t assume your usual terminal or car park is still the same.
Before you travel, it’s a good idea to check:
- which terminal your airline is now using
- which car park you’ve booked
- whether your parking name has changed to a new P-number
At Cheap Airport Parking, we’d always recommend giving your booking confirmation a quick read before you leave home. It only takes a minute, and it could save you a lot of stress when you arrive at the airport, remember, if it was issued before the car park names changed on 5 March 2026, it may still show the old name.
Manchester Airport says the changes are designed to make things simpler in the long run. But while everything beds in, a quick check of your terminal and parking details is definitely worth it.