Car Rental at Manchester Airport

Airport travel guide

A former industrial hotspot, Manchester has reinvented itself as a modern metropolis. As known for its distinct neighborhoods as it is for great museums, the city offers plenty for any curious traveler. Manchester is also near a surprising amount of beautiful natural areas that can be easily accessed with a car. These are four of the most interesting attractions in and around this great northern city:

• Curry Mile. While not strictly living up to its name -— it is only about half a mile (or 800 m) long and has a lot more than just curry — visiting this stretch of the Wilmslow Road in the central Rusholme area can be one of the most interesting gastronomic adventures in all of Britain. Mainly known for offering the whole diversity of the food from the Indian subcontinent, the area has also become a hotspot of culinary delights from the Middle East. It’s thought to have the largest concentration of South Asian restaurants in the UK. Manchester is home to one of the largest Chinatowns in Europe, and the city is also a dream destination for all East Asian food lovers.
• Imperial War Museum North. Opened in the 2000s and located in one of the most futuristic buildings of the city, the IWM North explores not just the conflicts that the United Kingdom has been involved in during the last couple of centuries but the wider societal and psychological consequences of these wars. Interactive and inventive, the museum has an impressive archive of written, artistic, audial, visual, and other sources arranged in a number of interesting exhibitions. Visit the museum’s website to book advance tickets and receive free admission. The IVM North is in the Trafford area of Greater Manchester, about a 20-minute drive southwest of the city center. It’s also located near other interesting sites like the Lowry cultural center and MediaCityUK development.
• Manchester Museum. Managed by the University of Manchester and located in a beautiful neo-Gothic building on Oxford Road, the museum bearing the city’s name is one of the most interesting attractions in Manchester. Established in the 1860s, the museum is dedicated to the topics of natural history, archaeology, and anthropology and welcomes nearly half a million visitors every year.
• Lake District. A large nature area and a national park, the greenery of the Lake District holds a special place in the public imagination of British society. Consequently, the area can be quite busy, especially during the holiday season, but that shouldn’t stop you from making the 80-minute drive north. It’s the most visited national park in the UK. Characterized by scenic villages, equally impressive lakes, and a myriad of hiking routes, the area is a joy to explore.

Top international routes

• Dublin
• Amsterdam
• London
• Alicante
• Paris
• Tenerife
• Belfast
• Geneva
• Antalya
• Frankfurt

Main airlines

Many other low-cost airlines have flights to and from Manchester Airport including Ryanair, easyJet, and Jet2.com. Many other airlines provide service to and from many destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

Terminals

There are three passenger terminals. You can get between Terminals 1 and 2 via a skybridge with a moving walkway. A covered walkway links Terminal 3 to Terminal 1. While there is no specific domestic or international terminal, most long-distance flights from the Middle East, Asia, and North America arrive at Terminal 2.

Location

Manchester Airport is about 14 km (8.7 miles) from the city. Motorway M56 / Princess Parkway is the main road connecting the airport to Manchester.

It also takes just an hour to drive to either Peak District National Park or Liverpool.

Most popular types of rental car

• Small cars - from €16 per day
• Medium cars - from €16 per day
• SUVs - from €17 per day
• Large cars - from €28 per day
• Station wagons - from €24 per day
• Vans - from €47 per day
• Premium cars - from €50 per day

Car rental desks

Avis, Sixt, Europcar, Keddy, Enterprise, Interrent, Goldcar, Rhodium, National, and Alamo are located in the Car Rental Village located on Ringway Road right next to the airport. A free shuttle bus takes renter there from the airport every ten minutes.

Green Motion, Easirent, Ace, Arnold Clark all have off-airport locations and provide sperate shuttle services for their customers.

Services and facilities

You’ll find a wide selection of restaurants, bars, cafés, and fast food stands in both terminals. There’s also a grocery store. For shopping, there are many stores and gift shops, as well as duty-free outlets accessible to passengers traveling outside the EU. You’ll also find ATMs, several lounges, an on-site hotel, baby changing rooms, a children’s play area, a pharmacy, spa, showers, and multifaith prayer rooms. There are luggage storage offices in the arrivals area of both terminals. Manchester Airport is accessible to passengers with reduced mobility. You can find more information on the airport's official website.

Nearest gas station

The best station at which to fill up before returning a rental car is a Shell station located on Styal Road. If coming from the M56, it requires a circle of a couple of miles, but there is no station located directly on the way to the airport. The station is more convenient if coming from the Manchester Airport Eastern Link on the Winslow-Handforth Bypass.

Popular one-way rentals

• London (323 km / 201 miles)
• Liverpool (57 km / 36 miles)
• Preston (66km / 41 miles)
• Burnley (66km / 41 miles)
• Telford (106km / 66 miles)
• Blackburn (66km / 41 miles)
• Bolton (32km / 20 miles)
• Lancaster (95km / 59 miles)
• Blackpool (92km / 57 miles)
• Barrow-in-Furness (172 km / 107 miles)
• Edinburgh (359km / 223 miles)