Car Hire at Manchester Airport

Best value car hire from top brands

Key facts for hiring a car at Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport

The third-busiest airport in the UK, Manchester Airport has three terminals.
Car Hire Pick up Point

The car rental Village is a free shuttle bus ride away.
Petrol Station

There is a petrol station on site near to Terminal 2, M90 4ZY.
Currency

Pound Sterling (GBP, £)
Not to be missed

The famous Chester Zoo is only 40 minutes away from the airport by car.

Hire a car at Manchester Airport

The ‘Capital of the North’, Manchester is an ever‑increasingly popular place to visit.

Manchester Airport is a short 20-minute drive from the city centre, so renting a car at the airport really does make sense.

Although its metropolitan area extends into Greater Manchester, the centre of Manchester is quite small and easy to get around. The locals are friendly, the music scene is great and there’s plenty of culture around.

Top rated suppliers at Manchester Airport

Arnold Clark

Average Rating 8.7 – “All staff were very helpful and friendly.”
Firefly

Average Rating 8.4 – “I thought the service from beginning to end was brilliant and I would highly recommend Firefly to all my friends and family.”
Enterprise

Average Rating 8.4 – “The bus from the airport to the car village was free. Enterprise were brilliant. Friendly, fast and efficient when both picking up and dropping the car off.”
Alamo

Average Rating 8.2 – “Really excellent service from all members of staff, very helpful, professional and friendly. I was also delighted with my free upgrade.”

Local knowledge

Airport Tips

Motorways
Manchester Airport is near to the M56 and M60 – which is useful for getting straight onto your onward journey. These roads can get very busy, so leave yourself plenty of time for returning your car and catching your flight.

Hotels
If your flight is leaving during a busy time of day, it may make sense to get a hotel at the airport the night before. There are many reasonably-priced hotels within the vicinity, including a Holiday Inn Express and a Hilton.

Express check in
Manchester Airport offers both Security FastTrack and Passport Control FastTrack. These cost £5, and help you save time at the airport. With some airlines there is also an option to check your bags the night before, which means you can avoid check-in queues.

Food and drink
Look into buying a pass for one of the lounges. They have food and drink included, so weigh up the cost against paying for airport restaurants and you might find it is better value for money.

City Tips

Weather
Be prepared for bitter winters and a fair amount of rain and wind. Wrap up warm!

Navigating the city
If you aren’t keen on driving in the city centre, park up on the outskirts and hop on a metroshuttle – it’s free! Manchester city centre is quite walkable, and many sights are in this area, so this is another way to go. Taxis are really expensive – avoid if you’re on a budget.

Attractions
Head to a visitor centre – there are plenty in the city. As well as advice, they will often offer discounts on activities and give you maps to help get around.

Food
If on a budget, the restaurants in Chinatown offer the best deals. There are also many green spaces to enjoy a picnic if the weather is good enough.

Museums
The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) is free to enter. Or, check out one of the world’s oldest public libraries; some of its books date back to the 13th century.

The ultimate Tenerife road trip

Manchester Airport MAN

Busy UK airport with good access to many major cities.
Car hire pick up point

Head to the Car Rental Village on the shuttle bus service which runs every ten minutes.
Chester – 53km

This once-Roman fortress boasts an amphitheatre, Britain’s oldest racecourse and plenty of history.
Llandudno – 75km

Picturesque Welsh seaside resort with traditional pier, popular with families.
Bangor – 34km

On Snowdonia’s doorstep, this university town is a great pitstop before hiking in the hills.
Holyhead – 40km

Anglesey-based town with lighthouse. A great base for exploring the island.