Manchester Airport confirms phased opening of Terminal 3 expansion in 2028
Terminal 3's departure lounge will grow by more than a third, with new features opening in stages from 2028 and Ryanair remaining its sole airline.
Manchester Airport’s multimillion-pound Terminal 3 expansion will open in stages from 2028. The airport has confirmed a ‘phased opening’ for the development, which will serve Ryanair passengers.
The departure lounge will grow by more than a third, adding around 2,000 square metres. Plans include higher ceilings to let in more daylight, additional shops and a wider walkway between security and departures.
Ryanair will remain the terminal’s only airline. The expansion will use space released by the closure of Terminal 1.
Restaurant opening before the expansion
Italian restaurant Terracotta is due to open in November. Further retailers will be named later, with the airport planning a ‘competitive tender’ for shops in the expanded terminal.
Sporting Chance, a sports bar seating 470 people, opened in March. It occupies an upstairs space formerly used for private lounges and a viewing area, with views across the airfield.
A new entrance and security area have also opened using former Terminal 1 space. Trattoria Milano, The Lion and the Antelope, The Hangar, Kiosco and Pork & Pickle have closed.
Part of the wider airport redevelopment
The Terminal 3 work follows the £1.5 billion redevelopment of Terminal 2. An extension opened in 2021, doubling that terminal’s size, before the original building was refurbished.
Terminal 1 closed in March, with its airline operations transferred to Terminal 2 apart from Ryanair, which operates exclusively from Terminal 3.
Airport bosses considered changing Terminal 3’s name to Terminal 1. They retained the existing name because of infrastructure issues, including signs and road markings.
