Private jet to Manchester

Manchester is the largest business centre in the north of England and home to two Premier League clubs, Manchester United at Old Trafford and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Private flights here are shorter and more varied than they look: football weekends and Champions League nights, meetings with the media companies of MediaCityUK in Salford and the law and finance firms in the centre, concerts at Co-op Live, and weekends in the Cheshire villages south of the airport.

All business jets land at Manchester Airport in Ringway, about 15 km south of the city centre. It is the busiest airport in the UK outside London, works 24 hours a day and has two parallel runways of more than 3,000 m, so any aircraft from a very light jet to a VIP airliner can use it. Private passengers pass through the Signature terminal on the south side, with border control and customs in the building. We work as a broker: operators across Europe offer the aircraft, and our quote covers the flight, the slot and the car for the whole group.

Send the route, the date, the match or meeting time and the number of passengers, and a consultant will reply with aircraft options and the price.

What brings private flyers to the north-west

Flight times to Manchester

Block times for a Citation CJ3 as shown in the price tables, taxi, climb and descent included:

• London Farnborough: 0:51 h, Dublin: 0:52 h
• Amsterdam: 1:11 h, Brussels: 1:15 h
• Paris Le Bourget: 1:19 h, 588 km
• Hamburg: 1:38 h, Frankfurt: 1:39 h
• Geneva: 1:53 h, Zurich: 1:54 h
• Munich: 2:04 h, Milan Linate: 2:11 h, Nice: 2:17 h
• Madrid: 2:29 h, Vienna: 2:30 h

The city lies about 250 km further north-west than London, so flights from the Continent take up to about 20 minutes longer than to the capital. From Larnaca, almost 3,500 km away, only the Challenger 350 in the main table flies non-stop, in 4:50 h. From New York the Global 7500 needs 6:28 h, and from Dubai 6:48 h.

Prices for private flights to Manchester

Each figure is a one-way price for the whole aircraft, assuming one is available near the departure airport; handling, airport fees and passenger taxes come on top in the quote. The time column shows the light jet, or the first aircraft that can fly the route without a stop.

From London, Dublin and the European hubs

London and Dublin are the shortest sectors at EUR 8,000 in a CJ3. The London row is a UK domestic flight, which only a UK operator may fly. From Munich, Milan or Nice a Challenger 350 costs EUR 19,000-20,000, so for a group of four the light jet is the obvious choice.

From Scotland, Scandinavia and southern Europe

This table starts with the Citation M2. Its take-off weight is under 5.7 t, so its passengers pay no Air Passenger Duty when leaving the UK, which helps on a short domestic hop such as Edinburgh. The Praetor 600 adds a stand-up cabin for ten.

Non-stop from Israel, the Gulf and New York

With 3,050 m of runway, long-range jets leave fully fuelled, and the routes below are non-stop in every column:

Flight hours drive the fare; positioning the aircraft and crew to the departure airport adds a fixed part. The tax on the way in belongs to the departure country. A jet from France pays about EUR 420 per passenger, Austria takes EUR 12 per passenger, Italy EUR 100 per passenger on sectors up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 on longer ones, and German and Dutch airports have departure taxes too. Inbound flights pay no British tax, but every departure from a UK airport, domestic flights included, pays Air Passenger Duty, unless the aircraft weighs less than 5.7 t; jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher rate, other jets the standard rate of their band. The amounts are in the quote.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Sample trips and their full cost

Cost per passenger

The aircraft is booked as a whole, so the cost per seat drops as more people travel. Passenger taxes come on top:

Quick estimate

The calculator gives a first figure for your own route and group size; write the match or meeting time in the comment field.

Manchester Airport and the alternatives

Manchester Airport (MAN, EGCC) at Ringway has two parallel runways, 05L/23R of 3,048 m and 05R/23L of 3,050 m. It is open 24 hours, but between 22:00 and 06:00 only one runway is in use, and planned night work on it can move a late departure. The airport is slot-coordinated and very busy with airline traffic, and every private flight needs a slot and a handling agent; on big match weekends and in school holidays we request both as soon as the booking is confirmed.

Private jets park at the Signature business aviation centre on the south side of the airfield, away from the passenger terminals. The terminal has border control, customs, a passenger lounge and crew facilities, and it is staffed 06:00-22:00 local time; later arrivals and departures are handled on request. The airport also sells a private terminal service to airline passengers, which is a different product: a business jet itinerary always names Signature.

Liverpool, Leeds Bradford and other airports

Liverpool John Lennon, on the Mersey south-east of Liverpool, is the usual alternative when Manchester has no slot or when the programme is in Liverpool, at Anfield or on the Wirral. For Leeds, Harrogate and the Yorkshire Dales, Leeds Bradford is closer across the Pennines. City Airport Manchester at Barton has only grass runways, so jets cannot land there, but helicopters use it as the city's heliport. Distances in the table are straight-line from the city centre:

Aircraft for matchdays, meetings and groups

For four supporters on a weekend trip, very light jets and light jets keep the cost lowest. A team or a group of 15-20 needs a VIP airliner, which the two long runways accept. On a night return after a midweek match, a midsize or super midsize cabin makes the flight home easier, and the crew plan matters more than the aircraft.

Questions about slots, crew hours or the aircraft? A consultant can call you back to talk them through.

Football and events calendar

The Premier League runs from August to May, and kick-off times change when matches are moved for television. These recurring dates fill slots, parking and hotels:

The north-west has a mild, wet climate. In winter, fog, rain or strong wind can delay a flight, and the operator always files an alternate airport; we warn the driver if the landing moves to Liverpool.

From the airport to the stadiums and the city

Empty Legs to and from Manchester

An Empty Leg is a sector the aircraft has to fly anyway, for example after dropping passengers or on the way to collect the next group, and the operator sells it at a reduced price. Directions that come up regularly:

The operator fixes the date and the time, so an Empty Leg fits a flexible plan rather than a fixed kick-off. Send the direction and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we pass on matching flights when they appear.

Travelling with a dog or cat

On a private flight the dog or cat sits in the cabin with you, and the operator must accept the animal in advance. Great Britain sets its own rules:

• Microchip first, then the rabies vaccination; a vaccination given before the chip has to be repeated.
• First rabies vaccination at least 21 days before arrival.
• EU pet passport for animals from the EU.
• Tapeworm treatment for dogs by a vet 1-5 days before landing, with date and time entered in the passport; cats and ferrets are exempt.
• Up to five animals per person; above that, or when the animal travels more than five days before or after its owner, stricter rules apply.
• Entry only by an approved route: the operator and the arrival airport must both be approved for pets. Arrivals from Ireland are exempt from this requirement. Manchester is on the government list of approved arrival airports, but each operator's approval names its own airports.

Passports, ETA, customs and taxes

Checklist before the flight

• Passport for every passenger and an approved ETA where needed.
• Final passenger list with passport numbers, including late changes.
• Match or meeting time, and whether the group returns the same night.
• Pick-up point near the stadium agreed with the driver.
• Number of bags, golf bags or equipment cases.
• Dog travelling: pet passport with chip and rabies entries, tapeworm treatment within 1-5 days of landing.
• Invoice details: company name and VAT number.

Booking step by step

1. Tell us the route, the date, the match or meeting time, the number of passengers and the planned return, the same night or later.
2. We check the slot, the night opening of the terminal and the crew's duty time, and suggest Liverpool if Manchester has no slot.
3. You then get two to four offers, each naming the operator and the model, with cabin photos and the full price including waiting time or a night stop.
4. Once the contract is signed and paid, we gather passports and ETA numbers and book the driver to the stadium or hotel.
5. Be at Signature about half an hour before departure; the car goes right up to the aircraft.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Private flights to Manchester: questions and answers

• • How much does a private jet to Manchester cost?

  • From EUR 8,000 one way for the whole aircraft from London or Dublin in a Citation CJ3, or from Edinburgh in a Citation M2. From Paris a CJ3 costs EUR 9,500, and taxes are added in the quote.

• • Can we fly home on the night of an evening match?

  • Often yes: the airport is open 24 hours and Signature opens after 22:00 on request. What decides is the crew's duty time, so the aircraft may need to arrive later in the day or the group stays overnight.

• • Which terminal do private jets use?

  • The Signature business aviation centre on the south side of the airport, with border control and customs inside. The airport's private terminal for airline passengers is a different service.

• • How far is the airport from Old Trafford and the Etihad?

  • Old Trafford is on the same side of the city, a short drive on the M60. The Etihad lies east of the centre, so the drive is longer, and the Metrolink tram is an alternative after the match.

• • How long is the flight from Amsterdam?

  • 1:11 h in a Citation CJ3 and about 1:07 h in a midsize or super midsize jet. Clocks in Manchester are one hour behind Amsterdam.

• • Is a slot easy to get on a big match weekend?

  • The airport is slot-coordinated and busy with airline traffic, so we request the slot and parking as soon as the flight is booked. If Manchester is full, we plan Liverpool John Lennon, about 43 km west of the city centre.

• • Do I need a passport and an ETA?

  • Yes. ID cards are not accepted for most EU visitors, and EU and US citizens need an approved ETA, also on a private flight.

• • Which tax is paid when leaving Manchester?

  • Air Passenger Duty per passenger. Very light jets under 5.7 t, such as the Citation M2, are exempt; most jets pay the standard rate, and those of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats the higher rate.

• • Can my dog travel in the cabin?

  • Yes, if the operator and the arrival airport are approved for pets. The dog needs a microchip, rabies vaccination, pet passport and tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before landing.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Manchester?

  • Yes, mainly from London, Dublin and Edinburgh, and after away fixtures on the Continent. Tell us the direction and the dates at empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • How early should we book for the Grand National or a European night?

  • Two to three weeks ahead, because aircraft, helicopters and parking in the north-west run short in those weeks. For a league match, book once the kick-off time is confirmed.