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British Airways to Move to Manchester Airport Terminal 2 in October
British Airways will relocate its Manchester operations to Terminal 2 from 7th October 2025, as part of the airport’s £1.3 billion transformation project.
At present, BA operates from Terminal 3 and flies only to Heathrow. BA will join many airlines that have already made the move, including Luxair, fellow IAG member Aer Lingus (read our news about their recent move here), and Oneworld partner Finnair.
The exact move date has been speculated for months. There have been subtle hints, such as Manchester’s parking system only allowing T2 bookings when flying BA (over the last few weeks) and even test flights showing on the T2 boards!
How The Switch Will Work
If you have a BA flight booked from 7th October onwards, BA should contact you directly to confirm the details, but Manchester Airport has confirmed that bookings will be automatically switched, including:
- Parking – If you’ve booked directly via MAG, you will be moved to a T2 car park at no extra charge. You will need to first fill out this form. You can read more about this on the website here.
- Lounges – If you’ve pre-booked a lounge, you will be switched to a T2 lounge or given a refund if a suitable alternative is not available. Again, you need to fill out this form.
- FastTrack – Any timeslots bought for T3 will be honoured
It has yet to be confirmed which T2 lounge BA will have access to. Options include the Aspire Lounge, Escape Lounge, and the 1903 Lounge.
In T2, you’ll also have access to self-service kiosks, faster security and better shopping, including designer shops, the LEGO ‘Store of the Future’ and even the Great Northern Market (a 472-seat food hall).
This is good news for the future. The reviews of flying with BA from T3 have been very negative recently, and we hope this move improves the experience.
Things will only get better! T2 has received excellent feedback so far, particularly regarding the range of shops and the extremely quick transition from arrival to being in the terminal. Once all the renovation work is completed, Terminal 2 is expected to host 70% of Manchester Airport passengers.
Virgin Upper Class Wing Remains Shut After System Outage
A week ago, Virgin Atlantic confirmed that a technical issue with an external provider had slowed down check-in, bag drop and boarding processes. As a result, the Upper Class Wing remains temporarily closed.
While flights have not been affected, he disruption has continued to affect ground handling at Heathrow.
Travelling Soon?
If you’re travelling in the next few days, prepare for the Upper Class Wing to still be closed. Here’s how things will be different:
- Arrival: Virgin is advising passengers to arrive EXACTLY 3 hours before. Earlier causes congestion and later causes delays! Instead of driving directly into the Wing, you’ll need to go through the main terminal drop-off zone. Remember, there’s a £6 fee for drop-offs!
- Check-in: Use the Upper Class check-in desks located in Terminal 3, Zone A. Virgin is strongly advising passengers to check in online.
- Security: The private security area remains open; however, you must enter it via the main terminal entrance after check-in.
This has dragged on far longer than expected and really downgrades the ground experience. We will update you once it reopens!
Act Fast – Virgin Trains Ticketing 1,000 Points Offer
Virgin is marking 200 years of the modern railway with a limited-time redemption bonus. Until 9th October 2025, the first 1,000 members who redeem 5,000 Virgin Red Points or more on a train ticket through Virgin Trains Ticketing will receive 1,000 points back.
5,000 points are worth £25 off your train ticket (0.5p per point), and you can transfer points interchangeably between the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red – and vice versa.
Due to the cap at 1,000, you’ll need to move quickly!
Better Value Redemptions with Virgin Atlantic
If you’re one of the winners, 1,000 points can be redeemed for things like a £5 gift card, £5 off a train ticket or transferred into your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club account for better value. Make sure you read our guide on how to spend Virgin Points for maximum value for more ideas.
If you spend on things like flights and cruises, you could get more value from your points. For example, after a quick search, I came across a flight to Orlando on 9th October with Economy Classic priced at £658 or 25,000 points + £226 tax (1.73 per point) or Premium priced at £2,441 or 45,000 points with £431 tax (4.47p per point).
Things to note
- The minimum redemption amount of 5,000 Virgin Points must be used in a single transaction; however, it can be part of a transaction that combines points and money.
- Points will be credited by 14th November 2025.
- You will also earn 1 Virgin Point per £1 spent on your ticket
Mark Plowright, spokesperson for Virgin Trains Ticketing, commented:
“This is a little thank you to everyone who chooses the train, whether it’s for their daily commute, a weekend escape, or a spontaneous adventure, because the rewards shouldn’t stop once your train leaves the station. So, if you’re heading to the seaside, the city, or just a couple of stops down the line, now’s the perfect time to turn your Virgin Points into train travel and let your journey pay you back.”
