Expanded airport terminal to open next year

A CGI impression of the Sporting Chance bar which will be the first part of the revamped Terminal 3 to open

Manchester Airport has announced parts of the newly expanded Terminal 3 building will open to passengers early next year.

Work is now under way on the multi-million revamp which includes plans for more seats, extra space, and new shops, alongside new security equipment.

The first part of the expanded terminal to open is expected to be a 469-seater sports bar called Sporting Chance, with views over the airfield.

The project follows a decade-long £1.3bn project to rebuild and expand Terminal 2, which will fully open before the end of the year.

The terminal will also include a new Italian restaurant

Opened in 1989, Terminal 3 mainly serves passengers travelling on domestic flights and short-haul journeys to Europe.

An airport spokesperson said Terminal 2 will become the airport's main terminal catering to 70% of passengers, allowing the closure of Terminal 1.

Chris Woodroofe, managing director of Manchester Airport, said: "Our plan is to take advantage of the extra space that will be afforded by the closure of Terminal 1 to really improve the experience for passengers who fly from [Terminal 3]."

The airport has also confirmed that Terminal 3 will include an Italian-themed restaurant called Terracotta, with both that and the Sporting Chance bar operated by HMSHost UK, part of the Avolta group.

More than 30 million passengers have already travelled through the Terminal 2 extension since it opened in 2021.

Last year it received the UNESCO-backed Prix Versailles award for outstanding design.