Manchester Airport Smashes Asia Travel Record as Lunar New Year Sparks Surge
More than half a million passengers have just rewritten the record books at Manchester Airport and the surge is being driven by one powerful force, the growing demand for direct flights to East and Southeast Asia.
In 2025 alone, over 520,000 people traveled between Manchester and key Asian destinations. That is not just a modest increase. It is a dramatic leap from the previous year’s record of 363,000 and nearly five times higher than the numbers seen just over a decade ago. Back in 2013, fewer than 100,000 passengers were flying directly from Manchester to the region. Today, the scale of growth is impossible to ignore.
What makes this especially significant is that Manchester Airport is now the only UK airport outside London offering direct connections to all five major hubs, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok. Airlines including Hainan Airlines and Juneyao Air have expanded their services to China, with as many as three flights a day now operating between Manchester and Chinese cities. Singapore Airlines continues its long-standing link to Singapore, marking four decades of service, while Norse Atlantic has introduced Manchester’s first-ever direct flight to Bangkok. Cathay Pacific also maintains strong links to Hong Kong.
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This boom comes as the airport celebrates Lunar New Year, lighting up its iconic honeycomb structure in red and gold, reflecting both cultural celebration and commercial momentum. For many travelers, these routes are about reconnecting with family, exploring business opportunities, or experiencing some of the world’s most vibrant cities during one of Asia’s biggest festivals.
But this story goes beyond holiday travel. It signals a shift in global connectivity. Northern England is strengthening its direct ties with Asia’s fastest-growing economies. That means more trade, more tourism and more investment flowing both ways. It also reduces the need for passengers to transit through London or European hubs, saving time and reshaping travel patterns across the UK.
Airport leaders say they are not stopping here. There is active work underway to expand routes further into Asia, responding to what they describe as strong and sustained demand.
The message is clear. Manchester is no longer just a regional airport. It is becoming a serious international gateway.
Stay with us for continuing coverage on global aviation trends, expanding routes and what these shifts mean for travelers and businesses worldwide.
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