PremiAir is opening on 21st October at Manchester Airport
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I still find it hard to believe, but the new VIP terminal – open to everyone for a modest fee – is actually happening at Manchester Airport. The launch date is set for 21st October.
Called PremiAir, it is near the Runway Visitor Park. It looks like this:
It can be used by anyone travelling on BA, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian, PIA, Finnair, TAP, Oman Air and Hainan Airlines, irrespective of your class of travel. Other airlines, most noticeably Virgin Atlantic, have not yet signed up.
For departing passengers, there are two options:
For hand baggage only passengers, you can pay £50 per person and check in at PremiAir. You will clear immigration and immediately be driven across the airport to your departure gate in a shared vehicle. You only need to arrive 60 minutes before departure.
For passengers with luggage and/or who want a private lounge, you can pay £100. You will check in and clear immigration, and then be able to use the lounge in the terminal before being driven across the airport directly to the steps of your aircraft in a private vehicle.
There is also an arrivals service, as well as the ability to book a private suite for your party on arrival or departure. You can find out more on on the airport website here. Note that pre-booking is required.
This is clearly something that HfP needs to check out, so expect a review in early November.
Before that, however, Rhys will be trying out the £660 Signature Private Jet Terminal at London Gatwick before an upcoming easyJet flight.
How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (April 2024)
Here are the four options to get FREE airport lounge access via a UK credit card.
The Platinum Card from American Express comes with two free Priority Pass cards, one for you and one for a supplementary cardholder. Each card admits two so a family of four gets in free. You get access to all 1,300 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.
You also get access to Eurostar, Lufthansa and Delta Air Lines lounges. Our American Express Platinum review is here. You can apply here.
The Platinum Card from American Express
40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review
If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum instead.
American Express Business Platinum
40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for the first year. It comes with a Priority Pass card loaded with four free visits to any Priority Pass lounge – see the list here.
Additional lounge visits are charged at £24. You get four more free visits for every year you keep the card.
There is no annual fee for Amex Gold in Year 1 and you get a 20,000 points sign-up bonus. Full details are in our American Express Preferred Rewards Gold review here.
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold
Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review
HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard gets you get a free Priority Pass card, allowing you access to the Priority Pass network. Guests are charged at £24 although it may be cheaper to pay £60 for a supplementary credit card for your partner.
The card has a fee of £195 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer. Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.
HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard
A huge bonus, but only available to HSBC Premier clients Read our full review
PS. You can find all of HfP’s UK airport lounge reviews – and we’ve been to most of them – indexed here.
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