Manchester Airport celebrates 4th July as more passengers go Stateside

Manchester Airport’s famous Terminal 2 light feature turned red, white, and blue this morning as the hub celebrates Independence Day with its American passengers and colleagues.

The celebrations come as statistical analysis for Manchester Airport shows a rise in the number of passengers traveling to and from the States, and a concurrent boost to the regional economy in the North.

Direct passengers between Manchester and the US were up 10% year-on-year in 2024, with 931,000 taking advantage of links to cities such as New York, Las Vegas, and Orlando.

An additional 219,000 bought end-to-end tickets from Manchester to a US airport with a connection via a third airport, with a year-on-year increase in connecting passengers traveling to Boston (up 14%), Chicago (13%), Washington, D.C. (8%), and Los Angeles (6%).

Within Europe, Manchester is the 17th largest airport for travel to and from the US, with 1.15m passengers in 2024.

And in a boost for northern businesses, £2.4bn of cargo was processed through Manchester to and from the USA in 2024, up by more than a fifth on the previous year – with hopes of further growth following the signing of a US – UK trade deal.

Trade between the UK and the United States is at an all-time high at £294bn, and our region is home to offices for a number of American-based multinational corporations including Johnson & Johnson, Amazon, Kellogg’s, Bank of America, and Microsoft.

Direct flights from Manchester to the US include routes to;

– New York City, operated by Virgin Atlantic and Aer Lingus. A city that needs little introduction, New York is home to countless world-famous sites like the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building – but visitors in the next 12 months will also get the chance to take in major events like the 2026 World Cup final and see stars like Katy Perry, Dua Lipa, and Andrea Bocelli in concert at Madison Square Garden. Flights to the Big Apple start from just £289pp return with Aer Lingus.*

– Orlando, operated by Virgin Atlantic, Aer Lingus, and TUI. Orlando is at the heart of Florida, the Sunshine State. It makes for a perfect winter sun holiday and a great base to explore what the state has to offer, from the beaches of Miami to the space center at Cape Canaveral and the Everglades National Park. Many visitors to Orlando, though, are here for the city’s renowned theme parks – it has no fewer than 11 of them. Flights start at £319pp return with Aer Lingus.*

– Las Vegas, operated by Virgin Atlantic. The self-styled Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World gained direct flights from Manchester last summer. Music stars Bruno Mars, Janet Jackson, Pitbull, Shania Twain, and Lionel Richie are all performing residencies at venues across the city throughout the summer. In boxing, Canelo Alvarez takes on Terence Crawford at the Allegiant Stadium on 12th September. And between the big events, check out world-famous sites nearby like the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. Flights from £694pp return.*

– Atlanta, operated by Virgin Atlantic. Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest, with nearly 110m passengers last year. It offers direct links to more than 250 destinations worldwide, including cities in 47 of the 50 US states – and many flying to Atlanta from Manchester are connecting onwards to other parts of the US or North America. Visitors to this city, though, will find a vibrant music scene and experiences like the World of Coca-Cola and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, set around the famed civil rights campaigner’s birthplace. Flights are from £791pp return.*

Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said:

“I’d like to wish a very happy Fourth of July to all of our American visitors, and to the 20,000 or so Americans who live here in the North, including some of our colleagues.

“It’s the perfect time to celebrate our countries’ links, and as the UK’s global gateway in the North, Manchester Airport is extremely proud to have connected more than a million people across the Atlantic in 2024.

“Ties between the UK and US are strong and enduring, and bring about economic prosperity for people in both countries, including right here in the North. We look forward to working with airline partners and organizations like Marketing Manchester to continue to grow and develop this vital partnership.”