If you ever feel like you need a change of scenery, but get put off by all the admin of booking hotels and annual leave to actually leave Manchester, these there-and-back-in-a-day flights might be about to change the game.
Manchester Airport has rounded up a handy list of the places you can fly to for a day trip from our home city.
You could be lounging with an Aperol Spritz in a beautiful European city by 10am, and home in time for your usual bedtime.
In fact, you can get as far as Morocco, Ibiza or Majorca with time for an explore and a couple of meals before you have to head back to the rain.
Recent research from travel agents’ association ABTA shows city breaks have overtaken beach holidays as Britons’ favourite type of overseas trip.
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And Manchester Airport is finding that these compact one-day city breaks are starting to take off, with budget airlines offering flights with no baggage charges or hotels to worry about.
And half the time, these flights are way cheaper (and faster) than an Avanti service down to London for the day…
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Manchester Airport serves around 200 direct destinations, many of which have return flights the same day.
12 day trips you can do with a flight from Manchester Airport
Dublin
Dublin is one of the cities you can get to with a flight from Manchester for a day trip
Ryanair
Depart Manchester 06:55, Arrive Dublin 07:55;
Depart Dublin 21:55, Arrive Manchester 22:55.
A pint of Guinness, some live music in Temple Bar, and a wander down colourful cobbled streets – just a hop across the Irish Sea will land you in Ireland’s vibrant capital. It’s probably the most common international day trip you can do from Manchester with regular Ryanair flights.
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Amsterdam
easyJet:
Depart Manchester 07:05, Arrive Amsterdam 09:25;
Depart Amsterdam 21:30, Arrive Manchester 21:50.
With a flight time of just one hour and 20 minutes, and flights available in the early morning and late evening, you can give yourself a full 12 hours to explore the Dutch capital. This beautiful, cultural city is home to the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House, plus a buzzing food and drink scene.
Ibiza
Jet2.com:
Depart Manchester 17.10, Arrive Ibiza 21.05
Depart Ibiza 10.50, Arrive Manchester 12.40
Forget New York being the city that never sleeps – Ibiza is the island that never sleeps. If you’re a party animal and can manage on barely any sleep, you can jet to Ibiza after work and arrive in time for the clubs opening, party the night away and be home less than 24 hours later.
Paris
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easyJet:
Depart Manchester 07:05, Arrive Paris 09:35;
Depart Paris 21:35, Arrive Manchester 22:00.
The ‘City of Light’ offers plenty to keep you busy – and flight times are only around an hour and a half, again with daily early morning and late evening flights available. If you’re well-organised, a full day will give you more than enough time to go on a sightseeing tour of the city – from the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, with a few people-watching cafe stops along the way.
Alicante
Ryanair:
Depart Manchester 08:30, Arrive Alicante 12:15;
Depart Alicante 21:20, Arrive Manchester 23:10.
In less than three hours you could swap Manc drizzle for Spanish sunshine, with regular Ryanair flights to the Costa Blanca hotspot of Alicante. That gives you more than nine hours to soak in as much sun as sangria as possible.
Belfast
Ryanair:
Depart Manchester 07:25, Arrive Belfast 08:25;
Depart Belfast 20:55, Arrive Manchester 21:55.
Northern Ireland’s capital is a fantastic destination for a mini-break. Titanic Belfast tells the story of the how the famous cruiseliner was built in the city’s docks, and Belfast also boasts a zoo and a castle. The National Trust-owned Crown Liquor Saloon in the city centre is a popular spot for a beer and pub lunch – its look and feel has changed very little in nearly 200 years. And you can smash it out in a day with flights arriving by 8.25am and returning to Manchester at 8.55pm.
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Barcelona
A day trip around Barcelona is possible with return flights from Manchester
Ryanair outbound / Vueling inbound:
Depart Manchester 06:40, Arrive Barcelona 10:00;
Depart Barcelona 19:20, Arrive Manchester 20:50.
One of Europe’s liveliest and most fascinating cities is only two and a half hours away, and you can get there and back in a day from Manchester by mixing a Ryanair and a Vueling flight. Admire the majestic La Sagrada Familia, explore the Gothic Quarter, and visit the city’s football stadiums. Or just hit the beach and eat tapas. Whatever.
Majorca
Jet2.com outbound / Ryanair inbound:
Depart Manchester 06:30, Arrive Majorca 10:15;
Depart Majorca 21:30, Arrive Manchester 23:15.
Majorca is consistently one of the most popular destinations for passengers travelling from Manchester Airport, year after year, the travel hub says. It’s a family favourite with golden sandy beaches that are conveniently closed to the airport. You can spend more than 11 hours relaxing and living the island dream before you have to fly home again.
Cork
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Ryanair:
Depart Manchester 07:45, Arrive Cork 09:00;
Depart Cork 20:20, Arrive Manchester 21:35.
Another popular Irish destination, although perhaps lesser known than Dublin or Belfast, is Cork – the Republic of Ireland’s second city. It is one of the cheapest overseas day trips you can take from Manchester, with return flights frequently available for between £30 and £40pp with Ryanair. The English Market is a great place to grab a bite to eat, and the city also plays host to a number of museums and galleries, great shopping and authentic Irish pubs.
Newquay
Loganair outbound / easyJet inbound:
Depart Manchester 08:35, Arrive Newquay 10:00;
Depart Newquay 17:00, Arrive Manchester 18:10.
Flights to Newquay, Cornwall’s biggest resort town and a water sports mecca, take a little over an hour from Manchester – waaay quicker than trying to drive to one of the UK’s most popular destinations. You’ll have a good seven hours to surf or kayak or kitesurf or explore the beautiful location on dry land, if you prefer.
Agadir
Ryanair outbound / easyJet inbound:
Depart Manchester 06:20, Arrive Agadir 10:15;
Depart Agadir 19:15, Arrive Manchester 23:25.
Did you expect Africa to pop up on this list? Because we didn’t. But you can go all the way to Agadir in Morocco for a nine-hour day trip, where attractions include themed gardens, its Museum of Arts (which explores the surrounding region’s Berber heritage), the Souk El Had market, and beaches.
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Munich
Lufthansa:
Depart Manchester 06:55, Arrive Munich 09:55;
Depart Munich 21:55, Arrive Manchester 23:00.
Beer and bratwurst are top of the agenda for day-trippers to Munich, which is just a two-hour hop from Manchester. Its old town is filled with gothic architecture, including the Residenz and Alter Hof palaces, along with traditional beer halls like the 16th century Hofbräuhaus. That’s 12 hours of steins and sausages.
Milan
Visit fashion capital Milan and get back the same day
Ryanair:
Depart Manchester 06:15, Arrive Milan-Bergamo 09:25;
Depart Milan-Malpensa 22:15, Arrive Manchester 23:30.
Milan is a global centre for fashion, and its iconic cathedral and the neighbouring square are the main draw for tourists. The surrounding area is filled with boutique stores, restaurants, pizzerias and ice cream shops. There are always lots of flights daily between Manchester and Milan’s two airports too.
All flight times correct and available on various dates across the year at the time of writing. Timings and availability are subject to change.
Featured image: Unsplash
Travel & Tourism
Internet signals reportedly ‘100x faster on the moon’ than on some UK trains
Danny Jones
Yes, you read that right: according to a recent study, internet signals on some UK trains are currently estimated to be 100x slower than they would be on… wait for it: the actual MOON.
Give us strength – and by that we mean signal strength.
As per new analysis carried out by Good Business Travel (GBT), research into some of the worst-connected train routes across Great Britain has delivered a rather depressing evaluation of our telecommunications systems and railways.
While some may certainly be better than others, it’s fair to say that we’ve all been there; you’re trying to have a call or use even a crumb of your data on a train before you ultimately give up and start arbitrarily looking through your photo library.
Put a man on the moon ✅ Cure diseases ✅
Get wifi on a fucking train. ABSOLUTELY NOT. NOOOO WAYYYYYY.
As damning and hyperbolic a claim as it might sound, GBT have indeed found that when compared against Ofcom’s benchmark for reliable internet performance (5Mbit/s), not a single train journey consistently meets the regulator’s standard.
Anyone who’s ever done Manchester to London and vice versa will know all too well how frustrating it can be to get a steady signal during your journey.
Never mind, eh? You know, they’re only two of the most modern and digitally-driven cities in the entire country – foolish of us to expect the key North-South link would carry over to internet connection.
Regarding train WiFi, hit and miss is putting it mildly, and even if you’re lucky enough to be on one that actually has a decent signal, it’s only a matter of time before the carriages fill up and throttle everyone’s connection, and it becomes patchy at best.
In what might be one of the slightest consolations ever, you’ll be glad to hear the LDN-MCR speeds are only the seventh worst in the nation, managing just 16% when it came to the average mobile network ‘Good Performance’ by Ofcom standards. You can see the unwanted top 10 leaderboard in full below.
The worst UK train journeys for mobile connectivity
Rank
Route
Average mobile network Good Performance (Ofcom)
1
Basingstoke to Coventry
6%
2
Sheffield to Doncaster
12%
3
Taunton to Leeds
13%
4
London to Edinburgh
14%
5
London to East Midlands Parkway
14%
6
Bedford to London St Pancras Peak
15%
7
London to Manchester
16%
8
London to Glasgow
18%
9
London to Plymouth
24%
10
London to Bournemouth
25%
Put simply, a staggering number of domestic train journeys fail the litmus test for what would be considered even a decent connection.
It’s got to the point now that there are even people starting nationwide campaigns to help generate awareness around upgrading telecoms infrastructure across the UK, with trains being one of the biggest challenges in this country.
Speaking on the report, Good Business Travel’s Client Experience Director, Natasha Inglis, said in a statement: “Millions of people travel by train every week expecting to work, stream, message friends or simply stay connected.
“Instead, they’re met with frozen video calls, emails that won’t send and endless buffering. While improvements to Britain’s rail connectivity have been promised by the government, passengers still have to deal with unreliable coverage every day. There are a few tricks that can help in the meantime.
“Many people don’t realise that sitting on the side of the train facing nearby towns or major roads can improve your signal because you’re closer to mobile masts. It’s also worth switching your phone to 4G instead of allowing it to constantly search for weak 5G signals, which often makes connectivity even less reliable on moving trains.”
But hey, things are slowly getting better if reports are to be believed, with satellite-enabled mobile services gradually being rolled out, meaning traditional ‘deadzones’/signal blackspots may not be as big of a problem as they once were. Touch wood.
For now, we’re just going to keep making sure we’ve got a decent book with us and enjoy taking a break from endless screentime.
The UK’s ‘fastest-growing ultra’ run that’s the perfect beginner’s race and less than 90 minutes from Manchester
Danny Jones
Dubbed as the UK’s ‘fastest-growing ultra’ run, not to mention perfect for beginners looking to get into the craze, and its picturesque setting is located more than an hour and a half away in the Lakes.
Revolving around one of Britain’s most beautiful National Parks, you can get there in less than 90 minutes, and it’s also easily reachable via public transport if you’re willing to make the journey.
Let’s be honest, if you’re the kind of person who enjoys running long distances, a few hours on trains and buses is a drop in the ocean.
Founded in 2023, the Altra 13 Valleys Ultra over in the Lake District has seen a bigger attendance every year, with a 60% increase in registrations year-on-year, and with such stunning scenery to take in whilst trekking through the hills, it’s no wonder.
The trail and ultra marathon phenomenon is one that, rather fittingly, looks to be constantly on the up, with seemingly a huge uptake not just here in Greater Manchester but across the country in general.
A great sport to take up early and often turned to later in life, the benefits go without saying; then, taking into account events in places as gorgeous as this World UNESCO Heritage Site, it’s no wonder this particular race is seeing even bigger crowds.
Ticking off famous Wainwrights and other bucket list destinations like Borrowdale, Buttermere, Coniston, Langdale and Ullswater; the Theatre finish line at Keswick, and of course, Windermere, plenty simply turn to the 13 Valleys Ultra for the views and accessibility – especially if you live here in the North West.
We don’t need to tell you how jaw-dropping the Cumbrian landscape can be at times, but the promotion hosted by beloved running brand Altra really has put together a wonderful whirlwind tour of the region that you can enjoy on foot.
Credit: Press shot (supplied via Altra/Get the Affect)
Now into its fourth year, with people already gearing up for 2027, too, it’s fair to say that this is fast becoming one of the most in-demand trail races on the national circuit and endurance calendar.
Speaking to The Manc, Event Director Colin Murphy told us: “Not everyone wants to tackle 100 miles, and that’s exactly why the 2 Valleys has become such an exciting part of the Altra 13 Valleys Ultra weekend.
“It’s an adventure that’s within reach for so many people, runners and walkers alike, giving them the chance to experience the incredible Lake District, soak up the event atmosphere and challenge themselves in a completely new way. We want people to realise that ultra and trail events aren’t just for elite athletes; the 2 Valleys proves there’s a place for everyone on the start line.’”
That being said, walkers are also welcome, of course, and they also have shorter variations for those just starting out on the trail scene or looking for an easier race, but we’ll get on to that in a minute…
We’re always blown away by the people who can add elevation into already big enough tests; for instance, this bloke is taking on the biggest mountain in England as part of a wider charity challenge.
It’s worth noting that you don’t need to do the ‘full thing’, as the organisers offer four different routes when it comes to length, with total distances ranging from 22 kilometres and going all the way up to a whopping 180km. Gulp.
George Thorpe – long-distancerunner, 33, who is taking on the 2026 challenge –is following in his fiancée and former participant’s footsteps, insisting that running has shown him he’s “stronger than I ever imagined”, while also providing an escape into nature, improving mental wellbeing and introducing him to a supportive community that encourages everyone to achieve more than they think possible.
The 22k/half-marathon version is a super popular choice, having already sold 70% of their entire allocation for this year, as you get a little bit of everything: an ideal intro to trail running, a mix of road and trail, the scenic course, a great crowd of mixed abilities, and once again, walking is encouraged.
So whether you’re an ultra-marathon addict, a runner looking to make things up, or just a rambler looking to cop a medal for your next outing, you can find out more about the Altra 13 Valleys Ultra, see if any of them suit you, and sign up for the 2026 edition right HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
20th February 2024 
