Winter at Birmingham Airport, should i get fast passes?

[CeeJay81]

I've read various mixed stories about Birmingham Airport on here before. We are travelling December 14th(Saturday) 10am flight. I'm assuming cause it's of season for most places, we won't need fass passes? Anyone flown from there recently, what's it like?

It's fine, a bit chaotic as they are doing building works but it's no worse than any other airport at peak time. 10am is normally quieter, it's 6am that's the manic time. They're very proactive on busy days too, the staff will come down the security queue and bring you forward if there's a risk you won't make your flight. Are you checking luggage?

We went there a week last Thursday. Not a school holiday yet the place was extremely busy. I was relieved that we’d bothered to get fast passes.

We will be checking in luggage the night before. So it's just going through security. So think will probably just chance it. Will allow 2 hours for it.

Ah if you've no luggage to check you'll be fine!

We traveled December 17th last year from Birmingham it was completely fine, arrived two hours before, checked in bags and had time to get food once through security.

We had a very early morning flight last week, but got fast track. We felt a bit silly as the 3 regular passengers went through customs before us - we were the only passengers at that time!
However, coming back last Thursday at midday, there was a heavy huge queue to get through passport control. For the first time that I’d ever seen, there were customs officers and armed police when we went through customs control! They were stopping people and search bags. Not our though.

For the sake of a fiver each, it's worth it

That's good. I've never had a holiday at this time of year, so wasn't sure what to expect.

Birmingham is my local airport and I wouldn’t fly from there without fast passes. I have almost missed flights on more than one occasion because of the security queues, despite being there at least 2 hours before.
The queues for passport control when you get back are always horrendous and I would recommend you look into the express lane for that too.

We have had fast passes for Birmingham twice this summer. I think they saved us a total of two minutes. Maybe three.

Flew two weeks ago - arrived 5 am for 7 am flight - bag drop fairly quick, there was quite a queue to security but it was quicker going through than before as no longer taking electronics etc out of bags. Had time to sit and have a coffee before heading to our gate around 6.15.

Very long queue for passports on our return though, and luggage carousels a bit chaotic.

Personally I wouldn't bother with fast track at the time you'll be flying - but I'd hate to give wrong advice and you to miss your flight !

Who are you flying with? There is now a smaller refreshment area for gates 1-20ish which seemed a lot quieter and easier to get a table if you are at these gates. I'm not sure if it was specifically Jet2.

@Feist I didn't know you could book fast track for border control on return . I think it depends a lot on which part of the airport you go through for this as I think different gates take you through to different areas (eg there were no automated machines at the part we went through last week ).