What time would you arrive at Manchester Airport for a 6.10am flight?

[Mildredthehubble]

Flying from Manchester to Spain on Sunday at 6.10am 😴
We live about 40 minutes drive away

We're travelling with hand luggage only. Getting dropped off

What time would you get to the airport?

At that early hour, I feel every 5 minutes in bed counts.

I know it used to be 2 hours. I do travel a lot but always find myself with ages to spare and that's normally in school hols.

Would arriving at 5.10 be sufficient?

Two hours before.

If you can't work this out yourself then please don't go abroad. How will you get up for breakfast, what will eat, what will you wear? Will you ask random people for their thoughts on that too?

I’d get fast track security and be dropped off at 0445

I’m pretty surprised at the amount of people suggesting the OP drops £150 on a hotel for a 40 min journey, so what, 20/30 mins extra in bed?

For me it’s not the money, it’s the inconvenience. She’d need to pack things for the hotel separately to her holiday stuff, since they’re suggesting she uses twilight drop off. Then the unfamiliar bed, the faff the night before. All for 20 minutes in bed. Ridiculous

be at the airport minimum 2 hours before. There can be delays at security so don’t take the risk for an extra few mins kip. Sleep on the plane if you need to

You might only be 40mins away, but I'd allow extra for travel - we were stuck on the motorway on the approach to Stansted for 30mins a few years ago (that was early morning!).

We're all different, but I'd rather get up early and go, then treat ourselves to coffee/breakfast while we watch the flights/read a book.

When we last flew from Manchester we had a 6.30am flight its was bedlam. Think the first flights leave at 6ish so there were so many people about… fight for a seat… we got there 2 hours before and once we had eaten wasn’t much time for anything else. We also fast tracked security as my parents are in wheelchairs.

With hand luggage I'd arrive no later than 4:30am maybe 4:40 at a push, Manchester Airport is massive and the security is a pain in the arse to get through. Definitely don't arrive after 5, thats definitely squeaky bum territory to miss your flight. Remember the flight time is plane in the air, not what time to get to your gate.

I’d personally aim to get there around 4:15–4:30am, especially for an international flight to Spain, even with hand luggage only. Manchester can still get busy early in the morning because a lot of short-haul flights leave around that time.
Arriving at 5:10am for a 6:10 flight feels a bit too tight in my opinion — that only gives you an hour for security, possible queues, and getting to the gate, which can sometimes be a fair walk.
At that hour, every extra 30–40 minutes of sleep is nice, but I’d rather lose a bit of sleep than start the trip stressed. Better to grab a coffee airside than risk rushing.

I am 45mins away and would get there around 4 30-4.45. Check route before you go to make sure no incidents and relax. Ive had two early flights from Manchester this year and both times security has been a walk through with no massive queues. If you are going from T3 remember to follow signs for T1 when you drop your car off

We flew from Manchester last Sunday (12th). TBH my preference is to get there the night before and stay in the Radisson Blu hotel, then you just have a 10 minute walk down the ramp in to T2 the next morning.

I am one of those people who likes to be there nearly 3 hours ahead. Though, TBF, there were no big queues when we did baggage drop and security shortly after 8am for an 11:10 flight. Plenty of time then for a leisurely breakfast and a stroll round until our flight was called

I’d get there for 4am, 4:30 is fine, 5:10 is madness unless you buy fast track? Gate could close at 5:30/5:40. Once my flight actually did as everyone was on the plane.

It’s not an hour, flight leaves at 6:10, so they need to be on the flight by 5:40/5:50?

I have been through Manchester 6 times in the last 6 months - every time I was through to airside from taxi drop off in less than 20 minutes with just hand luggage.. it is a transformed airport from a few years ago and each time I am surprised at how good it is - just shows that negative experience will always overrule recent positive ones.. I would personally be there 90' before flight to cater for any unforeseen issues - more motorway related than airport in my experience

Wonder what time OP decided on this morning and if she made her flight ok

I would aim to arrive at 4am, rather be early and read my book at the gate than risk being late or delayed.

So what time did you end up going and how bad were the queues?

I was actually, surprisingly, in Sale for a gig Saturday night midnightish Sunday morning and it was starting to get very busy with lorries, cones etc for the marathon

hope you got there ok @Mildredthehubble

3:40-3:45

4am. I regularly fly from Bristol at 6am and it’s probably the busiest time of the day at that airport with queues through security. I wouldn’t risk only giving myself an hour to get through and get to my gate.

I'm currently sat with a coffee at departures. Got here at 4, through check in and security in 45 minutes and its pretty busy.

We use Manchester and get there 2 hours before if we are checking luggage without id say an hour.