First look at the new Aspire lounge at Manchester T2

A second Aspire is opening in Terminal 2

The new space, which was expected to replace the sub-standard Aspire next to the C gates, will be a second location rather than a replacement. We now have pictures of the new space and an opening date.

What has been announced?

It’s no secret that a new Aspire lounge is due to open at Manchester Airport. Hoarding around the space told us that work was taking place and a new Aspire offering would be opening in 2026.

What is surprising is that this is not going to replace the much-maligned Aspire lounge in the C gates at T2. This newly built space will be the second lounge for the brand in that terminal, and the third in the airport. They also have a lounge in Terminal 3, in the part of the old T1 that has been merged into it.

When will the new Aspire open?

The first bookable date is the 18th August 2026, with slots available from 4am. There are two months of build time remaining before that date, so it’s entirely possible it could slip. Slippage for new lounges is usually measured in weeks, not months, so it is highly likely it will open in August 2026. The outlier to this is, of course, the Emirates lounge at T2. That was rumoured for a late 2025 opening and is still not operational.

What does the new Aspire look like?

The 3D renderings show a light, bright space, which is the opposite of the dark, dim Aspire that currently operates in T2. The lounge is landlocked and has no external windows. That means no natural light and no views.

What’s promised is “modern, contemporary decor” and materials that reflect “Manchester’s strong industrial heritage”. The reality, at least from the early images, is a modern space that looks decent but already appears to be quite compact. The lounge apparently has a capacity of 300 people. That is the same capacity as the new Executive by Escape upstairs. That suggests the Aspire is going to be snug.

The reality is that the Aspire lounge is not a premium brand. There are outliers in the network, but it’s there to generate money and the majority of that is going to come from airlines themselves or from the use of lounge passes or cards. Right now, if you want to utilise the latter at MAN, it’s notoriously difficult.

T2 simple doesn’t have enough capacity in its lounges, so you’re more likely to be turned away than ushered in. Whilst lounge pass holders represent the lowest income for a lounge, there is still value there.

Inside the lounge, you can see a “dedicated dining area”, meaning restaurant-style seating. There are some booths, and also bar seating. I’m a big fan of lounges that mix things up by dividing their seating areas. It makes the space more interesting, versus the old way of having one large space with the same style of seating.

The current Aspire lounge is cramped. and poorly designed. There are coffee machines in walkways, a small food service area that is busy with three people in it, and a general feeling of being on top of other people. The new Aspire lounge looks much larger, and the food and drink areas are more spread out.

The new Aspire also promises two “private work booths”. These are not visible in the renders, but if they are, those fully enclosed one-person rooms that you sometimes find in offices or co-working spaces would be a welcome feature.

What will the food and drink be like?

The menu for this lounge is larger than the current Aspire. There are more hot breakfast options and a wider selection of lunch and dinner options. There is simply more space to serve items in the new lounge.

The drink options remain the same as the current lounge. There are two beers, plus one non-alcoholic option. Red, white and rose wine is available, along with branded spirits. Whilst it doesn’t specifically mention it on the menu, it’s likely you’ll be able to pay for champagne or prosecco.

There is a wide range of soft drinks, probably the widest I’ve seen in a lounge: from peach tea, to pineapple juice, it’s a decent selection if you want to avoid alcohol.

Food at the Aspire is never going to blow you away, but the hope is that with more space, this new lounge can deliver a better offering. I have no idea how they managed to fit a kitchen into the current lounge – the footprint of it is minuscule.

How much does entry cost at the Aspire?

Pricing starts at £46.99 per person. Aspire, at least in Manchester, tends to have a pretty flat pricing structure with minimal movement, whereas the Escape lounge upstairs is very much dynamic and based on how much the airport thinks it can squeeze out of you.

The bigger question is: is it worth it? In my humble opinion, it is not. For lounge pass holders, then this makes more sense. If you’re flying in a premium cabin, or you have airline status, then this could be yours for free. It will be an acceptable space to park for an hour or two before your flight.

For just £11 more you could go upstairs to the Executive By Escape lounge. That is due to open in the next few weeks, and it is, on paper, going to be a much better experience.

Who can access this lounge?

Anyone can pay to access this lounge, unless you’re in a Stag or Hen party. The entry rules strictly prohibit those groups.

If you have a Dragonpass or Priority Pass then you may be allowed in. Right now, the lounge is stating that they are in discussions with those companies.

You cannot, and this is critical, enter the lounge if you are wearing swimwear. I’m not sure who has turned up in their speedos in the past, but clearly someone did something that meant that rule had to be created.

Which airlines will use this lounge?

Manchester is going through a period of significant changes to its lounge infrastructure. The 1903 lounge is closing, the new “Executive By Escape” is opening and there is a new Emirates lounge on the way. The Escape lounge is expected to take over the space the 1903 used, almost doubling in size.

All of these changes mean that some airlines will have to choose a new lounge, whilst others have the option of moving. I wrote up a long list of all the premium airlines at T2, and which lounges they use. The airlines that have to move (as they are using the soon-to-be-closed 1903) include Qatar, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad and Singapore Airlines. It’s not clear at the time of writing what their plans are, but it feels unlikely that any of those will choose the Aspire lounge.

Instead, expect some of the airlines that currently use Aspire to migrate to this lounge. That is quite a long list: Air Canada, Austrian, Brussels, Finnair, Lufthansa, Swiss, TAP and Turkish. Expect most of those to remain with the Aspire brand, given that they are short-haul, low-margin flights. Air Canada is one outlier, given that it’s the only long-haul on that list, and Turkish is the only premium short-haul.