Aspire Lounge Manchester Airport Terminal 2 Review: Manchester’s Best Kept Airport Secret?
By Mr Plane Guy | Travel Blogger, Airport Lounge Expert & Professional Prosecco Tester
Disclosure: My visit to the new Aspire Lounge at Manchester Airport Terminal 2 was gifted by Aspire Lounges. As always, that doesn't buy a good review. No runway views and no espresso martinis? Believe me, we're going to talk about it.
This article also contains affiliate links. If you book or buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Manchester Airport Terminal 2 has another brand-new lounge, and after spending a few hours inside, I think I've found one of the airport's best-kept little secrets. Ssh keep it quiet and lets keep it between us for as long as we can
This is the new Aspire Lounge at the D Gates in Manchester Airport Terminal 2. That's important because there's another Aspire Lounge at the C Gates, so make sure you're looking at the right one when booking.
I walked inside and immediately thought: Oh, this is lovely. Everything is brand new, immaculate and smells vaguely like a new Volvo estate. You know that expensive new-car smell before someone has dropped a Greggs sausage roll between the seats?
That.
Quick Answer: Is Aspire Lounge Manchester Airport Worth It?
Yes. I really rated it.
The new D Gates Aspire Lounge is modern, stylish and relaxing, with excellent staff, genuinely impressive food, complimentary drinks, its own Wi-Fi and plenty of places to sit, work and charge your devices.
It isn't an Aspire LUXE lounge like Liverpool or Newcastle, and there are no runway views. This is a classic Aspire lounge, just a particularly polished one.
Direct booking prices start from around £46 per person, although the price for your date may vary. Considering what a meal and a couple of drinks can cost elsewhere in Terminal 2, I think there's decent value here.
And if you have Priority Pass and your membership gives you access for around £24 per visit, or even free depending on your membership type and that's where things become particularly interesting.
Where Is the New Aspire Lounge at Manchester Airport Terminal 2?
First, let's clear up something that could get confusing. There are two Aspire Lounges in Manchester Airport Terminal 2.
This review is specifically for the new Aspire Lounge at the D Gates. There's another Aspire Lounge over at the C Gates, and that one has the runway views.
After duty free, turn left towards the D Gates and remain on the main level. The lounge is beside the Great Northern Food Market and the terminal washrooms.
Don't arrive expecting floor-to-ceiling windows with an Emirates A380 parked outside. We're basically in a windowless basement, but for a quick pit stop before your flight? This place is a vibe.
It's relaxing, polished and elevated as elevated as you can be while technically sitting in the basement of Manchester Airport.
Aspire Lounge Manchester D Gates Opening Hours
Aspire currently lists daily opening hours of 04:00–23:00 from April to October and 04:00–22:30 from November to March.
First Impressions: Very Manchester
What immediately struck me was that this lounge actually has some personality.
There are nods to Manchester's music, trams, markets, Vimto and industrial heritage throughout the design. Rather than another generic grey airport lounge that could be absolutely anywhere, somebody has actually thought about where we are.
I could almost hear Liam Gallagher saying, “Get yerself a can of Stella, arrr kid.”
There's something about it that reminds me of the No1 Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2. It has a bit of that gentleman's-club feel, fully inclusive, obviously, but here they've injected some proper Northern personality.
Even some of the decorative touches have local connections, and collectively those details make the place sing.
Most importantly, it was immaculately clean. Everything still has that lovely new-lounge shine.
The Staff Were Brilliant
This was probably one of my favourite things about the lounge.
Everyone I encountered was warm and genuinely friendly, and they even addressed me by name. They know my TikTok's occasionally attract approximately 15 viewers! Don't forget to follow!
A special mention has to go to Sue, who was absolutely lovely. We discovered she's ex-cabin crew, so naturally we bonded immediately. Ex-crew, we stick together!
She was friendly, chatty and made me feel genuinely welcome rather than simply being another passenger passing through.
The manager also came over to say hello, which was a lovely touch. Aspire knew I was visiting, but I watched how the team interacted with other passengers too, and the whole atmosphere felt friendly and relaxed. Proper northern charm!
Food at the Aspire Lounge Manchester Airport
I accidentally tested the lounge at possibly the best time of day: brunch.
That magical crossover between breakfast and lunch meant there was only one responsible thing for me to do! Sample everything. I take my role very seriously.
The salad bar genuinely looked like a work of art. Everything was beautifully presented, fresh and tidy. You know how some lounge buffets look approximately three minutes after the food appears as though a pack of vultures has descended on them? Not here.
Obviously, I mostly dodged the salad bar. The overall selection was quite carb-heavy during my visit, but there was plenty to choose from. There were jacket potatoes with fillings including tuna and chicken and bacon mayo, hummus, couscous and salads, alongside tomato soup, vegetarian dhal, rice and chicken tikka curry.
And that chicken tikka curry? Wow, was it straight from Rusholme? I had to hold myself back.
Then we arrived at perhaps the finest contribution Northern England has ever made to international cuisine. Garlic bread.
I
embraced the carbs and my Northern roots and eventually went for a jacket potato with tuna, which was simple, fresh and really tasty.
This isn't pretending to be some high-end restaurant experience, and it doesn't need to. For an airport lounge, I thought the food was excellent.
Dessert included Victoria sponge too, although I do have one complaint. We're in Manchester. Where's the Manchester tart?
Are Drinks Free in Aspire Lounge Manchester?
Yes. Standard alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, tea and coffee are included with lounge entry.
Even the Prosecco tasted fresh and crisp, rather than some of the warm, flat stuff they serve in Terminal 3 for the Ryanair lot!
No complimentary cocktails.
What is it with lounges at Manchester Airport? Can a guy not get an espresso martini anywhere around here before an easyJet flight? I get it. The Executive Lounge doesn't include them either, and Aspire is considerably cheaper, so expectations have to be realistic.
Seating, Wi-Fi and Facilities
There's a good mixture of seating, so whether you want to eat, work or simply collapse into a chair and mentally check out of normal life before your holiday, you should find somewhere comfortable.
There are also two cute little work booths, with sockets and charging ports seemingly everywhere. The lounge has its own Wi-Fi too, which worked well during my visit.
And then there were the toilets.
Wow.
Super-clean, modern and genuinely impressive. There aren't any showers or dedicated children's facilities, but as a straightforward airport lounge facility, everything felt incredibly polished. Baby-changing facilities are available.
Can Children Use the Aspire D Gates Lounge?
Children are welcome when accompanied by an adult with a valid lounge reservation. Priority Pass lists children under two as admitted free; check the applicable child price and guest allowance when booking.
What If Your Flight Is Delayed?
Well, I tested this too. Not intentionally.
My 13:40 flight was delayed until 15:10, which meant I ended up spending considerably longer in the lounge than expected.
And do you know what I loved? Nobody was hovering around me counting down the minutes. There weren't endless boarding announcements disturbing the atmosphere and I never felt as though somebody was waiting for me to vacate my seat.
Obviously, don't take my experience to mean you have unlimited lounge access whenever your flight is delayed because normal access conditions still apply. But on my visit, the whole experience remained remarkably relaxed despite my delay.
The normal lounge visit is up to three hours before your scheduled departure. Priority Pass also lists a maximum three-hour stay.
Aspire advertises complimentary Guaranteed Delay Cover for bookings made directly with Aspire, subject to its terms.
If you enter through Priority Pass or another booking provider, check your own conditions rather than assuming an extension is included. There are no tannoy boarding announcements, so keep an eye on the flight information screens and leave time to reach your gate.
How Much Is the Aspire Lounge Manchester Airport?
Pre-booking was around £46 when I visited.
Initially, £46 might sound quite expensive for an airport lounge, but look at what you actually get.
Go somewhere like San Carlo in the terminal and have a meal and a couple of drinks and you could easily be approaching the same amount. Here I could eat, have a few drinks, relax, charge my phone and use the Wi-Fi to download multiple movies for my...
50-minute flight.
Excellent planning.
Can You Use Priority Pass at the Aspire Lounge Manchester Airport?
Yes, and this is where I think the lounge becomes a Manchester Airport travel hack.
The new Aspire D Gates Lounge accepts Priority Pass, subject to availability and your membership conditions. Aspire’s current guidance says membership holders should reserve their place because capacity is limited.
If your Priority Pass membership gives you lounge visits for around £24, compare that with paying roughly £46 to pre-book this lounge directly.
Food. Drinks. Wi-Fi. Charging. Comfortable seating.
For around £24?
That's an absolute bargain.
If you fly from Manchester regularly, I've also put together my full guide to the best Manchester Airport lounges, including which lounges accept Priority Pass and which I think offer the best value.
Which Lounge at Manchester Airport Is Better?
If you’re flying from Manchester Airport Terminal 2, you have several lounge options:
Escape Lounge Terminal 2
2 Aspire Lounges in Terminal 2 (C and D gates)
The Executive Lounge Manchester Airport Terminal 2
Emirates New Lounge (obviously only if flying with Emirates)
The Executive by Escape Lounges Manchester Terminal 2
👉 Read the full review here: Manchester Airport Executive Lounge review.
Escape Lounge Manchester Terminal 2
👉 Full review here: Is the Escape Airport Lounge T2 Manchester Actually an Escape? My Honest Pre-Flight Verdict
I've now tried several of the lounges at Manchester Airport, and this new Aspire lounge has gone straight towards the top of my Terminal 2 list.
If runway views are important to you, this isn't the one. The other Aspire Lounge at the C Gates has the advantage there.
But for food, atmosphere, cleanliness, staff and value, I thought the new D Gates Aspire was excellent.
Personally, based on my visits, I'd choose this over the standard Escape Lounge and Manchester Airport Executive Lounge. That's not because this is pretending to be some sort of ultra-luxury experience. It isn't. It simply gets the important stuff right.
If you want the full comparison rather than just my experience at Aspire, read:
Best Manchester Airport Lounges 2026: T2 & T3 Compared
That's where I'll keep my overall Manchester Airport lounge rankings rather than turning this review into a battle between every lounge in the terminal.
Plane Honest Verdict
The new Aspire Lounge Manchester Airport Terminal 2 D Gates feels like one of those airport secrets I'm slightly reluctant to tell everyone about.
It's brand new, immaculate and beautifully designed. The food was much better than I expected, the staff were fantastic and the designers have managed to give a basement airport lounge genuine Manchester personality.
No runway views.
No complimentary espresso martini.
I survived, yet also loved it!
And if you can get in using Priority Pass for around £24, I think the value proposition becomes particularly compelling. So yes, I'll tell you about it.
Just don't tell everyone else.
Let's keep the new Aspire D Gates lounge as our little Manchester Airport Terminal 2 travel hack.
Aspire Lounge Manchester Airport FAQs
Where is the D Gates lounge?
Beside the Great Northern Food Market, after security.
Which Aspire Lounge is this at Manchester Airport?
This review is specifically about the new Aspire Lounge at the D Gates in Manchester Airport Terminal 2. There is another Aspire Lounge at the C Gates, so check which lounge you're booking.
Can you use Priority Pass at Aspire Lounge Manchester Airport?
Yes. The D Gates Aspire Lounge accepts Priority Pass, subject to your membership conditions and lounge capacity.
Should Priority Pass holders reserve?
Aspire currently instructs them to reserve.
Are children allowed?
Yes, accompanied; check booking charges.
Is there a dress code?
Smart casual; check the published restrictions.
Which lounge at Manchester Airport is better?
It depends on what matters to you. For my visit, the new Aspire D Gates lounge performed particularly well for food, service, cleanliness and atmosphere. For runway views, you'll want a different lounge. I've compared the options properly in my Best Manchester Airport Lounges 2026 guide.
Plane Related Manchester Airport Guides
Is Manchester Airport's New Executive Lounge Actually Executive?
Inside Manchester Airport's New Terminal 2: Airlines, Lounges & Parking Tips
Emirates Lounge Manchester Airport: Wigan Pies, Vimto Cocktails and Direct Boarding
Is the Aspire Lounge in Manchester Airport Terminal 1 Worth the Visit?
Manchester Airport Lounges: Everything You Need to Know to Take Off in Style
Priority Pass Review 2026: One Year of Lounge Access, Was It Worth It?
Priority Pass Discount Code 2026: Get Up to 30% Off Membership
Cheapest Way to Access Manchester Airport Lounges
Many travellers assume airport lounges are only available to business class passengers, but that’s not always true.
Many Manchester Airport lounges can be accessed through lounge membership programmes or pre-booked online.
One of the most popular options is Priority Pass, which gives travellers access to hundreds of airport lounges worldwide.
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🅿️ Check Live Airport Parking Deals Compare prices at Manchester and more often up to 75% cheaper than drive-up rates.
Plane Tip: use the Priority Pass app to pre book your lounge visit.
Check Out My Manchester Airport Hotel Review
Flying from Manchester? Before you book, read my Plane Honest review of the Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport to see whether it's worth your money.
Are you flying with easyJet from Manchester Airport?
And if you’re flying regularly from Manchester:
Aspire Lounge Manchester Airport Terminal 2 Review: Manchester’s Best Kept Airport Secret?
Airport lounges, free upgrades, travel chaos and the occasional meltdown. Real travel, not influencer nonsense.
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