We’re seeing an increasing number of airports offering private terminals for those flying commercially, with the goal of eliminating the stress of the airport experience. Typically it comes at a hefty cost — either many hundreds of dollars, or in some situations, even several thousand dollars.
Along those lines, Head for Points flags what might just be the best value private(ish) terminal experience you’ll find…
Manchester Airport’s £99 private terminal experience
Aether is a private terminal at Manchester Airport (MAN), which opened in November 2024. It had previously opened in 2019 under different branding, but this is intended to be a new experience.
The concept is simple — this is completely disconnected from the main terminal, so you can clear security and wait in this space, prior to a BMW i7 chauffeur to the terminal for your flight. Aether offers lounge-style seating with views of the apron and runway.
The lounge also features an extensive food and drink selection, with a menu by chef Adam Reid. For example, you can find the dining menu here.
How much does this experience cost? Well, it’s surprisingly affordable. For example, there’s a £99 package if departing with just cabin bags. This includes one course from the Adam Reid menu, two complimentary drinks, private security, a chauffeur to your gate, and the ability to arrive between one and two hours of departure.
If you want a more premium experience, you can pay £179 for the more inclusive package, with the ability to check bags, arrive up to three hours early, take advantage of the full dining experience, and even go through private passport control.
So £99 is quite a good price, and even the £179 price is way lower than you’ll find for virtually any other private terminal of the sort.
Is the Aether Manchester Airport experience worth it?
I find the Aether experience at Manchester Airport to be quite interesting, given that it’s in a league of its own when it comes to affordability for these kinds of services. For example, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) also has a private departure experience, known as The Windsor by Heathrow, but that costs literally thousands of dollars.
However, a couple of things come to mind here:
- Unlike some other private facilities, you’re not going to get a private suite in the lounge, but instead, it’s a shared, communal lounge, probably just higher end than what you’ll find in the terminal
- You don’t actually get driven directly to the plane, but instead, you get driven to the terminal, and are then escorted to the gate, and you then have to board the aircraft with everyone else (some airlines might let you pre-board, but that’s up to the airline)
As I see it, there are two ways to justify this experience. One is just if you’re celebrating something special or like the novelty of something like this. After all, it’s kind of cool to be driven in a nice car across an airport, right? The second reason is simply because you find the terminal in Manchester to be absolutely awful, and you’ll do anything to avoid that.
I know Manchester was a mess for some time, but I’ve heard that the situation has improved, so perhaps it’s not quite as miserable as it once was?
If the goal is simply to save time, I can’t imagine the time savings are that significant. You’ll first have to find this remote terminal, you’ll still have to check in early enough, then you’ll have to be driven across the airport, and then you’ll still have to be at the gate in time for boarding.
Bottom line
Manchester Airport offers a private terminal experience, known as Aether. While lots of airports offer these kinds of experiences, Aether has to be one of the most affordable in the world, with packages starting at just £99.
I’d say the catch is that this isn’t quite as seamless as some of the other private experiences out there. In particular, you’re only driven to the gate for your departing flight, so it doesn’t actually make the process of boarding any simpler.
If/when I travel through Manchester Airport, I’ll be sure to give this a try. That being said, I don’t have any plans for now…
What do you make of Manchester Airport’s Aether experience?
