Travellers have spoken, and the results are in: Exeter Airport has been named the best airport to fly from in the UK, while Manchester’s Terminal 3 has been rated the worst—marking the fourth consecutive year it has landed at the bottom of the list.
The survey, conducted by consumer group Which?, gave Manchester Terminal 3 a dismal customer satisfaction score of just 43%. Passengers criticised long security queues, limited seating, and high prices in shops and food outlets, resulting in a one-star rating out of five. One frustrated traveller commented, “It’s impossible to get a drink or something to eat, but much worse than that—there is nowhere to sit.”
Manchester’s other terminals didn’t fare much better. Terminal 1, slated for closure later this year, was ranked second-worst, with complaints about poor cleanliness, overflowing toilets, and rubbish. Terminal 2 scored slightly higher with 53% satisfaction, praised for “good facilities prior to long-haul flights” and “helpful staff at baggage check-in,” but still near the bottom overall.
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Conversely, Exeter Airport topped the chart with an 80% satisfaction rating. Though it handles around 500,000 passengers annually—a fraction of Manchester’s 29 million or Heathrow’s 84 million—travellers appreciated its efficient and pleasant experience. Close behind was Liverpool John Lennon Airport, scoring 78%, with passengers praising its swift processing and friendly staff.
The survey gathered insights from nearly 6,000 passengers, including Which? subscribers and the public, evaluating airports on ten factors such as customer service, baggage waiting times, security queues, seat availability, and variety of shops and dining options. Sample sizes differed widely, from 55 for Exeter to 773 for Heathrow Terminal 5, with 191 respondents assessing Manchester Terminal 3.
London Luton ranked as the poorest performing airport serving the capital, scoring 51%. Complaints focused on retail and restaurant pricing and limited seating, with travellers describing the layout as “disorganized and confusing.” Gatwick’s North and South Terminals scored 57% and 55%, respectively, criticized primarily for pricing, customer service, and seating.
Heathrow’s results varied: Terminal 5 performed best among its terminals with 59%, placing it in the upper half of the rankings, while Terminal 3 scored lowest at 54%.
A persistent gripe across most airports involved the high prices in shops and eateries, with over half of passengers awarding just one star for value.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, commented, “While some airports make the start of a holiday enjoyable, others feel like an endurance test, with passengers herded through expensive shops and overcrowded bars, facing long queues and poor facilities. Your choice of airport can significantly impact your travel experience.”
Manchester Airport’s managing director Chris Woodroofe defended the airport’s performance, highlighting ongoing investments: “Our £1.3 billion transformation has produced a world-class Terminal 2, and we plan major upgrades to Terminal 3 starting this year. Customer satisfaction has increased over the past four years, with 91% of 3,045 surveyed passengers between January and June rating their experience as good or better.”
Gatwick emphasized improvements in on-time performance during the first half of 2025, while Heathrow challenged the survey’s sample sizes as unrepresentative, pointing to the Civil Aviation Authority’s extensive data collection instead. London Luton and London Stansted airports also questioned the survey’s representativeness and highlighted recent passenger growth and service quality.
Here are some key satisfaction scores from the survey:
- Exeter: 80%
- Liverpool John Lennon: 78%
- London City: 76%
- Bournemouth: 73%
- Newcastle: 72%
- Norwich: 72%
- Inverness: 70%
- Cardiff: 68%
- Southampton: 68%
- Belfast City (George Best): 67%
At the lower end:
- Manchester Terminal 3: 43%
- Manchester Terminal 1: 47%
- London Luton: 51%
- London Stansted: 53%
- Manchester Terminal 2: 53%
The findings serve as a reminder that the airport experience varies widely across the UK, with airports in the South West leading in passenger satisfaction and major hubs like Manchester facing ongoing challenges.