12 places to visit with same day return flights from Manchester

This way, you’ll be able to explore a different country and get back home in a day.

From Dublin to Ibiza, there are plenty of options when it comes to changing up your day trip.

12 destinations you can travel to and from in a day from Manchester Airport

Following the latest Holiday Habits report from travel agents’ association ABTA that shows that city breaks overtook beach holidays last year as Brits’ favourite type of overseas trip, Manchester Airport has provided some inspiration for your next day trip.

Dublin could make a good day trip from Manchester Airport (Image: Getty)

You can offset the carbon emissions of any flight you take from Manchester Airport using the CarbonClick scheme – find out more via the website.

It’s important to note that timings could change, visit Manchester Airport’s website for more information or to book your flights.

Dublin

Ryanair:

• Depart Manchester 06:55, Arrive Dublin 07:55
• Depart Dublin 21:55, Arrive Manchester 22:55

Manchester Airport offers multiple flights to Dublin per day and it’s just a short hop across the Irish Sea.

In a day, you could enjoy the world-famous Guinness Brewery and a live performance at Temple Bar.

Amsterdam

easyJet:

• Depart Manchester 07:05, Arrive Amsterdam 09:25
• Depart Amsterdam 21:30, Arrive Manchester 21:50

In just one hour and 20 minutes, you can get to Amsterdam and with flights available in the early morning and late evening, you’ll have the opportunity to spend 12 hours in the Dutch capital.

You could visit the Van Gogh Museum which features some of the artist’s most famous works or go to the Anne Frank House which honours the memory of the Second World War diarist who hid in the city to escape persecution.

Why not soak up the sun in Ibiza for a day? (Image: Getty)

Ibiza

Jet2.com

• Depart Manchester 17.10, Arrive Ibiza 21.05
• Depart Ibiza 10.50, Arrive Manchester 12.40

This trip is more of a night-time adventure than a day one but if you’re looking to head to Ibiza for a night of clubbing, this could be the trip for you.

With these flights, you’ll be able to party the night away and get back home and into bed in less than 24 hours.

Paris

easyJet:

• Depart Manchester 07:05, Arrive Paris 09:35
• Depart Paris 21:35, Arrive Manchester 22:00

Known as the ‘City of Light’, Paris will keep you busy. Flight times from Manchester Airport are around an hour and 30 minutes and they’re available daily with both early morning and late night flights.

You could organise to see the sights on the day you’re there from the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre.

Alicante

Ryanair:

• Depart Manchester 08:30, Arrive Alicante 12:15
• Depart Alicante 21:20, Arrive Manchester 23:10

If you’re looking for a sunny beach trip, Alicante could be the place for you.

In less than three hours, you can fly with Ryanair to the Costa Blanca hotspot and get there and back in a day with more than nine hours on the ground – enough time to sip sangria and top up your tan.

Belfast

Ryanair:

• Depart Manchester 07:25, Arrive Belfast 08:25
• Depart Belfast 20:55, Arrive Manchester 21:55

Visit Northern Ireland’s capital and learn about the Titanic Belfast which tells the story of the how the famous cruiseliner was built in the city’s docks. You could visit Belfast’s zoo and castle.

The National Trust-owned Crown Liquor Saloon in the city centre is a popular spot for a beer and pub lunch – its look and feel has changed very little in nearly 200 years, Manchester Airport explains.

Ryanair’s early morning flight on a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday will have you in Belfast by 08:25 and the one-hour return flight to Manchester at 20:55 means you’ll be back comfortably in time for work the next morning.

Barcelona is a popular city break destination (Image: Getty)

Barcelona

Ryanair outbound / Vueling inbound:

• Depart Manchester 06:40, Arrive Barcelona 10:00
• Depart Barcelona 19:20, Arrive Manchester 20:50

Fly to Barcelona in around 2 hours and 30 minutes – on a Sunday, Ryanair’s early morning flight and Vueling’s late night flight will help you make a full day of it.

Visit La Sagrada Familia, one of Europe’s most iconic religious buildings, and the city’s Gothic Quarter that’s full of boutique shops, bars and restaurants.

A visit to the Nou Camp stadium and FC Barcelona Museum is a must for any football fan, says the airport.

Majorca

Jet2.com outbound / Ryanair inbound:

• Depart Manchester 06:30, Arrive Majorca 10:15
• Depart Majorca 21:30, Arrive Manchester 23:15

On a Wednesday in summer, you could get to Majorca for 10.15 in the morning with Jet2.com’s early flight and enjoy more than 11 hours there before getting Ryanair’s late flight back.

One of Majorca’s best beaches - Platja de Can Pastilla – is less than two miles from the airport, just a five-minute trip in a taxi.

Cork

Ryanair:

• Depart Manchester 07:45, Arrive Cork 09:00
• Depart Cork 20:20, Arrive Manchester 21:35

Cork, the Republic of Ireland’s second city, is one of the cheapest overseas day trips you can take from Manchester with return flights frequently available for between £30 and £40pp with Ryanair.

Why not grab a bite to eat at the English Market and explore the city’s museums and galleries, go shopping or enjoy authentic Irish pubs.

Newquay

Loganair outbound / easyJet inbound:

• Depart Manchester 08:35, Arrive Newquay 10:00
• Depart Newquay 17:00, Arrive Manchester 18:10

You can fly to Newquay in Cornwall in just over an hour from Manchester and get there and back in a day.

You’ll have seven hours to enjoy Newquay on Mondays between April and September.

You could travel to Morocco and back in a day (Image: Getty)

Agadir

Ryanair outbound / easyJet inbound:

• Depart Manchester 06:20, Arrive Agadir 10:15
• Depart Agadir 19:15, Arrive Manchester 23:25

Each Wednesday you can catch an early Ryanair flight to Agadir in Morocco at 06:25 and an easyJet flight back to Manchester at 19:15.

That gives you nine hours to explore its themed gardens, the Museum of Arts, the Souk El Had market and relax on one of its beaches.

Munich

Lufthansa:

• Depart Manchester 06:55, Arrive Munich 09:55
• Depart Munich 21:55, Arrive Manchester 23:00

Enjoy beer and bratwurst in Munich, with a two-hour journey from Manchester. Its old town is filled with gothic architecture, including the Residenz and Alter Hof palaces along with traditional beer halls like the 16th century Hofbräuhaus. 

It’s possible to fly to Munich and back in a day, year-round, with Lufthansa and you’ll have 12 hours on the ground to soak up the Bavarian culture.

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Milan

Ryanair:

• Depart Manchester 06:15, Arrive Milan-Bergamo 09:25
• Depart Milan-Malpensa 22:15, Arrive Manchester 23:30

Visit Milan’s iconic cathedral and the neighbouring square along with boutique stores, restaurants, pizzerias and ice cream shops.

You can have 12 hours and 50 minutes in Milan if you travel on a Saturday from Manchester with Ryanair but you’ll travel in and out via two different airports.

You can catch the early flight out at 06:15 to Milan-Bergamo, arriving in time for breakfast and then the 22:15 flight back from Milan-Malpensa on the opposite side of the city.

Both airports are well-connected to the city centre and the flight time is a little over two hours.