Isle of Man

Departing from Birmingham Airport

Birmingham Airport is the 3^rd largest airport in the UK outside of London, meaning there are plenty of places to shop, eat and relax whilst you’re waiting to board your flight.

The Isle of Man is only a short flight away but that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of the airport’s facilities before you fly. Get to the airport early and enjoy a delicious meal to kick start your holiday, we’ve got a great selection of cafés, bars and restaurants for you to choose from. If you’re travelling with young children, Giraffe and Frankie & Benny’s both do a great kid’s menu. Perhaps you’re travelling solo and would prefer to grab something for the plane? No problem, we’ve got the likes of Pret a Manger and Boots. You’ll also find your favourite coffee chains like Caffé Nero.

Whether you’re in need of last-minute holiday essentials, or you’ve got time to kill before your flight, there’s a huge range of shops for you to browse. Check out World Duty Free for great savings, grab a book for the plane from WHSmith Books, and browse the fashion and beauty stores to treat yourself to something new for your holiday.

If you like to get to the airport at the last minute, board your plane and go, why not book into our Express Lane? It’s a separate lane through Security, designed to enable passengers to pass through the Security area more quickly. If you’re travelling with children, under 5s go free!

Getting to Birmingham Airport is easy whatever mode of transport you use. If you’re travelling by public transport, you will find bus services running directly to the airport or to Birmingham International Airport train station. There is a free and frequent Air-Rail link from the station which takes you to the terminal in just two minutes.

If you’re driving to the airport, you’ll find a choice of 7 car parks, which are all easily accessible from the terminal by foot or via the free courtesy shuttle bus. Book a parking space online in advance and save up to 70%. To find out about our other services, head to our terminal facilities page.

Travelling as a family? Read our top tips for travelling with children.

Arriving at Isle of Man Airport

The Isle of Man’s only airport, Ronaldsway, is located in the south of the Island in Ballasalla, close to Castletown, where you’ll find plenty of available accommodation and things to see and do. 

A frequent bus service stops outside the airport terminal building travelling to Port Erin via Castletown or Port St Mary, so you’ll find it easy to get to your chosen accommodation if you’re staying in the south. 

If you’re staying elsewhere, you can reach the Island’s capital, Douglas, in just 30 minutes. From here you can easily reach all other parts of the Island. The Douglas bus service departs the airport every 20 minutes. 

Or, if you’d prefer to travel from the airport directly to your accommodation, you can pre-book a taxi from one of the many firms on the Island, or hire a car. 

Pre-book your transfer with HolidayTaxis and avoid the queues when you arrive.

What to expect in Isle of Man

The Isle of Man is located between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain in the Irish Sea with a population of about 80,000 people. Considering its size, the Isle of Man manages to squeeze in an abundance of legend, scenic beauty, wildlife and folklore. 

There are beautiful beaches to explore, mountains to climb, castles to visit and lots of lovely fresh food to eat. And, did you know that the world-famous pop band the Bee Gees were from the Island?

The Isle of Man benefits from a mild climate and boasts more than 100 miles of beautiful coastline consisting largely of sweeping, sandy beaches and steep, rugged cliffs – so there’s plenty of space to enjoy it. The weather is changeable though, shifting from clear blue skies to torrential rain and back again all within an afternoon.

Culture in Isle of Man

Legend has it that the Isle of Man’s name comes from the Celtic sea god Manannan Mac Lir who protected the Island from invaders by shrouding it in a cloak of mist. These folklore stories and the history that follows are carefully safeguarded by locals to ensure the Island doesn’t lose any of its unique charm or character.

A visit to the Isle of Man will be a voyage of discovery and will present the chance to explore Celtic crosses and ancient Viking burial grounds, as well as several heritage landmarks which tell the captivating Story of Mann.

Motorsport fans flock to the Isle of Man each year to watch the world’s greatest road racers test themselves against the incredible ‘Mountain Course’ at the ‘The Isle of Man TT Festival’. It’s the ultimate must-see event for motor sport fans across the globe, who watch their favourite racers tackle a 37.73-mile beast of a course carved out of the island’s public roads.

Traditionally the national dish of the island is Spuds and Herrin, boiled potatoes and herring.  This dish was popular as it supported farmers and fishermen on the island, back in the day.