Review: the new luxury 1903 Lounge in Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2 extension

This is our review of the new 1903 Lounge in the newly opened Terminal 2 extension at Manchester Airport.

Yesterday we reviewed the new Escape Lounge in Manchester Terminal 2. Last week I wrote a broader review of the new Manchester Terminal 2 building itself.

When fully operational there will be three new open-access lounges in the Terminal 2 extension: the Escape Lounge, 1903 Lounge and an Aspire lounge. Virgin Atlantic is also opening a Clubhouse for the exclusive use of its passengers.

Both the Escape and 1903 lounges are operated by the airport itself. You will also find these brands at the other terminals as well as at Stansted Airport and East Midlands Airport, which are also owned by Manchester Airports Group.

1903 is the premium brand and features self-pour alcohol as well as an improved range of freshly made food.

The lounge is currently closed except for specific Virgin Atlantic flights, but is due to open more widely in September. It is also the lounge that Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Etihad business class passengers will have access to.

Entry to the 1903 Lounge is via the same shared entrance as the Escape Lounge, located on the mezzanine floor of the terminal and pictured above. The 1903 Lounge is straight ahead:

Since the lounge is not fully open yet it was empty when we visited, although it is pretty much ready to go:

There are two bar islands, where you can pour your own alcoholic drinks:

A range of spirits, wines and beers are available. I saw about 5-6 different types of red and white wine each. Tanquearay is the big gin brand but you also get several different craft gins and varieties:

You have a choice of prosecco, rose prosecco and champagne:

You get the same fantastic view as in the Escape Lounge, albeit the 1903 Lounge has far more windows and therefore a lot more seating with a view:

There is a mixture of seating, although it is predominantly armchairs:

Whilst the lounge wasn’t fully operational they did rustle up some of the things they’ll be serving when it is open, including stir fries, curries and gyoza:

Plus a range of salads:

The lounge also has a small theatre kitchen, with the idea being that you can request a tuna steak or chicken breast cooked freshly to top your salad:

and

Whilst these are the main dishes they will be accompanied by a much larger range of bits and bobs, including freshly baked scones.

As mentioned in our Escape Lounge review, both lounges have an interconnecting overflow space that can respond to whichever lounge is experiencing higher demand:

How to access the 1903 Lounge at Manchester Terminal 2

At Terminal 2, the 1903 Lounge will be the home of a number of airlines including Qatar Airways, Etihad, and Singapore Airlines. It is also the lounge Virgin Atlantic is using until it opens up its own Clubhouse.

The lounge is not accessible via any lounge schemes such as Priority Pass or DragonPass. The only other way to get access is to book directly via the airport website from £36 per person.

Note that the 1903 Lounge is ‘adults only’. If you are travelling with children you can use the Escape Lounge.

Conclusion

Just like the Escape Lounge next door I am impressed with what the 1903 Lounge has on offer. Large windows mean it has plenty of natural light and fantastic views of the tarmac. I can see why Rob was so impressed when he reviewed the 1903 Lounge in Terminal 1 back in 2017.

The food and drink offering is also genuinely good, with items that are freshly made on site in the adjacent kitchen. At £36 it would be hard to go wrong here as long as you have enough time to make the most of it.

The 1903 Lounge website is here if you want to learn more or book.

1903, by the way, references the year that the Wright brothers made their first flight.

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How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (January 2024)

Here are the four options to get FREE airport lounge access via a UK credit card.

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with two free Priority Pass cards, one for you and one for a supplementary cardholder. Each card admits two so a family of four gets in free. You get access to all 1,300 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.

You also get access to Plaza Premium, Delta Air Lines and Eurostar lounges.  Our American Express Platinum review is here. You can apply here.

If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum instead.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for the first year. It comes with a Priority Pass card loaded with four free visits to any Priority Pass lounge – see the list here.

Additional lounge visits are charged at £24.  You get four more free visits for every year you keep the card.  

There is no annual fee for Amex Gold in Year 1 and you get a 20,000 points sign-up bonus.  Full details are in our American Express Preferred Rewards Gold review here.

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard gets you get a free Priority Pass card, allowing you access to the Priority Pass network.  Guests are charged at £24 although it may be cheaper to pay £60 for a supplementary credit card for your partner.

The card has a fee of £195 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer.  Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.

PS. You can find all of HfP’s UK airport lounge reviews – and we’ve been to most of them – indexed here.