Manston Airport in Kent is gearing up for a major return to the skies, nearly a decade after its closure. Once a key wartime airfield and later a lorry park, the historic site is being transformed into a modern budget travel hub, set to reopen by 2028.

£500M Transformation Underway

The former Royal Air Force base is undergoing a dramatic £500 million refurbishment, with new terminals, upgraded runways, and infrastructure designed to support large-scale passenger traffic. Manston’s 2,748-meter-long and 60-meter-wide runway—originally built to handle Concorde and even emergency Space Shuttle landings—remains a standout feature.

Ryanair, easyJet & Wizz Air in Talks

According to reports, Manston’s new operators have been in ongoing discussions with Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air about launching low-cost routes to major European destinations. If finalized, these partnerships could make Manston a serious player in the UK’s budget aviation market.

From War Hero to Lorry Park

With a storied past that includes service during both World Wars, Manston once played a vital role in British aviation history. But since shutting down in 2015 due to financial struggles, the airport was controversially repurposed as a lorry park to manage post-Brexit traffic disruptions.

The last commercial flight took off on April 9, 2014, heading to Amsterdam—marking the end of an era for Kent’s aviation scene.