At the airport FAQs

While the airport is open 24 hours, please note that we do not offer dedicated sleeping areas. While limited facilities are available, for a more comfortable overnight stay, we suggest considering one of the nearby hotels. More information on these options can be found here.

We have a viewing area within Car Park 5,  Sheldon Country Park which is close by also has great views.

In addition to the outdoor viewing area located in Car Park 5, you may be interested to learn that there is a 'free to use' location in Sheldon Country Park, on publicly accessible land at the north end of the runway which affords excellent views of arriving and departing aircraft. You can read more at www.birmingham.gov.uk/sheldonpark.

The Airport is open 24 hours, 365 days a year. Selected retail and catering units are also open 24/7, while others will remain open only when flights are arriving or departing.

Customers will not be able to smoke or vape anywhere within the airport terminal. There are designated smoking areas outside the front of the terminal, but once passed here, smoking is prohibited until you reach your destination. 

For more information about Police at Birmingham Airport please visit our Police page.

If you need the assistance of a police officer while you are at Birmingham Airport, any airport official will be able to help call us to your location. For urgent matters call 999, for non-urgent matters, call 101 or email the Airport Police Unit: [email protected]

To raise a question/comment, complaint or provide a compliment please visit our contact page or use the chatbot.

For information about World Duty Free at Birmingham Airport, please visit our World Duty Free page.

For an overview of bringing goods into the UK, please visit the GOV.uk website about Bringing goods into the UK for personal use.

Information about foreign currency can be found on the Travelex page.

For international travel a passport is required. Depending on the country there may be a requirement to have at least six months validity after your return date. Your airline should be able to confirm this for you along with any visa requirements. Airline contact details can be found in our Airline Directory.

If you are travelling to the United States you must have a valid visa or an ESTA visa wavier. This is required even if you are only transiting through the United States travelling on to another destination such as Canada or the Caribbean. Details of this requirement and how to apply can be found at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta.

As well as a valid passport it is important that an ESTA is received prior to travel (please note that to be allowed entrance into the United States, all passport holders must be holders of bio-metric (chipped) passports. Check-in will be prohibited without this documentation. This is required even if you are only transiting through the United States and travelling on to another destination such as Canada or the Caribbean. Details of this requirement and how to apply for an ESTA can be found at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta.

Whilst a passport may not be required for travel to these destinations it is advisable to use it as your valid form of photo ID. Some airlines will accept other forms of ID such as a photo driving licence, but it is important that you check with them directly before travel. For more information please contact your airline directly, details can be found in our Airline Directory.

For information about Lounges at Birmingham Airport, please visit our Airport Lounges page.

For more information about our Drop-in lounge and meeting space at Birmingham Airport, please see our news article about Regus Express.

The No.1 Lounge and Aspire Lounge allow children accompanied by adults. Please see our guide to travelling with children for more information.

You can find details regarding the Aspire Lounge location, opening times, cost and facilities on the Aspire Lounge page.

You can find details about location, opening times, facilities and costs on the No1 Lounge page.

Please see contact details at the bottom of the Aspire Lounge page.

Please see contact details at the bottom of the No1 Lounge page.

The dress code for the Aspire Lounge is: smart wear, no caps, shorts or any other item of clothing considered as inappropriate.

You can find further information and contact details on the Aspire Lounge page.

The Aspire Lounge are able to warm baby bottles.

To raise a question/comment, complaint or provide a compliment regarding signage please visit our contact page or use the chatbot.

Information about shops at Birmingham Airport can be found on our Shopping page.

Information about bars and restaurants at the Airport can be found on our Eating & Drinking page.

Please contact the relevant Airport retailers directly.

For shops at Birmingham Airport please visit our Shopping page.

For bars and restaurants at the Airport please visit our Eating & Drinking page.

Please refer to your receipt. Contact details for shops/outlets are usually displayed.

Alternatively, please see contact details on our Shopping page.

Sky Zone is a completely free kid’s interactive play area.  You can find Sky Zone opposite Gate 54 and Gate 3 after Security.  We do ask that parents/guardians stay with you while you are in Sky Zone.

Sky Zone caters for our younger passengers as well as older children. 

You can find more information on our Sky Zone page.

For information about Lounges at Birmingham Airport, please visit our Airport Lounges page.

For more information about our Drop-in lounge and meeting space at Birmingham Airport, please see our news article about Regus Express.

Information about shops at Birmingham Airport can be found on our Shopping page.

Information about bars and restaurants at the Airport can be found on our Eating & Drinking page.

Information about foreign currency can be found on the Travelex page.

Birmingham Airport has a children’s play zone that is free to use. For more information please visit out SkyZone page.

There is not a crèche at the Airport, however Sky Zone is an unmanned, free interactive games area that is suitable for children of all ages when supervised by their parents. For more information please visit out SkyZone page.

Birmingham Airport offers high quality modern trolleys that are always available from the multiple vending points located conveniently around the Airport.

Location of vending points can be found on our Baggage Trolleys page.

Wherever you are within the terminal, you will be able to connect to free wifi for half hour slots. You simply have to login and your details will be saved for future visits.

To raise a question/comment, complaint or provide a compliment regarding Airport wifi please select the relevant option from the form on the Contact & Feedback page. When prompted, please select 'At the Airport', then 'Other'.

There are a number of disabled toilet facilities at the Airport.

We do have a prayer room within the landisd and airside areas. Wudu can also be found in the main toilets within Zone B

Departure Lounge access is only permitted to passengers.

Yes, the water fountains are part of our enhanced cleaning regime. All water fountains are still working. 

The transfer route is currently closed.

Passengers are asked to complete their arrivals journey through immigration and proceed back through security. 

Your duty free allowance is determined by your final destination. The World Duty Free team will be able to advise on your allowances when travelling through Birmingham.

If you require further information you can visit their website: www.worlddutyfree.com.

You will have to retrieve and check-in your luggage between flights. Please ensure that you consider check-in closure times when making this type of reservation.

You will have to retrieve and check-in your luggage between flights. Please ensure that you consider check-in closure times when making this type of reservation.

All transfer passengers return to the public areas between flights. There is no facility for non-travellers to go through Security (airside) to meet friends or family.

Pushchairs are available when you disembark, within the baggage reclaim hall.

The pushchairs are coin operated with a £1 refundable deposit.

The pushchairs are coin operated with a £1 deposit which is refundable at the pushchair return point located within the baggage hall.

Check in will tag your pushchair for travel and then you may keep this until your departure gate where the handling agent will take it from you for loading.

There are baby changing rooms located throughout the terminal for you to change nappies or feed your baby. Most of these are located near to the toilets.

Baby milk and other essentials can be pre-ordered online at Boots for collection in our Departure Lounge shop, so there is no need for you to have to carry this through security. This must be pre-ordered at least 5 days in advance.

Food and powders should be packed into your hold luggage where possible, although these items are permitted in your hand luggage. You are more likely to avoid further security checks if you do not have any such items. Please see advisory information from the Department for Transport.

For more information please visit the Boots page.

The No.1 Lounge and Aspire Lounge allow children accompanied by adults. Please see our guide to travelling with children for more information.

Our restaurants are delighted to welcome children and most have special menus and colouring packs for entertain

Wherever possible, our restaurants will accommodate all special requirements. Frankie & Benny’s now offer a coeliac society approved menu for gluten free diets. To discuss and arrange in advance, please contact our restaurants directly via our Eating & Drinking page.

Birmingham Airport has a children’s play zone that is free to use. For more information please visit out SkyZone page.

There is not a crèche at the Airport, however Sky Zone is an unmanned, free interactive games area that is suitable for children of all ages when supervised by their parents. For more information please visit out SkyZone page.

Unaccompanied minors are escorted by an airline representative from the airline's handling agent off the aircraft and through the arrivals hall to the landside (public) arrivals area, opposite the Costa Coffee shop.  Here they are met by the person designated to pick them up.  That person will need to produce identity to verify their ID before the child can be collected. 

For more information or to advise of an unaccompanied minor travelling, please contact your airline directly. You can find contact details in our Airline Directory.

You can visit skyzoneonline, designed for older children at skyzoneonline.co.uk. Skyzoneonline is a digital platform providing interactive fun, either before you come to the Airport or during your visit.

Please note only service animals and animals that are travelling are permitted to enter the terminal.

Bringing your pet to Great Britain

If you are entering Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) and require more information about bringing your pet to Great Britain, please visit the GOV.uk website here.

Unfortunately Birmingham Airport does not have an Animal Reception Centre as we are not licensed to receive unquarantined animals.

Birmingham Airport offers high quality modern trolleys that are always available from the multiple vending points located conveniently around the Airport.

Location of vending points can be found on our Baggage Trolleys page.

The trolley charge was introduced in 2009 following research undertaken by the Airport that indicated fewer than 5% of passengers now use trolleys. This is due to the popularity of wheeled luggage, the increase in passengers taking hand luggage only and the proximity of the terminal buildings to the car parks.

A number of Airports across Europe operate a similar trolley vending system. The system discourages the misuse of trolleys and leads to a greater availability of high quality trolleys for the passengers that still choose to use trolleys.