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The 9 miles Metrolink extension to Manchester Airport leaves the South Manchester Line after the St Werburgh’s Road stop in Chorlton and travels along Mauldeth Road West to Sale Water Park via Hardy Lane, creating a new route to the south. After crossing the M60, the line travels via Northern Moor, Baguley and Wythenshawe to Manchester Airport, with a 300-space Park and Ride site at Sale Water Park

The line has 14 new stops at Barlow Moor Road, Sale Water Park, Northern Moor, Wythenshawe Park, Moor Road, Baguley, Roundthorn, Martinscroft, Benchill, Crossacres, Wythenshawe Town Centre, Robinswood Road, Peel Hall, Shadowmoss before terminating at the existing transport interchange at Manchester Airport (called simply “The Station”).

Several major purpose-built structures have been built as part of the programme, including a viaduct over the Mersey Valley, two new bridges over the M60 and M56, and the Ringway Road dual carriageway and underpass at Manchester Airport.

Shadow running took place from Monday 20 October when test trams ran out of service between Cornbrook and the airport (SJ8297 : Airport Tram at Cornbrook) and the line opened to passengers on 3 November 2014, more than a year ahead of schedule. Initially, services will run between Manchester Airport and Cornbrook until new lines have been installed in the city centre.

The new line brings the size of the Metrolink network to 57 ½ miles, serving 92 stops, bigger than any comparable system in the UK, including the Docklands light railway in London. Another line out to the Trafford Centre shopping mall via Trafford Park industrial estate and the Imperial War Museum is planned and construction of a second city-centre crossing to ease peak time congestion is already in progress.

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