Terminal
Birmingham has run every arrival and departure through a single terminal since 8 February 2011, when a £13m project merged what had been Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 into one combined building — the airport’s own operations director called it a step toward a smoother journey rather than a bigger one. The CAA counted 13.66 million terminal passengers in 2025, 6.3% up on the year before, at a site in Solihull, 10 miles southeast of the city centre and next door to the NEC.
Departing passengers work through four check-in zones, A to D, inside that single building. The Assisted Travel reception desk sits on the ground floor next to Check-in Zone B, opposite the Spar shop, for anyone who wants help before the queues start.
Security dropped its 100ml liquids cap at the end of June 2025, letting containers up to two litres travel in hand luggage. The change took over a year to land after Birmingham had already become the first major UK airport to fit a bank of CT scanners — the equipment was ready before the regulatory sign-off was.
Birmingham International station, on the West Coast Main Line and managed by Avanti West Coast, sits under two minutes from the terminal by the Air-Rail Link — an automated monorail that is free to ride, reached by turning left off the station concourse once through the gateline. Birmingham New Street is ten minutes further down the same line.
Mitie runs the airport’s Assisted Travel service: ask your airline for help at least 48 hours ahead, then register at the Assisted Travel Help Desk no later than three hours before departure. A calm “Sunflower Room” sits next to Gate 47 for anyone the terminal overwhelms, a dedicated Changing Places toilet is tucked behind the WH Smith bookshop in the departure lounge, and induction loops cover every Help Point. The CAA rated Birmingham’s accessibility performance “Good” for 2024/2025.