If you're flying from Southampton and don't want to use London, the two practical alternatives are Birmingham and Manchester. Both are 3-4 hour chauffeur runs and both have different network strengths.
This article compares them for Southampton-based travellers.
Distance and journey time
Birmingham: ~140 miles via M40 / M42. Typical chauffeur time 2:45-3:15 off-peak, 3:00-3:45 in rush hour. Predictable.
Manchester: ~200 miles via M6 (or M1 if travelling overnight). Typical chauffeur time 3:30-4:00 off-peak, 4:00-5:00 with M6 congestion. Less predictable — the M6 around Birmingham can add an hour.
Birmingham is the lighter run. Manchester adds ~60 miles and the M6's variability.
Transfer cost
Both are per-mile rate (no fixed-fare on either route from Southampton):
- Birmingham: ~£260 in standard saloon, ~£320 in executive saloon
- Manchester: ~£340 in standard saloon, ~£420 in executive saloon
Both qualify for the 15% volume discount (£250+ threshold) and an additional 5% on the return leg. Final round-trip pricing typically ~£430 return standard saloon to Birmingham, ~£560 to Manchester.
Network coverage
This is where the airports differ.
Manchester is a major secondary hub. Strong on:
- Transatlantic (Delta, Virgin, Aer Lingus, TUI)
- Asia (Cathay, Emirates, Etihad, Singapore, Qatar)
- European budget (easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair)
- UK domestic and Irish
For long-haul to Asia or the US, Manchester is the option most people pick.
Birmingham is a smaller hub. Network is concentrated in:
- European short-haul (BA, easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz)
- Limited transatlantic (Air India, occasional charters)
- Asia via single-stop (Emirates daily to Dubai)
- UK domestic
For Europe, Birmingham works fine. For long-haul, Manchester is usually better.
When Birmingham wins
A few cases where Birmingham is the clear pick despite Manchester's bigger network:
- You're flying European short-haul (BA, easyJet, Ryanair). Birmingham route options usually match what's at Manchester, and the M40 run is more reliable.
- You've got a tight schedule. Birmingham's 30+ minute distance advantage matters when you're trying to fit in a same-day return.
- Direct flight to Dubai (Emirates). Same daily Emirates flight at both airports, but the Birmingham run is cheaper to/from Southampton.
When Manchester wins
- Transatlantic. Direct US flights from Manchester; almost none from Birmingham.
- Asia direct. Cathay, Singapore, Etihad, Qatar all serve Manchester. Birmingham has Emirates only.
- Long-haul cargo via Manchester. Heavy cargo capacity affects passenger flight pricing — Manchester long-haul is often cheaper than the same route via London hubs.
The hourly chauffeur alternative
For long-distance trips like Southampton → Manchester, some passengers ask if hourly is cheaper. The math:
- Per-mile (standard saloon, one-way): ~£340
- Hourly (3hr 45min minimum hire): 3.75 × £45 = £170 — but this only covers driver time, not the return-empty leg.
Per-mile already accounts for the return-empty journey time in the rate. Hourly is structurally cheaper-looking per mile but misses the cost of getting the driver back. The per-mile rate is what works for one-way runs of this length.
Booking pattern we see most
For Southampton → Midlands airport, the typical booking shape is:
- Outbound chauffeur to the airport for a flight 2-3 hours after pickup time (allows buffer for M6 / M40 traffic)
- Return chauffeur from the airport on landing (return discount applies automatically)
- Executive saloon if 2+ passengers; standard saloon for solo or pair
For groups of 4+ with luggage, minibus is the right vehicle category — see /fleet for the comparison.
Booking
Direct airport pages: Manchester, Birmingham. Or book with pickup = Southampton and your chosen airport as the dropoff.
For pre-trip questions, hello@fare1.co.uk.