The line runs mostly on reserved track alignments with short sections of street–running. The southern half of the route mostly uses the wide grass verges alongside roads. From Manchester city centre, the route is shared with the Altrincham Line as far as, and then the South Manchester Line as far as. The Airport Line proper starts at a junction just south of St Werburgh's Road stop, where the line leaves the former railway trackbed, and runs off to the south-west. It joins Mauldeth Road, running along the central reservation to stop. It then runs on street along Hardy Lane for a short distance, before crossing onto a tram only viaduct crossing the River Mersey and the Mersey Valley flood plain. The line then continues on a low embankment to Sale Water Park stop, serving the Sale Water Park; this stop is also near Junction 6 of the M60 motorway and has park and ride facilities. The line then runs parallel to the M60 for a short distance before turning south-west and crossing it on a tram only bridge. After crossing the motorway the line serves stop. Between Northern Moor stop and stop the line runs on a strip of land which was originally reserved for a road scheme. The line then crosses onto Moor Road, where it serves stop, before crossing onto a reserved track section alongside the road. A tram bridge takes the tracks over the Mid-Cheshire railway line and into stop. The line then runs alongside the road for the next few miles, serving stops at and, before crossing the M56 motorway on a purpose built bridge. The line then runs along Hollyhedge Road with other traffic, before turning onto a segregated section of track alongside Brownley Road, serving stops at and. The route crosses to another segregated alignment on the south side of Poundswick Lane, crossing the northern end of Rowlandsway before turning left into stop. The line then runs along segregated roadside track sections, for the next few miles, serving stops at, and, before passing under Ringway Road via an underpass, and into the terminus at station: The two tram platforms at the Airport station were built alongside the mainline rail platforms allowing interchange between the trains and trams. The total distance between St Werburgh's Road and Manchester Airport is 9 miles.
History
The line was opened as part of the third phase of the system's development, which also included new lines to East Didsbury, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Rochdale. Construction work for all Phase 3b lines began in March 2011. On the Airport Line, a 580-tonne steel bridge was erected in Wythenshawe over the M56 motorway on 25 November 2012. The Airport Line opened on 3 November 2014, more than one year early, and at a cost of £368 million.
Proposed future development
Wythenshawe Loop
The original plans for the line included a loop from Roundthorn tram stop to the existing line at Manchester Airport via Wythenshawe Hospital and Newall Green. The line would have had stops at, and. Although axed in 2005 to control costs, the Wythenshawe Loop remains an aspiration of TfGM. The route could link with HS2Manchester Interchange. TfGM have submitted a bid for funding to extend the Airport Line to Terminal 2.
Services
As of January 2018, trams operate from Manchester Airport every 12 minutes, and terminate at in the City Zone. At opening, Airport Line services had terminated at and later due to lack of capacity through the city-centre, which was remedied by the opening of the second city crossing. In March 2016, an early morning service was introduced between the airport and, which was in February 2017 also extended to Deansgate-Castlefield. TfGM have indicated that there could also be a 6-minute service at peak times after 2017.
Usage
During the first full year of operation, 1.88 million journeys were made on the Airport Line.
