Manchester to Malta Flight Time, Can You Do It in a Day?
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The flight from Manchester to Malta takes about 3 hours 30 minutes, and on Tuesday 22 December 2026 you can do it in a day for £113.35 all in, with about 6.3 hours in Valletta.
The flight from Manchester to Malta takes about 3 hours 30 minutes on the way out and 3 hours 35 minutes on the way back. Malta is an hour ahead of the UK, so leave at 06:45 and you land at 11:15 their time.
That's long for a day out, but it does work. We cover this sort of thing on our extreme day trips page, flying out in the morning and home the same night. Here's what Malta looks like done that way.
How long is the flight from Manchester to Malta?
About three and a half hours each way. The outbound we priced leaves Manchester at 06:45 and lands at 11:15 Malta time. The flight home leaves at 20:45 and lands back in Manchester at 23:20.
Add the hour time difference and it feels longer than it is. You lose an hour going out and get it back coming home.
Can you do Malta in a day from Manchester?
Yes, on the right day. Right now the one that works on our board is Tuesday 22 December. easyJet out at 06:45, Ryanair home at 20:45, £59.00 return for the two flights together and £113.35 for the whole day.
Two airlines means two tickets. That's fine, but book both at the same time so you're not left with one half. See the day trip to Malta from Manchester
Landing to take-off is 9.5 hours. Once you've done passport control, the bus in and back, and the time at the airport before your flight, you get about 6.3 hours in Valletta, roughly 12:15 to 18:35.
What does a day in Malta cost?
The flights are £59.00. The trip page puts the ground cost at £54.35 per person.
- Bus to Valletta and back, £4.00
- Local transport, £21.00
- Lunch, £13.60
- Dinner, £15.75
If you're staying in Valletta all day you won't use much of the local transport figure, it's there in case you want to get across to the Three Cities or Sliema. The airport bus is cheap. An ordinary bus is €2.00 in winter, and the Airport Direct TD4 to Valletta is €3.
What can you see in six hours?
Valletta is tiny, which is exactly why it suits a day trip. You can walk the whole old city in an hour, so six hours is plenty.
Start at the Upper Barrakka Gardens. It's free, and the view over the Grand Harbour is the best in Malta. Then walk Republic Street and Merchants Street end to end, both free, with Hastings Gardens and the bastions on the other side of town.
If you pay for one thing, make it St John's Co-Cathedral at €15. It's closed on Sundays, but 22 December is a Tuesday so you're fine. The Grand Master's Palace is €12, Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum are €10, and the Lascaris War Rooms are €20.
The sun sets at 16:52, so do the gardens and the harbour views early and save the cathedral and dinner for the dark.
What time do you need to leave Valletta?
Around 18:35. That's what the trip page works back from, allowing 30 minutes on the bus and 100 minutes at the airport including passport control for the 20:45 flight.
It sounds like a lot of airport time, but since 2025 the EU's new entry and exit checks can mean fingerprints and a photo on your first trip, and Malta is in the EU. Don't cut it fine. A relaxed dinner near the bus terminus by the City Gate is a better plan than a dash.
Anything to watch with two airlines?
A few things, because the outbound is easyJet and the flight home is Ryanair.
- Check both bag allowances. A small bag that fits under the seat is the safe choice for both.
- Check in for each flight separately, on each airline's app.
- If the morning flight is late, Ryanair won't wait for you. With 9.5 hours on the ground there's plenty of slack, but it's worth knowing.
Is Malta worth it for one day?
Honestly, it's one of the longer day trips we list. Seven hours of flying for six hours on the ground isn't for everyone.
But on 22 December you swap Manchester for a walled harbour city on the Med, the week before Christmas, for £113.35. If you've got a day off before the big day and want to do something you'll actually remember, it's hard to beat.
If you're nearer Birmingham, our Malta in December from Birmingham guide has the times from there. For everything else that works from Manchester, see all our day trips from Manchester.
Times and prices were checked on 31 October and fares move every day, so check the trip page for today's.
Founders get every date from Manchester priced six months ahead, so you'd see the next Malta day the moment it lands. It's £19.00 a year. Become a founder
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