It meets the B6342 road (to Rothbury) and then goes through the village of Belsay and the small town of Ponteland. The A696 becomes dual carriageway standard just before passing Newcastle Airport, with the junctions after the airport all being grade separated.
The A696 road is described as intersecting with B6342 (to Rothbury), passing through the towns of Belsay and Ponteland, and then becoming a dual carriageway standard before reaching Newcastle Airport. All junctions after the airport are designed to be grade separated.