Key prices at a glance
Prices below are for the closest terminal forecourt (Express/Drop-Off zone). Cheaper or free alternatives exist at most airports – see the full table below.
Full UK airport drop-off charges (2026)
Sorted alphabetically. “Drop-off” = closest forecourt zone. Always verify at the airport’s official website before travelling – charges can change.
| Airport | Drop-off charge | Time limit | Free / cheaper alternative | Blue Badge? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen 2026 ABZ |
£5.50 | Up to 15 min, then £1/min; £50 flat after 30 min | Long-stay as cheaper alternative (check airport) | Check airport |
| Belfast City BHD |
Charges apply | See airport guidance | Check airport website | Check airport |
| Belfast International BFS |
From £3 (Drop-Off Zone) | Short stay | Long Stay: 15 min free | Check airport |
| Birmingham BHX |
FREE (10 min) | 10 min free in drop-off car park | Use the free drop-off car park | Included in free period |
| Bournemouth ↑ Jun 2026 BOH |
£8 (CP1) | Up to 30 min | Pre-book pick-up products | Check airport |
| Bristol 2026 BRS |
£8.50 | Up to 10 min | Free Waiting Zone (off-site) | Check airport |
| Cardiff CWL |
£3 | Up to 10 min | Check airport for current bands | Check airport |
| East Midlands EMA |
£5 | Up to 15 min, then £1/min (max 30 min) | 1 hour free option available | Check airport |
| Edinburgh ↑ May 2026 EDI |
£8.50 | Up to 10 min, then £1/min | Check airport for alternatives | Yes – verify in advance |
| Exeter EXT |
Varies by car park | See airport website | Check Exeter official parking | Check airport |
| Glasgow GLA |
£7 | Up to 15 min | Check airport for alternatives | Check airport |
| Glasgow Prestwick PIK |
£4.50 | Up to 60 min (CP1) | Generous 60-min window at CP1 | Check airport |
| Humberside HUY |
FREE (15 min) | 15 min free in CP1 | Free period in Car Park 1 | Included |
| Inverness INV |
FREE (10 min) | First 10 min free in short stay | Free period – verify on arrival | Check airport |
| Leeds Bradford LBA |
£7 | Up to 10 min | Free 1-hour zone available | Check airport |
| Liverpool LPL |
£6 | Up to 10 min (Express Drop-Off) | “Drop Off 2” alternative – check rules | Check airport |
| London City New 2026 LCY |
£8 | Up to 5 min, then £1/min (max 10 min) | Short stay | Yes – check exemption rules |
| London Gatwick ↑ Jan 2026 LGW |
£10 | Up to 10 min, then £1/min (daily cap) | Long Stay + free shuttle (allow extra time) | Yes – check exemption rules |
| London Heathrow ↑ Jan 2026 LHR |
£7 | 10 min hard cap (all terminals) | Park & Ride / long-stay options remain | Yes – register in advance at heathrow.com |
| London Luton LTN |
£7 | Up to 10 min, then £1/min (max 30 min) | Long Stay: up to 2 hours free + shuttle | Check airport |
| London Southend SEN |
£8 (0–10 min); £16 (10–30 min) | Up to 30 min max | Pre-booking may reduce costs | Check airport |
| London Stansted ↑ Mar 2026 STN |
£10 | Up to 15 min; £28 for 15–30 min | Mid Stay: free up to 60 min + 7-min shuttle | No – Stansted does NOT exempt Blue Badge holders |
| Manchester MAN |
£5–£6 | Up to 5–10 min | JetParks free drop-off options – verify policy | Check airport |
| Newcastle New 2026 NCL |
£5 | Up to 10 min (Express car park) | Airport Waiting Zone: free up to 90 min (from Jan 2026) | Check airport |
| Southampton SOU |
£7 | Up to 20 min | Check long-stay options | Check airport |
What changed in 2026
London Gatwick – £10 from 6 January 2026
Gatwick’s 43% price jump (from £7 to £10) made it briefly the UK’s most expensive airport for a kerbside drop-off. The airport cited significantly higher business rates. The free long-stay alternative remains: drop off at the long-stay car park and take the free shuttle, adding roughly 10–15 minutes each way.
London Heathrow – £7 plus a new 10-minute hard cap, from 1 January 2026
Heathrow’s fee rose from £6 to £7 – its fifth consecutive annual rise since charges launched in November 2021. More significantly, Heathrow introduced a hard 10-minute maximum stay across all terminal forecourts. Vehicles left unattended are not permitted. Blue Badge holders are exempt but must register in advance through heathrow.com. Motorbikes are not charged.
London Stansted – £10 from 19 March 2026
Stansted raised its Express Set Down fee by 40%, from £7 to £10 for up to 15 minutes. The charge for 15–30 minutes rose from £25 to £28. There is also a re-entry rule: if you leave and re-enter the Express Set Down area within 30 minutes, an additional £20 applies. Unlike Heathrow and Gatwick, Stansted does not exempt Blue Badge holders – a point consumer groups have flagged for review. The Mid Stay car park remains free for up to 60 minutes, with a seven-minute shuttle bus to the terminal.
London City – first-ever charge from 6 January 2026
London City was the last major UK airport without a drop-off fee. That ended on 6 January 2026 with a charge of £8 for the first 5 minutes, then £1 per minute up to a 10-minute maximum. At an effective rate of £1.60/min, it is the most expensive London airport on a per-minute basis.
Edinburgh – £8.50 from 18 May 2026
Edinburgh raised its charge from £6 to £8.50, citing a 142% increase in business rates – adding around £8 million to annual operating costs. This makes Edinburgh one of the most expensive UK airports outside London for a terminal drop-off.
Bristol – increase published for 2026
Bristol raised its Drop Off & Pick Up car park pricing to £8.50 for 10 minutes. A free Waiting Zone remains available off-site.
Bournemouth – £8 from 1 June 2026
Bournemouth Airport raised its CP1 drop-off charge from £6 to £8, effective 1 June 2026. This is a 33% increase and brings Bournemouth in line with several other regional airports that have repriced this year.
Newcastle – new free waiting zone from January 2026
Newcastle Airport introduced a dedicated Airport Waiting Zone free for up to 90 minutes – one of the most generous free waiting provisions at any major UK airport, and particularly useful for pick-ups.
How to avoid or reduce airport drop-off charges
Use the free zone
Stansted’s Mid Stay is free for 60 minutes (7-min shuttle). Luton’s Long Stay is free up to 2 hours. Newcastle’s Waiting Zone is free for 90 minutes. These options exist at nearly every airport – they’re just not prominently signposted.
Set a timer the moment you enter
Overstay penalties escalate sharply. At Stansted, 15 minutes tips you from £10 to £28. At Gatwick, the £1/min extension adds up fast. Have luggage ready before you pull in.
Know the payment method
Most airports use ANPR with no barriers. Payment is made online – usually by midnight the following day. Missing the deadline means a Parking Charge Notice (typically £60–£100). Set up AutoPay if your airport offers it.
For pick-ups, wait in the free zone first
Don’t enter the paid short stay until the passenger is outside. Track the flight, wait in the free zone, then drive to the terminal once they’re through arrivals.
Register your Blue Badge in advance
Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, and London City all exempt Blue Badge holders – but you must register before arriving. Stansted is a notable exception and offers no exemption.
Consider a pre-booked taxi or transfer
Professional operators include drop-off charges in their fixed fares – no midnight payment deadlines, no risk of a charge notice, no stress.
Why are UK airport drop-off charges rising so fast?
Airports consistently cite two reasons: congestion management and recovering operational costs. Stansted’s spokesperson described “kiss and fly” journeys as “the least sustainable way of accessing the airport, involving four car journeys per flight.” Heathrow and Gatwick have both pointed to significant business rates increases.
The charges were first introduced in 2021 at many airports – ostensibly to recover Covid-related revenue losses – but have risen every year since. Gatwick’s fee has more than doubled since 2021. The contrast with major European airports, many of which still offer free terminal drop-off, has drawn criticism from consumer groups.
Birmingham Airport stands alone among major UK airports in still offering a free 10-minute drop-off window as of mid-2026.
Southampton airport now charges a minimum fee of £6 to drop off or pick up, this is for 20 minutes, I used the drop off and was in the car park for 2 minutes, still charged £6.