UK airport drop-off fees, compared
Dropping someone at a UK airport terminal now costs between £5 (East Midlands) and £10 (Stansted) for a few minutes at the kerbside. Nearly every airport still has a free alternative a short walk or shuttle away — and if you have already been charged, a drop-off Parking Charge Notice can be appealed.
Drop-off charges at 14 major UK airports
| Airport | Drop-off from | Time included | Free alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| East MidlandsCameras | £5 | 15 min | the Long Stay car park offers a free period with a shuttle bus |
| ManchesterCameras | £5.50 | 5 min | JetParks 1 offers free drop-off with a 24/7 shuttle bus to the terminals |
| LiverpoolBarrier | £6 | 10 min | the long-stay car park offers a free drop-off period with a transfer |
| NewcastleBarrier | £6 | 10 min | the Metro and long-stay options can avoid the forecourt charge entirely |
| GlasgowCameras | £7 | 15 min | the long-stay car park offers a free period with a shuttle |
| HeathrowCameras | £7 | 10 min | the long-stay car parks give a free period with a free transfer to the terminal |
| Leeds BradfordBarrier | £7 | 10 min | check the long-stay car park for a free drop-off option with a transfer |
| LutonCameras | £7 | 10 min | the mid-stay car park offers free drop-off with a shuttle |
| BirminghamCameras | £8 | 15 min | there is a separate free drop-off car park (around the first 10 minutes free) a short walk or transfer from the terminal |
| London CityCameras | £8 | 5 min | the DLR reaches the terminal directly, so public transport avoids the forecourt charge |
| BristolCameras | £8.50 | 10 min | the Silver Zone car park offers a free period with a shuttle |
| EdinburghCameras | £8.50 | 10 min | the long-stay car park offers free drop-off with a tram or bus link to the terminal |
| GatwickCameras | £10 | 10 min | the long-stay car park allows a free period with a shuttle to the terminal |
| StanstedCameras | £10 | 15 min | the mid-stay car park offers a free period with a free shuttle bus |
Headline kerbside drop-off prices, checked against each airport’s own website on . Longer stays cost more, and several airports raised prices twice in 2026 — confirm on the airport’s site before you travel. “Cameras” means you pay online afterwards (miss it and you get a Parking Charge Notice); “Barrier” means you pay on exit.
How to avoid the charge
- Use the free drop-off area. Most airports keep one in a long-stay or waiting car park, with a free shuttle or a short covered walk to the terminal. It is the same journey with an extra five minutes.
- Pay on the day if you do get charged. Barrierless airports expect payment online by the end of the next day — miss it and a £5–£10 fee becomes an £80–£100 Parking Charge Notice.
- Do not re-enter the zone. Several airports add a steep re-circulation fee if you come back within 30 minutes, so one extra loop can cost more than the drop-off itself.
- Watch the clock at the kerb. The headline price buys 5–15 minutes; the tier above it is often two to four times as much.
Charged unfairly? You can appeal
A drop-off charge is a private Parking Charge Notice — a contract dispute with the operator, not a statutory council PCN. That matters, because airport forecourts and access roads are frequently not “relevant land” under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, so the operator often cannot hold the registered keeper liable at all. Pick your airport for the exact appeal route and the grounds that apply:
Common questions
- How much do UK airports charge to drop off?
- Headline drop-off charges currently run from £5 at East Midlands (15 minutes) to £10 at Stansted (15 minutes). Most large airports raised prices during 2026, several of them twice. Longer stays cost significantly more — at some airports 30 minutes costs three to four times the headline price.
- Can I drop off at a UK airport for free?
- Usually yes. 12 of the 14 airports here keep a free drop-off option — normally a long-stay or waiting car park a short shuttle or walk from the terminal. Birmingham's Drop Off car park is free for up to 10 minutes, and public transport avoids the forecourt charge entirely at London City. The charge applies to the kerbside zone directly outside the terminal, not to the whole airport.
- What happens if I do not pay the drop-off charge?
- At barrierless airports the cameras read your plate and you pay online, normally by the end of the following day. Miss that deadline and the operator issues a Parking Charge Notice — commonly £80 to £100, reduced by around 40% if you pay quickly. That notice is a private contract charge, not a council PCN, and it can be appealed.
- Can I appeal an airport drop-off charge?
- Yes. Airport forecourts and access roads are frequently not "relevant land" under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, so the operator often cannot hold the registered keeper liable and must identify the actual driver. Other strong grounds are a payment you did make, an ANPR misread, that you never actually stopped, or signage that did not clearly display the charge. Do not pay if you intend to appeal — paying is treated as accepting the charge.
- Why did I get a charge when I only drove through?
- Barrierless ANPR systems time you between an entry and an exit read. A camera can capture a vehicle that only passed through the zone, or misread a plate and attach someone else's visit to yours. If you did not stop, that is a ground of appeal in itself — a drop-off charge applies to stopping in the zone.