UK airport drop-off charges, compared
Dropping someone at a UK airport terminal now costs between £2.50 (Teesside) 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 28 major UK airports
Swipe the table sideways to see who enforces each charge and what a missed payment costs →
| Airport | Drop-off from | Time included | Free alternative | Enforced by | If you don't pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TeessideBarrier | £2.50 | 10 min | parking is free for up to 2 hours if you spend at least £5 in the terminal — show the receipt to validate it | Airport | Paid at the barrier — the airport may issue a PCN for breaching the terms |
| NewquayCameras | £3 | 30 min | the first 10 minutes in the West Car Park are free for drop-off or pick-up | Initial Parking | PCN from Initial Parking — amount not published by the airport |
| InvernessBarrier | £3.90 | 30 min | the designated drop-off area is free for up to 15 minutes, about a five-minute walk from the terminal — but not if you return within an hour | HIAL (airport operator) | Paid at the barrier — HIAL can issue its own PCN for breaching the terms |
| Belfast CityBarrier | £4 | 10 min | the Long Stay car park, about five minutes from the terminal, is free for up to 10 minutes — take a ticket on entry and re-insert it at the exit barrier within 10 minutes (£7 for up to an hour after that) | Vehicle Control Services | Paid at the barrier — a charge means a no-stopping PCN |
| CardiffBarrier | £4.50 | 10 min | Car Park 2 is free for the first 20 minutes for drop-off and pick-up (£6 for 20–40 minutes after that, paid at the gate) | Airport | Airport’s own charge notice — amount set out on the notice |
| PrestwickBarrier | £4.50 | 60 min | there is no free drop-off option — only Blue Badge holders get 30 minutes free, validated by scanning the badge at the exit barrier | Airport (byelaws) | Paid at the barrier — byelaw breaches go to court, not a PCN |
| Belfast InternationalBarrier | £5 | 10 min | the Long Stay car park has a free 15-minute grace period, so it can be used for drop-off and pick-up | Not published | Paid on exit — no PCN amount or enforcer published |
| East MidlandsCameras | £5 | 15 min | Long Stay 2 is free for up to 60 minutes, with a shuttle bus to the terminal (the shuttle does not run from 1 November to 31 March) | APCOA | £100 (£60 within 14 days) if not paid by midnight the next day |
| HumbersideBarrier | £5 | 60 min | the first 15 minutes in Car Park 1 next to the terminal are free | Vehicle Control Services | Fine from VCS for stopping on yellow or red lines or in the bus lay-by |
| ManchesterCameras | £5.50 | 5 min | JetParks 1 offers free drop-off with a 24/7 shuttle bus to the terminals | APCOA | £100 (£60 within 14 days) if not paid by midnight the next day |
| NewcastleBarrier | £6 | 10 min | the Airport Waiting Zone at Callerton Parkway (NE13 8DN) is free for up to 90 minutes, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal | Airport or its agent (not named) | Paid on exit; the council red route nearby is a £70 PCN |
| AberdeenBarrier | £7 | 15 min | the long-stay car park is free for up to one hour, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal | Not published | Paid at the exit barrier — no PCN scheme published |
| GlasgowBarrier | £7 | 15 min | the long-stay car park is free for up to an hour for pick-ups and drop-offs, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal | Not published | Paid at the exit barrier — no PCN scheme published |
| HeathrowCameras | £7 | per visit | the Park & Ride car parks (formerly Long Stay) are free for the first 29 minutes | APCOA | £80 (£40 within 14 days) if not paid by midnight the next day |
| LiverpoolBarrier | £7 | 10 min | Drop-off 2, about a seven-minute walk from the terminal, is free for up to 20 minutes — but only once every two hours | Vehicle Control Services | Paid on exit — red-route PCNs from VCS (amount not published) |
| SouthamptonBarrier | £7 | 10 min | there is no free on-airport option while the long-stay car park is closed — Southampton Airport Parkway station is immediately adjacent and avoids the forecourt entirely | APCOA (airport roads) | £80 (£50 within 14 days) for dropping off on the airport roads |
| BirminghamCameras | £8 | 15 min | the Drop Off car park, about 400 m (a 5–10 minute walk) from the terminal, is free for up to 10 minutes — but not if you return within the hour | APCOA (site restrictions) | £100 (£50 within 14 days) for breaching the site restrictions |
| BournemouthBarrier | £8 | 30 min | there is no free drop-off option at the airport | Airport | Paid at the barrier — no missed-payment PCN; byelaws apply |
| ExeterBarrier | £8 | 15 min | Car Park P4 is free for up to 30 minutes | Airport (byelaws) | Paid at the barrier — byelaw breaches go to court, not a PCN |
| Leeds BradfordBarrier | £8 | 10 min | the One Hour Free Parking Zone inside the Mid Stay car park is free for up to an hour — leave within the hour or the full day rate applies — about a five-minute walk to the terminal (follow the red "Mid Stay & 1 Hour Free" signs from Whitehouse Lane) | Third party (named on notice) | Paid at the barrier — a charge means a no-stopping PCN |
| London CityCameras | £8 | 5 min | the DLR reaches the terminal directly, so public transport avoids the forecourt charge | APCOA | £100 (£60 within 14 days) for overstaying; non-payment PCN amount not published |
| NorwichBarrier | £8 | 20 min | there is no free drop-off option — drop-off and pick-up are only allowed inside Car Park 1, and stopping anywhere else on the airport roads risks a Vehicle Control Services charge | Vehicle Control Services | Paid at the barrier — a charge means a no-stopping PCN |
| SouthendCameras | £8 | 10 min | there is no official free drop-off — and the neighbouring retail park is separate private land with its own terms, so parking there to avoid the fee is not a safe workaround | Vehicle Control Services | PCN amount not published; £100 for stopping on the red route |
| BristolBarrier | £8.50 | 10 min | the Waiting Zone is free for up to an hour — but leaving and re-entering it within 30 minutes brings a Parking Charge Notice | VCS or APCOA | £100 (£60 within 14 days) for stopping in restricted areas |
| EdinburghBarrier | £8.50 | 10 min | the Long Stay car park is free for 30 minutes for drop-off — but there is no shuttle bus, so allow about a 10-minute walk | Airport (byelaws) | Paid at the barrier — no private PCN scheme published; byelaws apply |
| LutonCameras | £9 | 12 min | the Long Stay car park is free for up to 2 hours for drop-off, with a free 24-hour shuttle bus to the terminal | APCOA | £95 (£55 within 14 days) |
| GatwickCameras | £10 | 10 min | the Long Stay car parks are free for up to two hours, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals | Times24 | £100 (£60 within 14 days) from Times24 |
| StanstedCameras | £10 | 15 min | the Mid Stay car park is free for up to 60 minutes for drop-off | APCOA | £100 (£60 within 14 days) if not paid by midnight the next day |
Headline kerbside drop-off prices, each verified against the airport’s own published tariff or a dated published guide. The oldest figure in this table was last checked . 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:
SouthendBelfast InternationalSouthamptonAberdeenHeathrowGatwickManchesterStanstedLutonBirminghamBristolEdinburghGlasgowLeeds BradfordNewcastleEast MidlandsLiverpoolLondon CityBelfast CityNorwichNewquayBournemouthInvernessCardiffExeterPrestwickTeessideHumberside
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Common questions
- How much do UK airports charge to drop off?
- Headline drop-off charges currently run from £2.50 at Teesside (10 min) to £10 at Stansted (15 min). 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. 23 of the 28 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.