Updated 1 September 2026
This page is part of our Airport Travel Hub, which brings together all our guides to making your journey through the airport easier.
UK Airport Drop Off charges (and how to avoid them)
Earlier in the year, London City became the final major UK airport to introduce a fee to charge drivers for dropping off passengers outside the terminal building. Costs range from £1 for 20 minutes at City of Derry to a very steep £10 at Gatwick & Stansted. Humberside, Inverness and Newquay are now the only mainland airports without a charge to “kiss & fly”.
So if you are fortunate enough to have a friend or family member drop you off at the airport on your next trip, or you are taking someone in your own vehicle, you should be aware of the cost in advance to avoid any surprises. Â
Are there any free drop-off options?
Alternatively, knowing if there is an alternative location with a free drop-off area, can save a significant amount of money, particularly if the traveller has little luggage and/or plenty of time to make their flight. We have done the research for you.
Our analysis
The below table shows the current charges for dropping off outside the terminal for all significant airports in the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands and how many minutes you get for that cost (most airports allow longer time for an extra charge). We have also shown the free drop off locations, which hopefully will prove useful.
| Airport | Cost | Minutes allowed | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | £7.00 | 15 | Long stay parking, 2 mins via shuttle bus or a 6 minute walk |
| Belfast City | £4.00 | 10 | Long stay parking, 5 mins walk from the terminal |
| Belfast International | £5.00 | 10 | Long stay car park, 6 mins walk |
| Birmingham | £6.00 | 15 | Long stay car park, 5-10 mins walk or shuttle bus |
| Bournemouth | £6.00 | 30 | No official option |
| Bristol | £8.50 | 10 | Waiting zone, accessible via shuttle bus |
| Cardiff | £3.00 | 10 | Car park 2, a "short walk" from the terminal |
| City of Derry | £1.00 | 20 | No official option |
| East Midlands | £5.00 | 15 | Long stay parking, via shuttle bus (Apr-Oct only) or 15-20 minute walk |
| Edinburgh | £8.50 | 10 | Long stay car park, 10 mins walk |
| Exeter | £6.00 | 15 | Car park P4, 10-12 mins walk to the terminal |
| Glasgow | £7.00 | 15 | Long stay car park, 10 mins walk or 7 mins via shuttle bus |
| Glasgow Prestwick | £4.50 | 60 | No official option |
| Guernsey | - | 30 | |
| Humberside | - | 0 | Car park 1, adjacent to the terminal |
| Inverness | - | 15 | Drop off area is 5 minutes walk to the terminal |
| Isle of Man | - | n/a | No waiting, 15/30 minuites free in short stay parking with parking disc |
| Jersey | - | n/a | Outside the terminal but no waiting |
| Kirkwall | - | 120 | |
| Leeds Bradford | £8.00 | 10 | Mid-stay car park, 3-4 minute walk from terninal |
| Liverpool | £7.00 | 10 | Drop-off 2 car park, 7 minute walk from terninal |
| London City | £8.00 | 5 | No official option |
| London Gatwick | £10.00 | 10 | Long stay parking, accessible via shuttle bus |
| London Heathrow | £7.00 | 20 | Long stay parking, accessible via shuttle bus |
| London Luton | £7.00 | 10 | Long stay car park, accessible via shuttle bus |
| London Southend | £8.00 | 10 | No official option |
| London Stansted | £10.00 | 15 | Mid stay car park, accessible via shuttle bus |
| Manchester | £5.00 | 5 | Jetparks 1, 6 minute bus ride (1 way only) |
| Newcastle | £6.00 | 10 | Callerton Parkway, accessible via shuttle bus |
| Newquay | - | 10 | West car park, 1 minute to terminal |
| Norwich | £6.00 | 30 | No official option |
| Southampton | £7.00 | 20 | No official option |
| Stornoway | - | 120 | |
| Sumburgh | - | 120 | |
| Teesside | £2.50 | 10 | 2 hours free parking when spending £5 in the landside café/shops |
Of course you may prefer to just park at the airport instead – check out our research on UK airport parking prices.
All data checked on 8 May 2026, Edinburgh pricing updated to reflect new prices on 13 May, Liverpool airport price increased from £6 to £7 from 1 September.
