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Published: 14 August 2026
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UK Airport Fast Track Security: How Much Does It Cost & Is It Worth It?
Airport security isn’t the nicest part of travelling, and the ability to bypass a long queue and get through the screening process in a few minutes can be extremely appealing for many travellers.
With some UK airports advising passengers to arrive as much as three hours before departure, paying for Fast Track or Priority Security could potentially save both time and stress. But how much does it cost, which UK airports offer it and could you already be entitled to use it for free?
We compared Fast Track prices at 21 UK airports and looked at the different ways you can access priority security without paying the standard fee.
What are the benefits of Fast Track?
Of course airports sometimes struggle to manage the flow of passengers through security, especially at peak morning times, which is why people are advised to arrive 2-3 hours in advance. Â
However, if you have no checked luggage, turning up at a regional airport 3 hours before departure does feel rather ridiculous, especially if you are on a business trip and are pushed for time.
Which UK Airports offer Priority Security?
21 of the 32 largest airports in the UK offer the ability to pay for Fast Track security when departing.Â
London City airport is the largest airport without a priority security service, although they have an extremely efficient bag screening operation and each time I have flown from there, I have never had to wait more than a couple of minutes.
Others such as Inverness and Teesside only offer a priority service to business class passengers & those with airline status. Â
How Much Does Fast Track Cost at UK Airports?
We looked at all 21 airports and used each airport’s own official website to get a quote. For consistency, we researched prices for flights departing the following day at 8am.
Across the 21 airports prices ranged from £5.00 at both Belfast International and CIty of Derry to £12.99 at London Heathrow. The average cost was £7.61 – which may seem a relatively small price to pay for avoiding a long queue, however for a family of four paying the average adult price, the same convenience would cost more than £30.
Whilst most airport fast-track pricing is fixed, some airports such as Luton do offer a significant discounts for booking further in advance. Dynamic pricing has also been introduced at Manchester, Stansted, East Midlands and Leeds Bradford; with passengers paying higher amounts during peak times and for booking close to their departure date, with the highest price being £9.99 at Leeds Bradford.Â
Cost of Next Day Airport Fast TrackÂ
| Airport | Paid Fast Track | Cost for children | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen Book | £7.00 | Full price | Included with priority parking |
| Belfast City Book | £6.50 | Full price | |
| Belfast International Book | £5.00 | Under 2s go free | |
| Birmingham Book | £7.00 | Under 5s go free | 10% discount in World Duty Free when spending £99 |
| Bournemouth Book | £7.00 | Full price | |
| Bristol Book | £7.00 | Full price | |
| Cardiff | - | - | |
| City of Derry Book | £5.00 | Full price | |
| East Midlands Book | £8.04 | Under 2s go free | From £5.99 if booked further in advance |
| Edinburgh Book | £9.00 | Under 2s go free | |
| Exeter | - | - | |
| Glasgow Book | £8.99 | Under 3s go free | |
| Glasgow Prestwick | - | - | |
| Guernsey | - | - | |
| Humberside | - | - | |
| Inverness | - | - | No seperate security line for fast track but can go to front of queue |
| Isle of Man | - | - | |
| Jersey | - | - | Only available with airline ticket/status or lounge access |
| Leeds Bradford Book | £9.99 | Under 2s go free | Found it as cheap as £9 if booked further in advance |
| Liverpool Book | £6.00 | Under 2s go free | |
| London City | - | ||
| London Gatwick Book | £6.00 | Under 2s go free | |
| London Heathrow Book | £12.99 | Full price | |
| London Luton Book | £8.00 | Under 2s go free | £4 if booked 24 hours in advance |
| London Southend Book | £8.00 | Priority service for families with young children | |
| London Stansted Book | £8.79 | Under 3s go free | Dynamic pricing in place |
| Manchester Book | £8.61 | Priority service for families with young children | T2 cost shown, T3 was £7.69 but prices based on demand |
| Newcastle Book | £7.00 | Under 2s go free | |
| Newquay | - | - | |
| Norwich | £7.00 | Full price | Only available to purchase at the airport |
| Southampton Book | £7.00 | Full price (although not 100% clear) | |
| Teesside | - | - | No seperate security line for fast track but can go to front of queue |
Prices taken on 12 & 13 August 2026
Do I need to pay for children?
This varies massively, over half of the 21 airports allow very young children to go through at no cost when they are with a paying adult although the qualifying age ranges from under 2s to under 5s. Southend and Manchester give priority to families with young children anyway but at least 7 airports charge toddlers the standard adult price.
Other Considerations
- Fast Track doesn’t mean you can arrive later than your airline’s deadlines. Bag-drop and boarding deadlines still apply.
- Check the booking conditions. Some airports sell Fast Track for a particular time window rather than unrestricted access.
- Families need to do the maths. £7.61 sounds inexpensive for one person but becomes £30.44 for a family of four.
- Book before reaching the airport. Some airports charge more for last-minute access, while others may sell out at busy times.
- Don’t confuse Fast Track security departures with Fast Track Passport Control at arrivals. They are completely separate products.
Book Airport Fast Track
Holiday Extras sells Fast Track passes for many UK airports. Check availability and the current price for your airport and travel date.
Some airports only sell fast-track access directly and here are the website links: Belfast City, Birmingham, City of Derry, Glasgow, Heathrow, Southend and Southampton. Priority security at Norwich is only available for purchase at the airport.
How can I get Free Fast Track security?
There are a number of ways but this is primarily offered if you are flying business or first class, or you are a higher status member of the airline/alliance. In addition some airlines offer Fast Track on their more expensive economy tickets.
I am Flying in Business Class
Business Class customers generally get priority security. If you are unsure, ask during bag-drop but it is normally indicated on your boarding pass. Fast track access rules are often shown at the entrance to the security area and some airports even have automated barriers to check for suitability. As with the UK airports we have researched, not all places offer priority security so if you are travelling home from a smaller airport, do not rely on it being available.
I Have Status With the AirlineÂ
Airline status passengers generally also get priority security but in my experience, this is not so clear cut when you are away from a major base or when flying with a partner airline. I used to regularly fly to Helsinki but despite the airline being a fellow OneWorld member, my British Airways Gold card would never get me through Fast Track at Manchester Airport when flying on Finnair.
I have a qualifying credit card or bank account
Holders of the Lloyds World Elite Mastercard, Santander World Elite Mastercard and HSBC World Elite Mastercard all get (among other things) fast track via Mastercard Travel Pass. This offers lounge priority security access at 12 UK airports (but not either Belfast airport of Heathrow) and over 100 around the world. The full list is here. The Revolut Ultra account also includes Fast Track access from DragonPass.
Several packaged bank accounts from NatWest, RBS and Revolut come with discounted fast-track.
Other
Fast Track can often be bundled in with other services. For example, customers paying for lounge access in Jersey can also get free or discounted priority security whilst priority parking at Aberdeen comes with fast-track included.
Birmingham Airport offers paid fast-track customers a 10% discount when spending £99 in World Duty Free although Club Avolta members can get similar discounts anyway.
Travellers with Disabilities & Special Requirements
Many airports offer dedicated assistance or accessibility security lanes to passengers who need extra help. This normally needs to be booked directly with the airline in advance of departure.
What about Fast Track arrivals?
This is a priority service for passport control at international arrivals and is available at London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow. This avoids long queues on arrival in the UK but needs to be booked in advance on the relevant airport website.
| Airport | Arrival Fast Track Price |
| Birmingham Book | £20 |
| Glasgow Book | £15 |
| London Gatwick Book | £15 |
| London Heathrow Book | £35 |
| London Stansted Book | £15 |
| Manchester Book | £15 |
Is Airport Fast Track Worth It?
At an average of £7.61 across the 21 UK airports we researched, Fast Track security isn’t particularly expensive – but whether it is worth paying for depends heavily on when and where you are travelling.
If you’re flying during a busy period, are short of time or simply want to remove some of the stress of getting through the airport, paying £5-£10 to bypass a potentially long security queue can represent decent value. It could be particularly useful for business travellers with only hand luggage who don’t want to arrive at the airport several hours before departure.
However, if you know your local airport well, are travelling at a quieter time or security queues are normally short, we’d be less inclined to pay for it. A £10 Fast Track pass doesn’t offer much value if the standard security queue only takes five minutes.
Before paying, also check whether you already have access. Business and First Class tickets, airline status, certain premium bank accounts and credit cards can all potentially include Fast Track security.
Ultimately, Fast Track is less about saving money and more about buying some certainty. On a busy Friday morning at a major airport, that could be money very well spent. On a quiet Tuesday afternoon at your local regional airport, probably not.
