UK Airport Drop-Off Fees Jump by a Third
Dropping passengers outside a UK airport terminal has become markedly more expensive. The fees are charged to vehicles entering designated forecourt zones, so the issue is not limited to people driving friends or relatives; taxis and private-hire vehicles can also be covered, depending on the airport. A new RAC analysis found that 16 of the country’s 20 busiest airports raised their nearest-terminal charges between July 2025 and July 2026.
What Drivers Now Pay at UK Airports
- Average charge: £7, up by £1.70 year on year
- Highest fees: Gatwick £10 for 10 minutes; Stansted £10 for 15 minutes
- Next highest: Edinburgh and Bristol, both £8.50 for 10 minutes
- Highest per-minute rate: London City, £8 for five minutes
- Unchanged charges: Liverpool £6 for 10 minutes; East Midlands £5 for 15 minutes; Belfast City £4 for 10 minutes; Southampton £7 for 20 minutes
- Scope: Nearest-terminal zones at the 20 busiest UK airports, checked in July 2026
"Airports were "pulling the easiest revenue lever" by increasing their parking fees. Pricing people out at the kerbside does not suddenly make public transport viable - it just pushes more cost onto workers, businesses and the taxi community."
London City now has the highest per-minute charge, while Manchester follows at £5.50 for five minutes. Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted and Luton operate barrierless zones, requiring drivers to pay online or by phone by midnight the following day. The penalty varies by airport, but the RAC warns that forgetting to pay can result in a parking charge notice of up to £100.
Drivers who want to avoid the terminal fee can use free areas further away. Gatwick’s Long Stay car parks allow up to two hours with a shuttle, Heathrow’s Park & Ride areas offer 29 minutes, Glasgow allows one hour in Long Stay, and Bristol has a free one-hour Waiting Zone. These options reduce the cost but add walking or bus time, so they are less suitable for rushed drop-offs.
The rise affects paid airport transfers as well as lifts in private cars. Taxi and private-hire users should check whether the drop-off charge is already included in the quoted fare, while other drivers need to confirm the payment deadline before entering. Remote car parks are usually the cheapest option, but they only work when passengers have enough time and can manage the extra transfer with their luggage.
