UK Airport Drop-Off Charges 2026: Complete Comparison of All 27 Locations with Postcodes, PCNs and Free Alternatives

Written by Gatwick Taxi Transfer · Published: 15 May 2026 · Updated: 15 May 2026

Six kerbside charging structures changed in the first five months of 2026 — the most active period for these fees since they were introduced. Edinburgh's 18 May rise is the freshest; most comparison guides still show the old £6 figure. Meanwhile Amsterdam Schiphol offers 20 minutes free, Paris CDG gives 10 minutes free, Frankfurt charges nothing, and Which? has called the UK situation a "national disgrace." Both things are true simultaneously.

Every major UK terminal is covered below — exact 2026 fee, drop-off zone postcode and road, free alternatives with times, and PCN amounts. Written from operational experience running transfers since 2019, cross-referenced against every official terminal website and current news.

Complete UK Drop-Off Fees 2026

⚡ Edinburgh raised from £6 to £8.50 on 18 May 2026 and removed the EV 50% discount at the same time. Most comparison sites have not yet updated.

London — All Six Terminals

Heathrow (LHR) — £7 · Hounslow, Middlesex TW6 1AP

Four active terminals — T2 via Constellation Way, T3 via the Central Terminal Area, T4 off the southern M25 J14 spur, T5 via Wayfarer Road which splits into two lanes at the top. T1 shut permanently in 2020. From M4 J4 follow signs for Heathrow Central (T2/T3) or Terminal 5. £7 per entry from 1 January 2026. A 10-minute hard cap came with it — first time limit ever at Heathrow. Motorcycles pay nothing. Non-ULEZ vehicles add £12.50 (total £19.50). PCN £80, reduced to £40 within 14 days. Pre-pay up to 20 trips in advance — unique to Heathrow. Minibuses pay the same £7 as cars — no additional charge. Blue Badge holders: apply online up to 3 months before travel, or by 11:59pm the day after drop-off. Taxi drivers must include their vehicle registration in the Blue Badge holder's application. Blue Badge holders also get 2 hours free in Heathrow Long Stay car parks, not just the terminal exemption. Park and Ride free 30 minutes with a shuttle. Full detail: Heathrow drop-off guide.

Gatwick (LGW) — £10 · Horley, Surrey RH6 0NP

Two separate zones — North Terminal (lower level between the Sofitel and multi-storey, M23 J9 roundabout then Airport Way) and South Terminal (lower level near Short Stay, J9a filter lane). Wrong terminal means two separate £10 charges. £10 covers 20 minutes — most generous flat window of any London terminal. Per-minute from minute 21, capping at £20 total. Blue Badge holders exempt via NCP at gatwick-app.zatpermit.com. Long Stay North and South free 2 hours with shuttle. PCN £100, reduced to £60. Counter-intuitive fact: Gatwick Short Stay car parks charge approximately £8 for 30 minutes — actually cheaper than the £10 forecourt drop-off fee and giving three times as long. For anyone helping with heavy luggage or needing more than a quick goodbye, Short Stay can be the better value option. easyJet exclusively North Terminal since March 2026. Full detail: Gatwick drop-off guide.

Stansted (STN) — £10 · Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex CM24 1RW

Single terminal. Express Set Down on the forecourt, from A120/M11 J8. ANPR replaced physical barriers in December 2024. £10 for 15 minutes from 19 March 2026, then a flat £28 for 15-30 minutes — most punishing mid-tier of any UK terminal. Blue Badge holders not exempt here, unlike at Heathrow and Gatwick. The charge is per vehicle, not per passenger — whether dropping off one person or four, the fee is the same £10. Groups of four sharing a pre-booked transfer pay roughly £2.50 each towards the drop-off cost. Mid-Stay free 60 minutes with shuttle every 10 minutes. PCN £100, reduced to £60. Full detail: Stansted drop-off guide.

Luton (LTN) — £7 · Navigation Way, Luton LU2 9LY

Express Drop Off directly outside the terminal. M1 J10 via Airport Way. Physical exit barrier — only London terminal still using barriers rather than online ANPR. Pay by contactless at the barrier or online by midnight. £7 for 10 minutes then £1 per minute. Long Stay free 2 hours (LU2 9NW) with shuttle; Mid Stay free 15 minutes. PCN £95, reduced to £55. Full detail: Luton drop-off guide.

London City (LCY) — £8 · Royal Docks, London E16 2PX

Express zone directly outside the single terminal on A1020 Woolwich Manor Way. From central London via A12 then A1020. £8 for 5 minutes (£1.60/min — highest per-minute rate in London), then £1/min to a 10-minute maximum. A full 10-minute stop costs £13 — more expensive than Gatwick or Stansted for the same duration. Blue Badge holders are exempt but must pre-register online before visiting — the exemption is not automatic on display of a Blue Badge. Black cabs are temporarily exempt while TfL consults on incorporating the £8 charge into the taxi meter, so passengers rather than drivers pay — mirroring arrangements at Heathrow and Gatwick. No free car park — DLR to London City Airport station (2-minute walk) is the only zero-cost route. Introduced 6 January 2026, last of the six to start charging. 70% of passengers already use public transport here.

Southend (SEN) — £8 · Eastwoodbury Crescent, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6YF

Express Pick-up and Drop-off adjacent to Short Stay, directly opposite the single terminal. A127 then follow signs. £8 flat for 10 minutes. Only London terminal with no free vehicle alternative — the adjacent retail park banned drop-offs in March 2026, and council permit zones are expanding on nearby roads. X30 bus service ended April 2026. c2c rail to Southend Airport station (1-minute walk) is the only zero-cost option. Pay online after exiting — not before. Full detail: Southend drop-off guide.

England — Regional Terminals

Manchester (MAN) — £5–£6.40 · Manchester Airport M90 1QX

Three terminals — T1, T2, T3 — drop-off directly outside each. M56 J5 (South). Cheapest major paid terminal in the UK at £6.40 for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes: £25 for up to 30 minutes. Blue Badge exempt with advance registration. Free alternative: JetParks 1 at M90 5AZ — 24/7 shuttle (5-minute ride) with no time cap. Best free option of any major terminal outside Birmingham.

Birmingham (BHX) — FREE 10 min · Birmingham B26 3QJ

Two zones. Drop Off zone: 400 metres from the terminal, free for 10 minutes, then £5/15 min. Free bus every 15 minutes or a 10-minute walk. Premium Set Down: closer to the entrance, £6 for 15 minutes. EV drivers using GRIDSERVE charging points in Premium Set Down get £6 for 90 minutes. Only major UK terminal with free terminal-proximity drop-off. A45 Birmingham Road or M42 J6.

Bristol (BRS) — £8.50 · Bristol BS48 3DY

Drop Off and Pick Up car park adjacent to the terminal, from A38. £8.50 for 10 minutes, £10.50 for 20 minutes, £13 for 40 minutes. Joint most expensive outside London alongside Edinburgh. Free alternative: Silver Zone car park to the south, free 1 hour with frequent buses. Approximately 20 minutes from Bristol city centre.

Leeds Bradford (LBA) — £7 · Whitley Road, Yeadon BD10 0NX

Pick Up and Drop Off car park one minute's walk from the terminal on Whitley Road. Ticketless system — cameras log entry and exit, charge calculated on departure. Cash, card or contactless at exit. £7/10 min, £9/20 min, £12.50/30 min. Free alternative: a one-hour free parking zone a 3-4 minute walk from the terminal — one of the better regional free options and something most comparison guides miss. Access from A658 Bradford Road or A65 from Leeds.

Liverpool John Lennon (LPL) — £6 · Liverpool L24 1YD

Express Drop-off sits opposite the terminal on the airport road. £6 for 10 minutes, £10 for 20 minutes. A561 Speke Road — M56 or M62 to terminal signs, approximately 7 miles south of Liverpool city centre near the Mersey estuary. Free alternative: Drop Off 2 car park, a 7-minute walk from the terminal, free for the first 20 minutes. One of the more practical free options among major English regional terminals.

Newcastle (NCL) — £5 · Newcastle upon Tyne NE13 8BZ

Drop-off zone directly outside the single terminal. £5/10 min, £10/30 min, £14/45 min. Free alternative: Callerton Parkway Waiting Zone off B6918 — 1.5 hours free with shuttles every 30 minutes. One of the most generous free windows of any UK terminal. Metro line (Airport station) connects to city centre — located 6 miles northwest of Newcastle.

East Midlands (EMA) — £5 · Castle Donington DE74 2SA

Rapid Drop zone outside the single terminal. £5/15 min then £1/min, max 30 minutes. Pay online by midnight the next day. Free alternative: Long Stay 2, free 1 hour — 15-minute walk or 2-minute bus. M1 J23A. Serves Nottingham, Derby and Leicester at the geographic centre of England.

Southampton (SOU) — £7 · Wide Lane, Southampton SO18 2NL

Drop-off on Wide Lane outside the terminal, from M27 J5. £7 for up to 20 minutes. Long Stay was free for 30 minutes but currently closed — check official website before travelling. Southampton Airport Parkway rail station sits a 5-minute walk from the terminal — dropping passengers here rather than the terminal forecourt costs nothing and is used by many regular drivers. Not officially endorsed but widely reported as reliable. Located 4 miles from Southampton city centre.

Bournemouth (BOH) — £6 · Bournemouth BH23 6SE

Car Park 1, a 2 to 5-minute walk from the terminal, charges from £6. Follow signs into Car Park 1, then take the Pick Up/Drop Off spaces on the left. B3073 Airport Road — 5 miles north of Bournemouth town centre. No confirmed free alternative currently.

Norwich (NWI) — £6 · Amsterdam Way, Norwich NR6 6JA

Drop-off zone on Amsterdam Way outside the terminal, from the A140 Northern Distributor Road. £6 flat. Located 4 miles north of Norwich city centre, serving East Anglia and the Norfolk Broads region. No official free alternative confirmed — some locals mention an informal stop near the McDonald's on Fifers Lane, though this has not been officially verified. Always check current site layout as access roads changed following recent site works.

Exeter (EXE) — FREE (P4) · Exeter EX5 2BD

Car Park P4 free for up to 30 minutes — one of the few English regional terminals still with a meaningful free drop-off window. M5 J29 via A30. After 30 minutes, standard parking charges apply. Located 5 miles east of Exeter city centre.

Scotland

Edinburgh (EDI) — £8.50 ⚡ · Edinburgh EH12 9DN

Drop-off on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park directly opposite the terminal. From A8 Glasgow Road — follow signs for Eastfield Road, at the Moxy/DoubleTree roundabout take second exit, first exit at next roundabout. Approximately 20 minutes from Edinburgh city centre. £8.50 for 10 minutes from 18 May 2026 (up from £6) — the most recent UK fee increase anywhere and a 42% rise after business rates jumped 142% from £5.4m to £8.1m annually. EV 50% discount simultaneously removed. Local resident 50% discount: EH4 6, EH4 8, EH12 0, EH12 9, EH28, EH29 and EH52 5 postcodes. Blue Badge holders: 1 hour free. Long Stay free 30 minutes — 10-minute walk, no shuttle. Chief Executive Gordon Dewar called the rise "unavoidable."

Glasgow (GLA) — £6 · Paisley PA3 2SW

Pick Up and Drop Off in Car Park 2 directly outside the main terminal on St Andrews Drive. From M8 J28A — approximately 15 minutes from Glasgow city centre. £6/15 min then £1/min. Overstaying 30 minutes triggers a £50 PCN — lower than most London PCNs. Blue Badge holders exempt. Long Stay gives 1 hour free with a 7-minute free shuttle.

Aberdeen (ABZ) — £5.50 · Aberdeen AB21 7DU

Express Drop zone at the forecourt from A96 Inverness Road. £5.50/15 min, then a premium charge on exit. Barrier payment — card at exit. Free alternative: Long Stay, free 1 hour with a shuttle. Located 7 miles northwest of Aberdeen city centre.

Glasgow Prestwick (PIK) — £4.50 · Prestwick KA9 2PL

Drop-off on Aviation Avenue, 1 mile from Prestwick town centre. A77 and A79. £4.50 for up to 60 minutes — by far the best-value paid drop-off of any UK terminal. Pickups permitted in the same window. Rail station on the Glasgow Central to Ayr line — 2-minute walk from the terminal. Primarily serves Ryanair west of Scotland routes.

Inverness (INV) — Free · Dalcross, Inverness IV2 7JB

Forecourt drop-off is completely free — no charge, no registration, no time limit. From A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road, follow terminal signs at Dalcross. Located 9 miles east of Inverness city centre and 20 minutes from the A9 Inverness bypass. Regional hub for Loganair, connecting the Highlands and islands with Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. One of the few UK terminals where pulling up outside costs nothing, and there is no indication that is changing.

Northern Ireland and Wales

Belfast City George Best (BHD) — £4 · Belfast BT3 9JH

Express Drop Off sits opposite the terminal on Airport Road, from A2 Sydenham Bypass — approximately 4 miles from Belfast city centre and easily reached from the A2/M2 ring road. £4 for 10 minutes, £6 for 20 minutes, £20 for 30 minutes. Cheapest among major UK terminals after Cardiff and Belfast International. Free alternative: Long Stay car park, 10 minutes free with a 5-minute walk to the terminal.

Belfast International (BFS) — £3 · Antrim BT29 4AB

Drop Off Zone on Airport Road from M2/A26. £3/10 min, £5/20 min. Long Stay free 15 minutes (6-minute walk). Cheapest chargeable kerbside fee in the UK — jointly with Cardiff at £3. Located 17 miles northwest of Belfast city centre.

Cardiff (CWL) — £3 · Cardiff CF62 3BD

Drop Off directly outside the terminal from A4226, off M4 J33 or J34. £3/10 min, £3 per subsequent 10 minutes. Car Park 2 free 20 minutes — short walk to the terminal. Joint cheapest alongside Belfast International. Located 12 miles southwest of Cardiff city centre, Vale of Glamorgan.

How UK Drop-Off Fees Have Risen — 2021 to 2026

Every major UK terminal that charges today started charging between 2021 and 2026. The escalation has been steep — Gatwick has more than doubled in five years. Edinburgh raised its fee three times between 2022 and 2026. London City held out until January 2026, making it the last holdout.

Edinburgh's 183% rise since 2021 is the largest proportional increase of any major UK terminal. Gatwick and Stansted have both doubled. Birmingham and Inverness remain the only major exceptions — both still free for a quick stop.

Cost Per Minute — Which Terminal Is Really Most Expensive?

Headline fees are misleading without the time window. Gatwick charges £10 but gives 20 minutes. Manchester charges £5 but only gives 5 minutes. Here is what each terminal actually costs per minute — the most honest comparison:

Manchester and London City are the most expensive per minute — both charge £1 or more per minute in the base window. Gatwick, despite the headline £10 fee, works out at just 50p per minute. Glasgow Prestwick at 7.5p per minute remains the best-value paid option in the UK by a wide margin.

Double Red Lines — Do Not Stop on Approach Roads

Every major UK terminal has double red lines on at least some of its approach roads. Unlike single yellow lines, double red lines ban stopping entirely — not just parking. ANPR cameras on approach roads catch vehicles that slow or stop even briefly. A kerb stop on a double red line near a terminal can trigger a fixed penalty notice through the local council, separate from and alongside any terminal drop-off PCN.

The most commonly misused areas:

• Heathrow: Tunnel approach roads and the Bath Road (A4) slip roads near all terminals — heavy camera coverage, enforceable by LBHF and Hillingdon councils
• Gatwick: North Terminal approach roundabout — marked with double reds and actively enforced
• Stansted: Airport Way leading to Express Set Down — flagged by Essex Highways cameras
• Manchester: Terminal approach roads off M56 spur — enforceable by Manchester City Council
• Edinburgh: A8 Eastfield Road approach — double reds enforced by City of Edinburgh Council

Any stop that looks like a drop-off on a double red line — even for 30 seconds — is enforceable. Pulling in, hazards on, bags out: all caught on camera. The only safe option is the designated zone, a car park, or a rail station.

Group Travel — Per Vehicle Not Per Person

Every UK terminal charges per vehicle, not per passenger. Whether one person or six people step out of a car, the fee is identical. For groups, this changes the maths significantly:

A family of four flying from Gatwick pays £2.50 per person for the drop-off — less than a coffee. A solo traveller pays the full £10. This is why pre-booked taxi transfers work well for groups — the drop-off charge is absorbed into a shared fixed fare, and there is no portal to log into, no midnight deadline, and no PCN risk. Call +44 20 3617 7825 for group pricing, or see our minibus airport transfers for groups of 6 to 16.

Annual Cost — What Regular Drivers Pay

For a PCO driver choosing between regular Gatwick and regular Birmingham runs, the annual difference is £1,040. For a family doing the run fortnightly, Heathrow saves £78 per year versus Gatwick. A single missed payment at Gatwick (£100 PCN) wipes out more than 5 months of correctly paid trips at the fortnightly rate — which is why AutoPay matters for anyone running a terminal regularly.

UK vs Europe

Business rates are real — Gatwick reached £51.6 million annually, Heathrow £151.5 million, Edinburgh's jumped 142% to £8.1 million. These pressures exist across Europe too. Amsterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt choose to recover them through landing fees and passenger levies rather than kerbside charges. Consumer group Which? called the UK situation a "national disgrace." The RAC described Gatwick's January rise as "the largest single drop-off price hike ever seen at any UK airport." Both labels are accurate.

PCN Amounts — Missing the Deadline

Free Alternatives — Complete List

Frequently Asked Questions

Which UK terminal has the highest drop-off fee in 2026?

Gatwick (RH6 0NP) and Stansted (CM24 1RW) share the top at £10. Gatwick gives 20 minutes for that fee; Stansted gives 15 minutes then jumps to a flat £28 — making Stansted more punishing for anything over 15 minutes despite the same headline number. Edinburgh (EH12 9DN) and Bristol (BS48 3DY) are joint most expensive outside London at £8.50 for 10 minutes. Edinburgh's rise to £8.50 happened on 18 May 2026; most comparison sites still show the old £6 figure.

Which UK terminal is free or cheapest?

Birmingham (B26 3QJ) gives 10 minutes free at its Drop Off zone, 400 metres from the terminal. Inverness (IV2 7JB), Humberside, and Isle of Man are completely free. Glasgow Prestwick (KA9 2PL) charges £4.50 for 60 minutes — best-value paid option in the UK. Belfast International (BT29 4AB) and Cardiff (CF62 3BD) charge just £3 for 10 minutes.

What changed at Edinburgh in May 2026?

Edinburgh (EH12 9DN) raised its fee from £6 to £8.50 on 18 May 2026 — a 42% rise driven by a 142% jump in business rates from £5.4m to £8.1m. The 50% EV discount was removed at the same time. Local resident 50% discount for EH4, EH12, EH28, EH29 and EH52 postcodes remains. Blue Badge holders still get 1 hour free.

Which UK locations have no free drop-off at all?

Southend (SS2 6YF) and London City (E16 2PX) have no free vehicle alternative. At Southend, the retail park banned drop-offs in March 2026 and council permit zones are expanding on nearby roads. At London City, only the DLR provides zero-cost access. Bournemouth and Norwich also have no confirmed free option.

Is Edinburgh's EV discount still available?

No. Edinburgh removed its 50% electric vehicle discount on 18 May 2026, at the same time it raised the fee to £8.50. Drivers previously paying £3 for 10 minutes now pay the full £8.50. The local resident 50% discount for EH4 6, EH4 8, EH12 0, EH12 9, EH28, EH29 and EH52 5 postcodes was kept. Blue Badge holders still receive 1 hour free across Edinburgh's car parks, with no change to that exemption. EV owners considering Edinburgh runs should budget for £8.50 per visit rather than the discounted £4.25 that previously applied.

What is the best free drop-off at a major UK terminal?

Manchester's JetParks 1 (M90 5AZ) runs a free 24/7 shuttle with no time cap on the free waiting period. Gatwick and Luton offer 2 hours free in Long Stay. Newcastle's Callerton Parkway gives 90 minutes free. Birmingham's Drop Off zone is free for 10 minutes within 400 metres of the terminal.

How does the UK compare with Europe?

Amsterdam Schiphol: 20 minutes free. Paris CDG: 10 minutes free. Frankfurt and Zurich: free short stops. Singapore Changi and Dubai: free unlimited. UK ranges from £3 at Cardiff and Belfast International to £10 at Gatwick and Stansted. Business rates are cited as the primary driver — Gatwick reached £51.6 million annually, Heathrow £151.5 million. European hubs face equivalent pressures and choose to absorb them through landing fees rather than kerbside charges.

Is it cheaper to use Gatwick Short Stay than the drop-off zone?

Sometimes, yes. Gatwick's Short Stay car parks charge approximately £8 for 30 minutes — less than the £10 Express Drop-Off fee and giving three times as long. For drivers helping with multiple bags or travelling with young children, Short Stay can be the better option. The trade-off is finding a space and a slightly longer walk to departures. The Express Drop-Off zone remains faster for a quick stop under 20 minutes.

Do I need to pre-register for Blue Badge exemption at London City Airport?

Yes — the London City Airport Blue Badge exemption is not automatic. Displaying a Blue Badge in the windscreen does not prevent a PCN. Drivers must register online through the official airport portal before the visit. The same applies at Heathrow, where Blue Badge holders must apply online up to 3 months before travel, or by 11:59pm the day after the drop-off. At Heathrow, any taxi involved must have its vehicle registration included in the Blue Badge holder's application.

Is Leeds Bradford Airport free for drop-offs?

Yes — Leeds Bradford has a free parking zone a 3 to 4-minute walk from the terminal, free for 1 hour. Most comparison guides list Leeds Bradford as having no free option, but this zone exists and is confirmed. For the paid Express zone: £7 for 10 minutes, £9 for 20 minutes, £12.50 for 30 minutes, ticketless ANPR system. The free zone is the better choice for anyone who can spare the short walk.

Why did UK drop-off fees rise so sharply in 2026?

Six terminals changed their fees in the first five months of 2026 alone. Business rates led the way: Gatwick's hit £51.6 million, Heathrow's £151.5 million, Edinburgh's jumped 142% to £8.1 million. Traffic management and sustainability goals are also cited. Consumer groups called the UK situation a "national disgrace" given European hubs continue offering free kerbside access. The RAC described Gatwick's rise as the largest single drop-off price hike ever recorded at any UK terminal.

The Bottom Line

UK kerbside fees in 2026 are the highest in the country's history. Gatwick and Stansted lead at £10. Edinburgh joined the £8.50 tier in May 2026. Heathrow added a 10-minute time limit for the first time. London City started charging. Only Birmingham still offers a free stop near the terminal. For families doing an annual run, the fee is an annoyance. For professionals running the route regularly, cumulative figures are meaningful — and choosing a free Long Stay where time allows saves hundreds per year. AutoPay at Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester removes the midnight deadline risk.

For Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, and Southend transfers at fixed fares with all charges included, use the booking form or call +44 20 3617 7825 — we answer 24 hours.

Detailed London Terminal Guides

• Heathrow drop-off guide — £7, 10-min cap, motorcycles exempt, ULEZ surcharge, AVA for PHV
• Gatwick drop-off guide — £10/20 min, Blue Badge exempt, North and South Terminal detail
• Stansted drop-off guide — £10/15 min then £28, easyJet North Terminal only, 60 min free
• Luton drop-off guide — £7, only physical barrier in London, Long Stay 2 hrs free
• Southend drop-off guide — £8, no free option, retail park ban March 2026

Gatwick Taxi Transfer · +44 20 3617 7825 · UK Drop-Off Fees 2026 · Updated 15 May 2026 · gatwicktaxitransfer.com