Dropping Someone at a UK Airport Now Costs Up to £10 for Ten Minutes, Here’s Where the Fees Rose and How to Avoid the £100 Fine
RAC found 16 of the UK’s 20 busiest airports raised drop-off fees this year. Gatwick and Stansted charge £10, and an unpaid or overstayed stop can cost £100.
At a glance
- Published
- TopicMoney & Insurance
- Verified againstRAC
- Treks coveredGhorepani Poon Hill Trek — 5 Days
The cheapest, most common airport favour in Britain, a lift to the terminal, now costs up to £10 at Gatwick and Stansted, and a missed payment can turn it into a £100 penalty. The RAC’s July 2026 survey found that 16 of the UK’s 20 busiest airports raised their drop-off charges, with the average fee up by about a third, by £1.70 to £7.
Key facts
- 16 of 20 busiest UK airports raised drop-off charges (RAC, July 2026)
- Average fee up £1.70 to £7, about a third higher than last summer
- Gatwick and Stansted both charge £10, for 10 and 15 minutes respectively
- London City introduced a drop-off charge for the first time
- Overstaying or not paying can cost up to £100
Which airports charge the most for a drop-off?
Gatwick and Stansted are the most expensive at £10, but the time you get differs sharply: Gatwick allows 10 minutes, Stansted 15, and London City just 5 minutes for £8. Manchester is cheaper at £5.50 but also gives you only 5 minutes. The table below uses the RAC’s July 2026 figures.
| Airport | Fee | Time allowed |
|---|---|---|
| London Gatwick | £10 | 10 min |
| London Stansted | £10 | 15 min |
| Edinburgh | £8.50 | 10 min |
| Bristol | £8.50 | 10 min |
| Leeds Bradford | £8 | 10 min |
| London City | £8 | 5 min |
| Bournemouth | £8 | 30 min |
| Southampton | £7 | 20 min |
| Liverpool John Lennon | £6 | 10 min |
| Manchester | £5.50 | 5 min |
| East Midlands | £5 | 15 min |
| Belfast City | £4 | 10 min |
Which airports did not raise their fees?
Only four of the 20 held their prices: Liverpool John Lennon, East Midlands, Belfast City and Southampton. Everyone else went up, and London City, which previously had no charge, started charging for the first time. If you have a choice of airport, those four are the safest bet for a low-cost lift.
What happens if you overstay or forget to pay?
Overstaying the permitted time can bring a charge of up to £100. At airports without barriers, such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted and Luton, you are expected to pay online or by phone by midnight the day after your visit, or a £100 parking charge notice follows, according to the RAC. The practical rule: pay before you leave the car, set a phone timer for the allowed minutes, and check the airport’s own page, because the rules and exemptions (Blue Badge holders are sometimes exempt) change.
How do you avoid paying at all?
The honest answer is to use something other than a car at the terminal door. London City has its own DLR station with frequent trains, and many airports have a rail or bus link that costs less than a £10 drop-off. Some airports also offer a free drop-off in a more distant car park with a shuttle, so check the airport’s page rather than assuming. Ask the driver to stop in a nearby paid-by-the-hour car park if the walk is short.
What this means for you
Add the drop-off fee to the price of any airport run, in both directions if someone is collecting you. For a family of travellers, a train ticket or a booked shuttle often beats £10 for ten minutes. If you are flying long-haul, for example to Kathmandu to start a trek, the saving matters less than getting to the terminal calmly, but do not let a £100 fine be the first thing on your trip.
Planning a longer trip once you land? Our five-day Poon Hill trek is a short, manageable first walk in Nepal.
Cover photo: Miguel Cuenca via Pexels (Pexels License). Section photos: Ivan Vi via Pexels (Pexels licence); K via Pexels (Pexels licence); Dominik Gryzbon via Pexels (Pexels licence); Sami Aksu via Pexels (Pexels licence); Leonard Richards via Pexels (Pexels licence).
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