Airport set down fees at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and more - and where you can drop off for free instead

Drop-off fees at UK airports have skyrocketed in recent years, and both Luton and Manchester charge drivers £1 a minute for the shortest stays. 

Overstay your welcome and that could spiral to as much as £100 at some airports, Which? Travel has found.

However, there are alternatives where you can drop off free of charge at all major UK airports - from London Heathrow to Belfast and Edinburgh.

Although some are a short bus ride from the terminal, others are less than a five-minute walk away. 

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Belfast Airport drop-off charges and free alternative

Belfast Airport has one of the most generous chargeable drop-off areas, costing £3 for 10 minutes (averaging 30p per minute). Just don’t stay more than an hour, as that’s when prices really ramp up (to £50). You can pay with cash or a card when you exit.

Alternatively, head straight for the Long Stay Car Park, where you get 15 minutes free.

Birmingham Airport drop-off charges and free alternative

In Birmingham, go to the Drop Off Car Park if you don’t want to pay - you’ll get 10 minutes to exit before charges kick in.

The terminal is a 5-10 minute walk, or holidaymakers can grab the free shuttle bus from car park 5 (across the road).

If you’d prefer a shorter stroll to departures or to avoid the bus, it’s £6 for 15 minutes in the Premium Set Down area. A barrierless system is now in place, so you can pay online before or after your visit (within 24 hours), or in person on foot before you leave.

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Cardiff Airport drop-off charges and free alternative

Cardiff’s drop-off zone is a reasonable £3 for 10 minutes and is right outside the terminal building (you pay at the barrier with cash or card on exit). 

Car Park 2 is the alternative drop-off area, complimentary if you don’t stay longer than 20 minutes.

Edinburgh Airport drop-off charges and free alternative

The drop-off area at Edinburgh Airport is £6 for 10 minutes, and you pay with cash or card at the barrier on exit. Anything over that is £1 per minute, so the price will quickly ramp up if you hang around too long.

If you need longer or don’t want to shell out £6, you get 30 minutes free at the Long Stay Car Park. Just be aware that you must walk to the terminal building because there’s no shuttle service.

Discover the best airport parking options - broken down airport by airport

Gatwick Airport drop-off charges and free alternative

It’s £6 for 10 minutes at Gatwick’s North and South terminal drop-off zones. If you overstay, the price will increase to a maximum of £26. It’s barrierless, so ensure you pay online or over the phone within 24 hours of your visit.

The free alternative is the Long Stay Car Park, where you’ll have two hours before charges kick in.

Glasgow Airport drop-off charges and free alternative

Glasgow Airport’s Long Stay Car Park is free for drop-offs. You get an hour and a complimentary shuttle bus to the terminal.

Alternatively, Glasgow’s Express pick up and drop off areas are located directly outside the main terminal building in Car Park 2 and costs £5.50 for 15 minutes. You pay at the barrier with cash or a card as you exit.

Find out how Glasgow Airport fared in our recent airports survey 

Heathrow airport drop-off charges and free alternative

The UK’s main airport hub charges a flat £6 fee to use the terminal drop-off areas, regardless of how long you stay - but don’t leave your vehicle unattended. Remember to pay over the phone or online, as there’s no option to pay on exit.

But you don’t have to shell out. Each terminal has a Park and Ride car park where you’ll get 29 minutes to drop off loved ones free of charge.

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Luton airport drop-off charges and free alternative

Luton airport charges £5 to use its drop-off area for just five minutes - the joint priciest we found when measuring cost per minute (it’s £1 per minute) - and you must pay it online. Ensure you don’t overstay. A visit over 20 minutes will earn you a fine of £95 (reduced to £55 if paid within 14 days). 

Instead head to one of the two free drop-off options. You get 15 minutes in the Mid-Stay Car Park, a 10-minute walk to the terminal (which is on a slight incline). Alternatively, there is a bus every 15 minutes.

If you need longer to drop someone off, head to the Long Stay where you get one hour free of charge. You can’t walk to the terminal, but there’s a shuttle bus.

Manchester airport drop-off charges and free alternative

Manchester’s drop-off area is as pricey as Luton’s at £5 for five minutes (online payment only). If you stay an extra five minutes, though, you’ll pay just £1.20 more. Anything over 10 minutes will cost you a flat rate of £25 up to 30 minutes. Outstay your welcome past this and you’ll receive a fine of £100 (reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days). 

If you don’t like to rush, you get a complimentary hour for drop-offs at Jet Parks 1. 

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Stansted airport drop-off charges and free alternative

Stansted charges £7 to use its Express Set Down area for up to 15 minutes (online payment only). This is the priciest flat fee of all the airports we checked.

Overstay, and you’ll pay £25 for up to 30 minutes - the maximum duration you can stay. Anything beyond that, you’ll receive a parking charge of £100 (reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days).

Its Mid-Stay car park, however, is free for up to an hour, so head there if you need more time.

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