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All six London airports charge drivers to drop off outside the terminal. Heathrow charges £7 per entry; Gatwick and Stansted £10; Luton £9; and London City and Southend £8, each for a short time limit. At every airport the zones are barrierless: cameras record your number plate and you pay afterwards, usually by midnight the next day. This guide compares every charge, the free alternatives and the rules for picking someone up.
London airport drop-off charges: the essentials
- No airport is free at the terminal: charges run from £7 at Heathrow to £10 at Gatwick and Stansted.
- Pay afterwards: there are no barriers or machines. Missing the deadline can lead to a Parking Charge Notice.
- Free options exist: most airports have a car park with free drop-off for a short time and a shuttle bus.
- No waiting: drop-off zones are for quick stops. Picking up usually means parking.
Drop-Off Charges at London Airports in 2026
| Airport | Drop-off charge | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow | £7 per entry to a terminal drop-off area | Terminal 5, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, Terminal 4 |
| Gatwick | £10 for up to 10 minutes, then £1 a minute (30 minutes maximum) | Gatwick guide |
| Stansted | £10 for up to 15 minutes; £28 for over 15 minutes (30 minutes maximum) | Stansted guide |
| Luton | £9 for up to 12 minutes, then £1 a minute (30 minutes maximum) | Luton guide |
| London City | £8 for up to 5 minutes, then £1 a minute (10 minutes maximum) | See below |
| Southend | £8 per visit, for up to 10 minutes | See below |
The cheapest per stop is Heathrow, at £7, but it's charged every time you enter. The most expensive mistake is overstaying at Stansted, where anything over 15 minutes costs £28.
Where Can You Drop Off for Free?
If you don't mind a short shuttle bus ride for your passenger, most London airports have a free option:
| Airport | Free option | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow | Park & Ride car parks, with shuttle buses every 15 minutes | First 29 minutes |
| Gatwick | Long Stay car parks, with a free shuttle bus | Up to 2 hours |
| Stansted | Mid Stay car park, with a free shuttle bus | Up to 60 minutes |
| Luton | Long Stay car park, with a free shuttle bus | Up to 2 hours |
We haven't found a free drop-off option published by London City or Southend, so check their websites if you need more time than the forecourt allows.
How Much Is the Heathrow Drop-Off Charge?
£7 every time a vehicle enters a terminal drop-off area, at all four terminals. It applies to taxis and private hire vehicles as well as private cars. Pay online or by phone by midnight the day after your visit, or set up AutoPay. Waiting and pick-ups aren't allowed in the drop-off areas. Blue Badge holders can get a 100% discount by setting up an account in advance. For the details at each terminal, read our Terminal 5 drop-off guide.
How Much Is the Gatwick Drop-Off Charge?
£10 for up to 10 minutes at both the North and South Terminal, then £1 a minute, with a 30-minute maximum stay. Pay online, by phone or with AutoPay by midnight the next day. Blue Badge holders are exempt once they've registered with Times24. See our Gatwick drop-off and pick-up guide.
How Much Is the Stansted Drop-Off Charge?
£10 for up to 15 minutes at Express Set Down, and £28 for over 15 minutes, with a 30-minute maximum stay. Pay by midnight the next day. Miss the deadline and a £100 Parking Charge Notice is issued, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. See our Stansted drop-off guide.
How Much Is the Luton Drop-Off Charge?
£9 for up to 12 minutes in the Express Drop Off and Pick Up Zone, then £1 a minute, with a 30-minute maximum stay. Pay online by midnight the following day. See our Luton drop-off and pick-up guide.
How Much Is the London City Airport Drop-Off Charge?
London City Airport introduced a drop-off charge on 6 January 2026: £8 for up to 5 minutes on the forecourt, then £1 for each extra minute, with a 10-minute maximum stay. Cameras record vehicles entering the area. Blue Badge holders are exempt, and licensed black cabs were initially exempt too. Check London City Airport's website for how to pay. Travelling to or from London City? See our London City Airport transfers.
How Much Is the Southend Airport Drop-Off Charge?
London Southend Airport charges £8 per visit, and drivers can stop for up to 10 minutes. Don't pay in advance: pay online after you leave, by midnight the following day. Staying longer than 10 minutes, or missing the payment deadline, can lead to a Parking Charge Notice. See our Southend Airport transfers.
Where Can You Pick Someone Up at a London Airport?
Not at the kerb. Drop-off zones are for quick stops, so collecting a passenger usually means parking and meeting them inside:
- Heathrow: Terminal Parking at Terminals 2, 3 and 5, from £8 for up to 29 minutes, or Park & Ride, free for 29 minutes. At Terminal 4, use the Priority Pick-Up Area or Park & Ride Zone A.
- Gatwick: Short Stay car parks from £8 for up to 30 minutes, or the express pick-up bays.
- Stansted: Short Stay car parks from £13 for up to 30 minutes, or the free hour at Mid Stay.
- Luton: the Express Drop Off and Pick Up Zone is used for both, or the free 2 hours at Long Stay.
Passport control and baggage reclaim can take a while, especially after long-haul flights, so wait for a "got my bags" message before you head to the terminal. Or skip the parking: with a pre-booked transfer and Meet & Greet, the driver meets your passenger in arrivals.
How to Avoid Airport Drop-Off Charges
- Use the free car park: Heathrow Park & Ride, Gatwick and Luton Long Stay, or Stansted Mid Stay.
- Take the train or coach: every London airport has public transport links.
- Book a transfer: your driver deals with the airport, so nobody has to remember a payment deadline.
Banana Cars runs pre-booked transfers to and from all six London airports, with TfL-licensed drivers, fixed fares and flight monitoring when you add your flight number. Compare vehicles in our fleet, see our group transfers, or browse all the London airports we serve. Get an instant fare quote, with the fare shown before you book.
Charges checked against the official airport websites for Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Southend between 23 and 27 October 2026. London City's charge is as reported by Business Traveller when it was announced. Charges can change, so check the airport's website before you travel.
London Airport Drop-Off Charges FAQs
Heathrow, at £7 per entry. London City and Southend charge £8, Luton £9, and Gatwick and Stansted £10.
Not at the terminal, but most airports have a free car park option: Heathrow Park & Ride (29 minutes), Gatwick and Luton Long Stay (2 hours) and Stansted Mid Stay (60 minutes), each with a shuttle bus.
£8 for up to 5 minutes, then £1 a minute, with a 10-minute maximum stay. The charge started on 6 January 2026, and Blue Badge holders are exempt.
£8 per visit, for up to 10 minutes. Pay online after you leave, by midnight the following day.
After your visit, usually online or by phone by midnight the next day, or automatically with AutoPay where the airport offers it. Cameras record your number plate, so there's nothing to pay on the spot.
At Heathrow, yes: the £7 charge applies to taxis and private hire vehicles. If you're travelling by pre-booked transfer, check your booking confirmation to see what your fare includes.
You can receive a Parking Charge Notice. At Stansted, for example, it's £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. Pay as soon as you can, or set up AutoPay before you travel.
At Heathrow, no: pick-ups aren't allowed in the drop-off areas, so use Terminal Parking or Park & Ride. At Luton, the Express Drop Off and Pick Up Zone is used for both. At other airports, a car park is usually the better choice, because the forecourt time limits are short.
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