.png){kind=small}
On This Page
Luton Airport drop-off costs £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. You pay online by midnight the following day. For free drop-off or pick-up, use the Long Stay car park, which is free for up to 2 hours with a free 24-hour shuttle bus. This guide covers every option, checked against London Luton Airport's official website on 23 October 2026. Prefer not to drive? A pre-booked Luton Airport transfer takes care of the journey.
Luton Airport drop-off and pick-up: key facts
- Drop-off and pick-up charge: £9 for up to 12 minutes, then £1 per minute. Maximum stay 30 minutes.
- How to pay: online only, by midnight the following day. No barriers, no cash.
- Overstay penalty: £95 for staying over 30 minutes, reduced to £55 if paid within 14 days.
- Free option: Long Stay car park, free for up to 2 hours, with a free shuttle bus every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day.
- Sat nav postcodes: Drop Off / Pick Up Zone LU2 9QT; Long Stay LU2 9NW.
How Much Is the Drop-Off Charge at Luton Airport?
The Luton Airport drop-off charge is £9 for up to 12 minutes in the Express Drop Off and Pick Up Zone, the closest place to the terminal. After 12 minutes, it's £1 for each extra minute, and the maximum stay is 30 minutes. The same zone and charge are used for picking up.
| Time in the zone | Charge |
|---|---|
| Up to 12 minutes | £9 |
| Each extra minute | £1 |
| Maximum stay | 30 minutes |
| Staying over 30 minutes | £95 enforcement charge (£55 if paid within 14 days) |
The zone is barrier-free and cashless. Cameras read your number plate as you enter, and it's about a 5-minute walk from the zone to the terminal. Vehicles must never be left unattended: unattended cars are towed and fined.
How Do You Pay the Luton Drop-Off Charge?
You pay the Luton Airport drop-off charge online only, at lutondropoff.apcoa.com, either in advance or by midnight the day after your visit. There are no payment machines and no cash payments in the zone.
Dropping off at Luton, step by step
- Set your sat nav to LU2 9QT. Near the roundabout before the tunnel, ignore the sat nav and follow the Drop Off / Pick Up Zone signs.
- Use either entrance. The zone has two entrances, and cameras record your plate as you drive in.
- Unload and leave within 12 minutes to pay just £9. Never leave the car unattended.
- Pay online at lutondropoff.apcoa.com by midnight the following day.
Is There Free Drop-Off at Luton Airport?
Yes. Luton's Long Stay car park is free for up to 2 hours for dropping off or picking up, and a free shuttle bus runs to the terminal about every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day. The bus journey takes about 10 minutes. A 3-hour stay costs £7.
- Postcode: LU2 9NW. There's no height restriction.
- Under 2 hours: take a ticket on entry and the barrier lifts automatically when you leave.
- Returning to the car park: the shuttle back to Long Stay leaves from Bus Bay B, just outside the terminal.
- Tip: note where you parked before you walk to the bus stop.
Where Can You Pick Someone Up at Luton Airport?
You can pick someone up at Luton Airport from the Express Drop Off and Pick Up Zone (£9 for up to 12 minutes) or from the Long Stay car park, which is free for up to 2 hours. If you'll need more than 30 minutes, for example because the flight is delayed, use Long Stay rather than the zone.
| Option | Where | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express Drop Off and Pick Up Zone | About a 5-minute walk from the terminal (LU2 9QT) | £9 up to 12 minutes, then £1 a minute; 30 minutes maximum | A quick collection when your passenger is ready |
| Long Stay car park | Free shuttle bus, about 10 minutes (LU2 9NW) | Free for up to 2 hours | Saving money, or when the flight might be late |
| Terminal Car Park 1 (Blue Badge) | About 350 metres from the terminal | Free for up to 30 minutes at the Blue Badge rate | Blue Badge holders and passengers with booked assistance |
Tips for an easy Luton pick-up
- Check the landing time before you set off, so you aren't paying by the minute while the plane is still in the air.
- Wait for a message. Ask your passenger to text you once they have their bags, then drive into the zone.
- Watch the clock. After 12 minutes you pay £1 a minute, and after 30 minutes you risk a £95 charge.
Blue Badge Drop-Off and Pick-Up at Luton Airport
Luton Airport recommends that Blue Badge holders and passengers with booked assistance use Terminal Car Park 1, Levels 0 and 1, about 350 metres from the terminal. The first 30 minutes are free at the Blue Badge rate. There are no concessions for Blue Badge holders in the main drop-off area.
| Time parked | Blue Badge rate |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 minutes | Free |
| 30 to 60 minutes | £7.50 |
| 1 to 3 hours | £19.50 |
| 3 to 5 hours | £39.00 |
To get the reduced rate, validate your Blue Badge or booked-assistance confirmation at the Priority Parking office on Level 2 of Terminal Car Park 1 before you leave, or ask at a help point. Help points are on Levels 0, 1 and 3. The rate doesn't apply in the ground-floor drop-off area of Terminal Car Park 2.
How Does Luton's Drop-Off Charge Compare with Other London Airports?
Luton's £9 charge gives you slightly longer than Gatwick's £10 for 10 minutes, but every airport works differently, so it's worth checking the rules for the one you're using.
| Airport | Drop-off charge | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Luton | £9 for up to 12 minutes, then £1 a minute (30 minutes maximum) | This page |
| Gatwick | £10 for up to 10 minutes, then £1 a minute (30 minutes maximum) | Gatwick drop-off guide |
| Heathrow | £7 per entry to the terminal drop-off area | Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 guides |
| Stansted | £10 for up to 15 minutes; £28 for over 15 minutes (30 minutes maximum) | Stansted drop-off guide |
Getting to Luton Airport by Train
If your passenger is travelling by train instead, the nearest station is Luton Airport Parkway. The Luton DART shuttle connects the station to the terminal in under four minutes, 24 hours a day. It runs every 5 minutes at peak times, every 8 minutes off-peak and every 15 minutes late at night. To include the DART in your train ticket, choose "Luton Airport" (LUA) as your destination; a separate adult single costs £4.90.
Heading into the city after landing? Our guide to getting from each London airport to the city compares the fastest trains.
Common Luton Drop-Off Mistakes to Avoid
- Following the sat nav into the tunnel. Near the roundabout before the tunnel, follow the Drop Off / Pick Up Zone signs instead.
- Forgetting to pay. There's no barrier or machine to remind you. Pay online by midnight the next day.
- Waiting in the zone for a delayed flight. After 30 minutes you risk a £95 charge. Wait in Long Stay, free for 2 hours, instead.
- Leaving the car unattended. Unattended vehicles in the zone are towed and fined.
Skip the Drop-Off Charge with a Pre-Booked Transfer
Dropping someone at Luton means a £9 charge and a payment deadline; collecting them means watching the clock or waiting in a car park. With a Luton Airport taxi from Banana Cars, nobody has to do the airport run.
| Friend or family drives | Banana Cars transfer | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport charges | £9 to drop off or pick up; parking if delayed | Your driver deals with the airport |
| Flight delays | Risk of per-minute charges | Flight monitoring when you add your flight number, with free waiting time |
| Price | Fuel plus airport charges | Fixed fare, same rate day or night, no extra charge for traffic delays |
| Arrivals | Find each other outside the terminal | Optional Meet & Greet in arrivals |
All our drivers are vetted and TfL-licensed, and child seats are available. We run transfers between Luton Airport and London, including central London, and nearby areas such as Watford. Choose a vehicle for your luggage in our fleet, book a group transfer for larger parties, or travel in comfort with our executive chauffeur service.
Get an instant fare quote for your Luton transfer in a few seconds, with the fare shown before you book.
Flying from another airport? See the drop-off rules at every London airport in our London airport drop-off charges guide, or browse all the London airports we serve.
Charges and rules checked against london-luton.co.uk on 23 October 2026. The airport can change its charges, so confirm on its website before you travel.
Luton Airport Drop-Off and Pick-Up FAQs
£9 for up to 12 minutes in the Express Drop Off and Pick Up Zone, then £1 for each extra minute, with a 30-minute maximum stay.
Online only, at lutondropoff.apcoa.com, in advance or by midnight the following day. There are no machines or cash payments in the zone.
Yes. The Long Stay car park (LU2 9NW) is free for up to 2 hours, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day.
From the Express Drop Off and Pick Up Zone (£9 for up to 12 minutes) or the Long Stay car park, free for up to 2 hours with a free shuttle bus to the terminal.
LU2 9QT. Near the roundabout before the tunnel, follow the Drop Off / Pick Up Zone signs rather than your sat nav.
You can receive a £95 enforcement charge, reduced to £55 if paid within 14 days.
There are no Blue Badge concessions in the main drop-off zone. Instead, use Terminal Car Park 1, where the first 30 minutes are free at the Blue Badge rate once you validate your badge at the Priority Parking office.
Under four minutes between Luton Airport Parkway station and the terminal. It runs 24 hours a day, every 5 to 15 minutes depending on the time.
Know someone travelling soon? Send them this guide.
