Helping a friend or family member by dropping them off at the airport departures is a kind gesture, but it could come with an unexpected cost. Financial experts warn that most UK airports now levy charges for setting down passengers outside the terminal, with fees ranging from as little as £3 for a brief 10-minute stop to as much as £30 for a half-hour stay at Gatwick. However, savvy drivers can find clever ways to dodge these extra expenses before reaching the terminal. While it may not save time, it could certainly save money, according to the specialists at Money Saving Expert (MSE).
Free Alternatives at Major UK Airports
On its website, MSE stated: "At 25 out of the 29 big UK airports, it's not free to say goodbye at the terminal – ridiculously, they charge to set someone down outside departures. Most major UK airports now charge between about £5 and £10 for a short drop-off. At the top end, Gatwick and Stansted now charge £10 for a 10-minute stay, while London City charges £13."
"This can often be avoided – almost all airports have a free alternative area for drop-offs, even if there's a charge to park right outside the terminal. But you may need to walk up to 15 minutes or take a free shuttle ride. If you're not able to walk, don't assume you have to pay," it added. "Many airports have additional free options for blue-badge holders, so check the website before you go."
"Airports that charge drop-off fees told us they had done so to reduce traffic outside the airport or due to increased operational costs – and in most cases, stressed that passengers do have other options to park for free," said the website, founded by Martin Lewis.
Airport-by-Airport Guide to Drop-Off Charges and Free Options
Aberdeen: Drop-off costs £7 for 15 minutes. Its long-stay car park offers one hour free, with a complimentary shuttle bus to the terminal.
Belfast City: Drop-off costs £4 for 10 minutes or £25 for 30 to 60 minutes. The long-stay car park is free for up to 10 minutes. It's a five-minute walk from the terminal.
Belfast International: Drop-off costs £5 for up to 10 minutes or £13 for 20 to 60 minutes. Its long-stay car park offers 15 minutes free and is a six-minute walk from the terminal.
Birmingham: Drop-off is free for up to 10 minutes, £6 for 10 to 15 minutes, and £25 for 30 to 35 minutes. It's a 10-minute walk from the terminal, or a complimentary bus service operates every 15 minutes.
Bournemouth: Drop-off costs £6 for 30 minutes. At the time of reporting, no free option was visible.
Bristol: Drop-off prices begin at £8.50 for 10 minutes. There's a complimentary one-hour waiting zone by the 'Silver Zone' car park to the south of the terminal, with regular buses running to the terminal.
Cardiff: Drop-off costs £3 for the first 10 minutes and an additional £3 for every 10 minutes afterwards. Car Park 2 offers 20 minutes free and is a short walk to the terminal.
East Midlands: Drop-off is £5 for up to 15 minutes. Its long-stay car park provides up to an hour free. It's a 15-minute walk to the terminal or a two-minute bus journey.
Edinburgh: Drop-off costs £8.50 for 10 minutes and £1 per minute thereafter. Its long-stay car park offers up to 30 minutes free. It's a 10-minute walk to the terminal.
Exeter: Drop-off is £6 for up to 15 minutes. You can park for up to 30 minutes free in Car Park P4.
Gatwick: The minimum drop-off charge is £10 and rises to £30 for 30 minutes. You can drop off for free (up to two hours) in its long-stay car parks. Complimentary shuttle buses take 10 to 12 minutes to reach the terminals. Buses operate every 10 to 12 minutes.
Glasgow: Drop-off is £7 for up to 15 minutes. You can use its long-stay car park and stay free for up to one hour. It's a 10-minute walk to the terminal, or there's a complimentary shuttle bus taking seven minutes.
Glasgow Prestwick: Drop-off is £4.50 for 60 minutes. At the time of reporting, no free option was visible.
Heathrow: Drop-off costs £7. However, drop-offs of up to 29 minutes are free at Heathrow's various park-and-ride car parks serving the different terminals. Passengers can catch a complimentary bus transfer to the terminal.
Inverness: Drop-off begins at £3.80 for 30 minutes. You can park for up to 15 minutes free of charge in its short stay car park, located close to the terminal.
Leeds Bradford: Drop-off begins at £7 for 10 minutes. There's a one-hour free parking zone, situated a three to four-minute walk from the terminal.
Liverpool: Drop off lasting between 20 minutes and one hour costs £8. Its 'Drop Off 2' car park offers free parking for up to 20 minutes and is a 5- to 10-minute walk from the terminal.
London City: Drop-off costs £8 for five minutes and £1 per minute thereafter. At the time of reporting, no free option was visible.
Luton: Drop-off is £7 for up to 10 minutes, and £1 per minute thereafter, with a maximum stay of 30 minutes. Luton's Long Stay Car Park offers two hours free parking, with shuttle buses operating every 20 minutes.
Manchester: Drop-off is £6.40 for 10 minutes, £25 for up to 30 minutes. There's a complimentary drop-off area at the JetParks 1 car park, a five-minute shuttle ride from the terminal.
Newcastle: Drop-off is £6 for 10 minutes. A Waiting Zone at Callerton Parkway provides free parking for up to 1.5 hours, with shuttle buses every 30 minutes.
Norwich: Drop-off is £6 for 30 minutes. At the time of reporting, no free option was visible.
Southend: Drop-off costs £8 for up to 10 minutes. At the time of reporting, no free option was visible.
Southampton: Drop-off costs £7 for 20 minutes. At the time of reporting, no free option was visible. MSE reported that its long-stay car park previously offered free parking but is presently closed.
Stansted: Drop-off costs £13 for up to 30 minutes. Its mid-stay car park is complimentary for an hour. There's a complimentary shuttle bus every 10 minutes, taking seven minutes to reach the terminal.
