The short answer
None of the four island airports charges for dropping off at the terminal, and Guernsey and the Isle of Man let you pick up there free too. Instead of a fee, each keeps a short free parking window for anyone who needs longer: 45 minutes in Jersey's Long Stay car park, 30 minutes at Guernsey, and 15 or 30 minutes with a parking disc at the Isle of Man. Alderney's car park is free, according to an independent access survey. The catch is the kerb: Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man all ban waiting outside the terminal, so you drop off or collect and drive straight on.
Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and the Isle of Man are Crown Dependencies, not part of the UK, so they aren't in our UK table or its averages. Every figure here is from the airports' own websites, checked on 24 Oct 2026, except where we say otherwise. How we checked.
The four island airports at a glance
Tap an airport for its full rules, every car park price, Blue Badge arrangements and buses.
| Airport | Drop-off at the terminal | Free parking | After that | A week, turn-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JerseyJER | Free: a drop-off zone in front of Departures, with no parking | 45 minutes in the Long Stay car park | £1 an hour in Departures and Long Stay; £1 per 15 minutes in Arrivals | No turn-up weekly price published: the airport pushes pre-booking |
| GuernseyGCI | Free: drop-off and pick-up zones directly outside the terminal, no waiting | 30 minutes in the car park | £2 up to 1 hour, £3 up to 2 hours | £108 |
| AlderneyACI | Free: a drop-off point to the right of the building, in front of Departures | Free parking, up to 96 hours (AccessAble survey) | No charges published | Not possible: 96-hour limit |
| Isle of ManIOM | Free: a zone directly outside the terminal, no waiting | 15 minutes (Premium) or 30 minutes (Standard) with a parking disc | £3 (Premium) or £2.50 (Standard) up to 2 hours | £54 Premium, £50 Standard |
How the islands compare with UK airports
In the UK, 27 of the 29 airports we track charge for a drop-off at the terminal, an average of £6.74 and as much as £10 at London Gatwick and London Stansted. Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man manage their forecourts with no-waiting rules and a free window in the car park instead, which is closer to the two UK airports that still keep the terminal free: see our free airport drop-off guide and the UK price index.
Parking can be cheaper too. A week in Guernsey's car park costs £108 and in the Isle of Man's Standard zone £50, both less than the cheapest turn-up week at any of the 14 UK airports in our airport parking price comparison, which starts at £125 at Aberdeen. For the debate about capping UK drop-off charges, see our page on the government review.
Collecting someone from an island flight
- Jersey: park in Long Stay, free for 45 minutes and a 3 to 5 minute walk from Departures. Arrivals parking is closer but costs from the first minute, and the drop-off zone isn't for waiting.
- Guernsey: wait in the car park (30 minutes free) and drive to the forecourt only when your passenger is ready.
- Isle of Man: display a parking disc for 15 minutes free in the Premium zone or 30 in Standard, and don't plan to use it twice within 2 hours.
- Alderney: the car park is free, according to the only published survey we could find.
How pick-up works at UK airports, where it often costs more: airport pick-up charges.
Jersey Airport: drop-off, pick-up and parking
Run by Ports of Jersey · St Peter, Jersey JE1 1BY
Dropping off at Jersey is free. The passenger drop-off zone is in front of the Departures terminal, and the airport is blunt about it: cars must not park there "for any length of time as they may incur a fine or be towed away". Nor should you leave a car unattended anywhere except the Departures and Long Stay car parks.
Picking up: 45 minutes free in Long Stay
For a pick-up or a longer goodbye, Jersey gives 45 minutes' free parking in the Long Stay car park, a 3 to 5 minute walk from the Departures terminal. By early September 2026 the airport had raised the free period from 30 to 45 minutes and moved it to Long Stay.
Car park prices
| Car park | Turn-up price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arrivals (in front of the Arrivals terminal) | £1 per 15 minutes | No free period, and parking promotions don't apply |
| Long Stay | First 45 minutes free, then £1 an hour | A 3 to 5 minute walk from Departures |
| Departures | £1 an hour | Leaving the car unattended is allowed here and in Long Stay only |
The airport publishes no daily maximum for the £1-an-hour rate, and its promotional rates are for pre-booked parking only. You can pre-book up to 365 days ahead or as little as 30 minutes before you arrive, with a 30-minute grace period before arrival and after exit, and £1 an hour if you overstay the booking. Turn-up parking is paid at the exit barrier by card or contactless, or at the pay machines in the terminal.
Blue Badge
Every car park has Blue Badge bays, though in Arrivals the usual charges apply. If you're taking your Blue Badge off the island with you, the Assisted Travel desk in the Departures terminal issues a temporary permit for the disabled bay: bring the badge and proof of travel.
Buses and taxis
LibertyBus stops immediately in front of the Arrivals terminal, with frequent services to Liberation Station in St Helier. Route 22, the express, takes about 20 minutes, route 9 about 25, and route 15 (via Red Houses and St Aubin) about 30. Routes 10 and 12 also call. The taxi rank is immediately in front of Arrivals; the airport puts a taxi to St Helier at about £15 on tariff 1, with no baggage supplement. Pre-booked cabs wait in an area behind the Arrivals car park.
What's changing
The airport is rebuilding its departure lounge, with the first phase due to open in November 2026, and plans a new forecourt with "simplified layouts" for drop-off and pick-up, so expect the layout to change. Parking prices have crept up for years: the Long Stay rate went from 80p to 90p an hour in April 2023 and to £1 in 2024.
Checked 24 Oct 2026 against: Parking information, Arrivals parking and drop-off, Long Stay and pre-booking, Turn up and park, Contact (address), 2025 tariffs (PDF), Public bus, Taxis, Forecourt redevelopment, History, Departure lounge news, 25 Sep 2026, Jersey Evening Post, 5 Sep 2026 (free period change), Island FM, 31 Jan 2023 (2023 rise) and Jersey Evening Post, 26 Nov 2023 (2024 rise).
Guernsey Airport: drop-off, pick-up and parking
Run by Guernsey Ports (States of Guernsey) · La Villiaze, Forest, Guernsey GY8 0DS
Guernsey's drop-off and pick-up zones are directly outside the terminal and free to use, but the forecourt is a no-waiting zone. Guernsey Ports has said it "cannot allow vehicles to remain stationary outside the terminal building", and asks people collecting family or friends to go to the forecourt only when their passenger is ready, using the car park's free 30 minutes if they arrive early.
Car park prices
| Stay | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 minutes | Free |
| 30 minutes to 1 hour | £2 |
| 1 to 2 hours | £3 |
| 2 to 6 hours | £5 |
| 6 to 12 hours | £10 |
| 12 to 18 hours | £15 |
| 18 to 24 hours | £20 |
| 24 to 36 hours | £30 |
| 36 to 48 hours | £40 |
| 48 to 72 hours | £60 |
| Each extra day after that | £12 |
The airport's own examples: 4 days is £72, 5 days £84, 6 days £96 and a week £108. On the same £12-a-day basis, a fortnight works out at £192. You take a ticket at the barrier as you drive in and pay before you leave at the pay machines in the terminal, by cash or card, including contactless, Apple Pay and Android Pay. Lose the ticket and you pay the tariff plus a £10 surcharge.
Where the 30 minutes came from
Parking used to be free for an hour. In October 2023 Guernsey Ports cut the free period to 30 minutes, brought in a £2 charge for stays of up to an hour and raised its tariffs for the first time since 2019; the Guernsey Press reported 24 hours going from £12 to £20 and three days from £36 to £60. Within two months the no-waiting forecourt was reported to be getting too busy, and the airport said further measures were being considered.
Blue Badge and motorbikes
There are 6 reserved spaces for Blue Badge holders. The airport publishes no Blue Badge discount, and an AccessAble access survey (April 2025) says parking isn't free for badge holders. Motorbikes park free, at your own risk, in the overflow car park nearest Jacksons Garage.
Buses and taxis
Island buses take contactless or concession cards only, no cash, at a flat daytime fare of £1.70 by card. The airport's bus page lists routes 71, 91, 92, 93, 94 and 95, but since 7 September 2026 route 71 no longer serves the airport except for its retained morning and afternoon journeys. Taxis use the rank directly outside the terminal, with pre-booked taxis in a designated area behind the rank; the airport strongly advises pre-booking.
Checked 24 Oct 2026 against: Parking, Car park terms 2026 (PDF), Forecourt notice, Dec 2023, Tariffs from 1 Oct 2023, Motorbikes, Bus, Taxi, States of Guernsey: buses, Bus network changes from 7 Sep 2026, History: the beginning, Guernsey Press, 19 Sep 2023, Bailiwick Express, 1 Dec 2023 and AccessAble: Guernsey Airport.
Alderney Airport: drop-off, pick-up and parking
Run by States of Guernsey · Le Grand Val, St Anne, Alderney GY9 3XD
Alderney's airport publishes almost nothing about parking. The only description we found is an AccessAble access survey, which says parking is free for all users and limited to 96 hours, with 2 Blue Badge bays, and that the drop-off point is to the right of the building in front of the Departures entrance. It's undated, so treat it as a guide rather than a rule.
There's a taxi rank outside the terminal and a freephone in the Arrivals hall for booking a taxi or hire car. The island has three permanent taxi licences, and you can ask for a fixed price when you pre-book. The airport is open 07:40 to 18:30 local time (to 19:30 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during British Summer Time). Its runway rebuild is now expected in 2028 at the earliest.
Checked 24 Oct 2026 against: Alderney Airport (Guernsey Ports), AccessAble: Alderney Airport, States of Alderney: taxis and States of Guernsey, Sep 2026: runway works.
Isle of Man Airport: drop-off, pick-up and parking
Run by Isle of Man Government, Department of Infrastructure · Ballasalla, Isle of Man IM9 2AS
Isle of Man Airport has a free pick-up and drop-off zone directly outside the terminal, "strictly for immediate drop-offs and pick-ups". You must stay with your car at all times, and unattended vehicles face fixed penalties or removal. A designated disabled drop-off and pick-up zone at the front of the terminal has the same no-waiting rule.
Waiting for a flight: use a parking disc
If you're early for an arrival, the airport points you to its car park, where a displayed parking disc gets you 15 minutes free in the Premium (Red) zone, closest to the terminal, or 30 minutes in the Standard (Green) zone. You can't use the free period again within 2 hours.
Car park prices
| Stay | Premium (Red) | Standard (Green) |
|---|---|---|
| Free with a displayed disc | 15 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Up to 2 hours | £3 | £2.50 |
| 2 to 4 hours | £5 | £4 |
| Up to 24 hours | £17 | £15 |
| Up to 3 days | £31 | £26 |
| Up to 7 days | £54 | £50 |
| Up to 14 days | £89 | £85 |
| Longest stays (up to 90 days) | £120 | £90 |
Anything beyond the free period is paid in advance: through the RingGo app or website (Premium is code 35800, Standard 35801), by phone on 01624 825717 if you're registered, or by card at the Information Desk. Not paying may bring a £60 penalty or removal. Motorbikes pay half the Standard tariff.
Blue Badge
Blue Badge holders park free for up to an hour, displaying the badge and a disc, and can use any space (the designated bays are in the Premium zone). For longer, RingGo code 35794 charges the Standard rate wherever you park. If you're taking the badge with you, ask the Information Desk for an Isle of Man Airport Parking Card for People with Disabilities to leave on the dashboard.
Buses and taxis
The Bus Vannin stand is less than 45 metres from the main entrance: turn left out of the door. The airport lists routes 1, 1a, 2, 2a, 8, 8s, 11, 11a, 12 and 12a, running every 20 minutes in the daytime and early evening and every 30 minutes otherwise. Taxis meet all incoming flights at the rank outside the terminal; rank fares are metered, and pre-booked local firms offer fixed fares.
The day the drop-off lanes nearly closed
The no-waiting rule has been tested. In May 2024, after warning about unattended cars, the airport announced that drivers could no longer drop off or pick up outside the terminal, then reversed the decision the next day after feedback: the lanes stayed open, monitored by wardens. Parking changed in 2023 too, when the free disc time was cut and the Premium and Standard zones arrived, first as a trial from 4 July 2023.
Checked 24 Oct 2026 against: Pick up and drop off, Parking at the airport, FAQs, Public transport, Bus Vannin: airport services, Taxis, Fees and charges 2025-26 (PDF), History: RNAS Ronaldsway, Manx Radio, 30 May 2024, IOM Today, 31 May 2024 and Manx Radio, 1 Jun 2023.
Island airports: your questions
Is there a drop-off charge at Jersey Airport?
No. Jersey Airport's passenger drop-off zone, in front of the Departures terminal, is free, but you can't park there: cars that do may be fined or towed. For longer, the first 45 minutes in the Long Stay car park are free.
How long is free parking at Jersey Airport?
45 minutes, in the Long Stay car park only. By early September 2026 the airport had raised it from 30 minutes and moved it to Long Stay. After that it's £1 an hour; Arrivals parking, right in front of the terminal, has no free period and costs £1 per 15 minutes (one airport page still says per half hour).
Is it free to drop off at Guernsey Airport?
Yes. The drop-off and pick-up zones directly outside the terminal are free, but no waiting is allowed there. The car park is free for the first 30 minutes, then £2 for up to an hour and £3 for up to two hours.
How much is parking at Guernsey Airport?
Up to 30 minutes is free, then £2 to an hour, £3 to two hours, £5 to six, £10 to twelve and £20 for up to 24 hours. Three days is £60, and each extra day after that is £12, so a week is £108.
Is there a drop-off charge at Isle of Man Airport?
No. The pick-up and drop-off zone directly outside the terminal is free, but strictly for immediate drop-offs and pick-ups: no waiting, and you must stay with the car. If you're early, park with a disc: 15 minutes free in the Premium zone or 30 in Standard.
How do parking discs work at Isle of Man Airport?
Display a parking disc showing your arrival time and you get 15 minutes free in the Premium (Red) zone or 30 minutes in the Standard (Green) zone. You can't use the free period again within 2 hours. Longer stays are paid in advance through RingGo, by phone or at the Information Desk.
Can you park at Alderney Airport?
The airport publishes no parking rules. An AccessAble access survey says parking is free for all users, limited to 96 hours, with 2 Blue Badge bays, and that the drop-off point is to the right of the building in front of Departures.
Why aren't Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man in your UK rankings?
They're Crown Dependencies, not part of the UK, and none of them charges for dropping off at the terminal. Keeping them out keeps our UK averages, rankings and dataset comparable year to year; this page covers them instead.
How we checked
We read every airport's own parking, drop-off, transport and terms pages on 24 Oct 2026, and each airport's section lists the pages we used. Where an airport's pages disagree, we say so and show the newest. Local news reports are used only for history and are dated. Alderney's details come from an independent access survey because the airport publishes none. Island rules change with little notice, so check the airport's own page before you travel. How we check · About this site.