The short answer
Only two East Midlands car parks have published turn-up prices for a trip, and of those Mid Stay 3 is cheaper for a week, at £395. Mid Stay 3 stays the cheaper of the two for up to 9 days; at 10 days both come to £590 by our sums, and from 11 days Short Stay 1 is cheaper. East Midlands Airport says pre-booking can save up to 76%, a figure it bases on an 8-day stay in January 2027 (some of its page titles say 75%). It also says turn-up spaces are limited and it cannot guarantee you one, and it strongly recommends pre-booking, especially at peak times. For short visits, Short Stay 1 is a 1 to 5 minute walk from check-in, at £59 for the first 24 hours. Only collecting someone? Long Stay 2 is free for up to 60 minutes, then £1 a minute; it is a 15 to 20 minute walk from the terminal, or a ride on the free shuttle every 20 minutes. The airport says Long Stay closes over winter, and last winter the shuttle stopped from 1 November, so check before relying on it.
Every turn-up price on this page is the airport's own published price, checked on its website on 25 Oct 2026. Weekly totals are our sums from those prices. Pre-booked and partner prices change often, so we link to them live rather than quote them. How we check.
East Midlands Airport's car parks
These are the car parks on East Midlands Airport's parking pages, with Long Stay 2's free hour and the Rapid Drop Off from its pick-up and drop-off page; each name links to the airport's page. Only Short Stay 1 and Mid Stay 3 have published turn-up prices.
| Car park | Distance | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Short Stay 1 | 1 to 5 minute walk to check-in, on foot only (the Blue Badge page gives 4 to 6 minutes) | Short visits, picking up and dropping off |
| Short Stay 2 and 3 | 1 to 5 minute walk to check-in | Pre-booked short trips close to the terminal |
| Mid Stay 3 | 5 to 7 minute walk to the terminal (the Blue Badge page gives 14 to 16 minutes, or a shuttle ride) | The lower turn-up price for stays of up to 9 days |
| Mid Stay 1 and 2 | 5 to 7 minute walk to the terminal, no shuttle | Pre-booked stays of up to a week, on foot |
| Long Stay 1 | 3 to 5 minute ride on the free shuttle, every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day | Pre-booked stays of a week or two |
| Long Stay 2 | 15 to 20 minute walk, or the free shuttle every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day | Free drop-offs and pick-ups, for up to an hour |
| JetParks | 7 to 8 minute shuttle ride (the JetParks page also gives 12 to 15 minutes to the terminal) | Pre-booked stays of 6 days or more |
| Meet & Greet | 1 to 2 minute walk to the terminal | Handing over the keys next to the terminal |
| Rapid Drop Off | Directly outside the terminal | Quick drop-offs (not for collecting) |
- Short Stay 1: One of three Short Stay car parks a 1 to 5 minute walk from check-in, and one of the two car parks the airport lists for picking up and dropping off. Follow the signs for 'Short Stay Car Park'; it can only be reached on foot from the terminal. It has clearly marked Blue Badge bays, and Blue Badge holders get the first 30 minutes free. There is no minimum stay. Turn-up spaces are limited and not guaranteed. Pay at the automatic ticket machines in and around the terminal, or take a token at the entry barrier and pay by card at the exit barrier; a lost token is charged at the full day rate plus £5. Park Mark accredited. Postcode DE74 2SA.
- Short Stay 2 and 3: Short Stay 2 is pre-book only. The airport says Short Stay 3 is also available for Turn Up and Park, but its turn-up price list doesn't include it, so we can't show what it costs if you just turn up. Both are a 1 to 5 minute walk to check-in and share Short Stay 1's postcode, DE74 2SA. The airport's Short Stay 'from' price, £52.99, is for a 4-day stay in January 2027.
- Mid Stay 3: One of three Mid Stay car parks, which the airport calls its most popular choice for trips of up to a week. You keep your keys and walk: there is no shuttle bus. It is the Mid Stay car park with Blue Badge bays. Its turn-up prices come from the airport's Turn Up & Park page, which lists Short Stay 1 and Mid Stay 3 in a filter, followed by price tables that don't name a car park: we've matched the second table to Mid Stay 3 by that order, so check the tariff board at the entrance, which the airport's terms say is what applies; turn-up spaces are limited and not guaranteed. Pay at the ticket machines in and around the terminal, or by card at the exit barrier with the token you take on entry. Pre-booked Mid Stay has a 3-day minimum stay. Park Mark accredited. Postcode DE74 2SA.
- Mid Stay 1 and 2: The other two Mid Stay car parks, a 5 to 7 minute walk from the terminal with no shuttle, at the same postcode, DE74 2SA. The Mid Stay page says Mid Stay is available for Turn Up and Park, but the airport's turn-up price list covers only Mid Stay 3, so we can't show a gate price for these. Pre-booked stays have a 3-day minimum; the airport's 'from' price, £51.99, is for an 8-day stay in January 2027.
- Long Stay 1: Pre-book only, and the airport says its Long Stay car parks close over winter; its Long Stay 'from' price, £49.99, is for an 8-day stay in April 2027. You keep your keys, and number-plate recognition handles entry and exit. Long Stay 1 has three bus stops inside the car park. It has Blue Badge bays, and the airport says the shuttle is fully accessible to wheelchair users. Park Mark accredited. Postcode DE74 2TL.
- Long Stay 2: The airport's free pick-up and drop-off option: press for a token at the entry for up to an hour free; after that it is £1 a minute, and the exit takes cards only. The shuttle stops on the road just outside the car park, and returning passengers catch it from the pickup zone just outside arrivals. The airport's page still says the shuttle was unavailable from 1 November 2025 to 31 March 2026 and gives no dates for this winter, so check before relying on it. Parking here for a trip counts as Long Stay, which is pre-book only. Blue Badge bays. Postcode DE74 2TL.
- JetParks: Pre-book only, with a 6-day minimum stay, and the airport says it closes over winter; its 'from' price, £49.99, is for an 8-day stay between May and September 2027. A free shuttle bus runs to the terminal, and number-plate recognition means no tickets. The airport says it is suitable for Blue Badge holders. JetParks 1 and 2 share the postcode DE74 2TR.
- Meet & Greet: Pre-book only, with a 3-day minimum stay and a 2 metre (6ft 6in) height limit. Head for the sheltered inspection area, pull into a drop-off bay, hand your keys in at reception and go straight to check-in. The car is driven to an official, highly secure on-site car park, and when you return it is waiting close by in the red, yellow or green zone. Blue Badge holders get 20% off by booking by phone. The airport's 'from' price, £78, is for an 8-day stay in January 2027.
- Rapid Drop Off: Drop-off only. It is barrierless: you drive through without stopping and pay afterwards, online, by phone or with AutoPay, by midnight the day after your visit, and not in cash or by cheque. Miss it and a £100 Parking Charge follows, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. The maximum stay is 30 minutes, so a full 30 minutes costs £28 by our sum. Two marked Blue Badge bays, but no free time for Blue Badge holders is listed.
Turn-up prices
If you arrive without booking, these are the airport's published prices. Short Stay 2 and 3, Mid Stay 1 and 2, Long Stay 1, JetParks and Meet & Greet are priced when you book. Tap a car park to see its full price list.
Short Stay 1 £59 for up to 24 hours
| Short Stay 1 | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 minutes | £12 |
| Up to 1 hour | £14 |
| Up to 2 hours | £18 |
| Up to 3 hours | £22 |
| Up to 24 hours | £59 |
| Each additional day after | £59 |
Mid Stay 3 £50 for up to 24 hours
| Mid Stay 3 | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 24 hours | £50 |
| Up to 2 days | £100 |
| Up to 3 days | £135 |
| Each additional day after | £65 |
Long Stay 2 Free for up to 60 minutes
| Long Stay 2 | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 60 minutes | Free |
| Each minute after that | £1 |
Rapid Drop Off £8 for up to 10 minutes
| Rapid Drop Off | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 minutes | £8 |
| Every minute after the first 10 minutes | £1 |
Booking ahead: East Midlands Airport says pre-booking can save up to 76%, a figure it bases on an 8-day stay in January 2027 (some of its page titles say 75%). It also says turn-up spaces are limited and it cannot guarantee you one, and it strongly recommends pre-booking, especially at peak times. Book on the airport's own site, or compare prices on the booking sites below. The airport's 'from' prices are for set stays: 8 days in January 2027, 4 days for Short Stay, April 2027 for Long Stay and May to September 2027 for JetParks, and it says Long Stay and JetParks close over winter. Its car parking terms say a booking made on its website can be cancelled for a full refund with at least 72 hours' notice before your arrival time, or up to 1 hour before if you bought cancellation protection, and that bookings made less than 72 hours before arrival can't be cancelled and aren't refunded. Pre-booked stays have 6 hours' grace after the booked exit time; after that the overstay charge is £25 a day in Meet & Greet, Mid Stay and Short Stay, £20 in Long Stay and £15 in JetParks. Car parks are priced per calendar day.
Park or get dropped off? A week away
| Option | Cost for 7 days |
|---|---|
| Dropped off at the Rapid Drop Off (up to 10 minutes) and collected from Short Stay 1 (up to 30 minutes) | £20 |
| Dropped off and collected using Long Stay 2's free hour, each time (a 15 to 20 minute walk or a shuttle ride from the terminal) | Free |
| Mid Stay 3, turned up | £395 |
| Short Stay 1, turned up | £413 |
A lift costs least in charges, but it means two return trips to the airport for whoever drives you. If you're driving yourself, don't just turn up at the barrier: Mid Stay 3, the cheaper of the two car parks with published turn-up prices, costs £395 a week that way. The East Midlands drop-off guide has the full rules for the Rapid Drop Off, and park or drop off at East Midlands compares the two by trip length. The Rapid Drop Off is for drop-offs only, so the collection is priced at Short Stay 1. Collect from Long Stay 2's free hour instead and the lift costs only the £8 drop-off, but your passenger has a 15 to 20 minute walk or a shuttle ride to the car. The airport says Short Stay 3 also takes turn-up customers, and that Mid Stay is available to turn up, but its turn-up price list covers only Short Stay 1 and Mid Stay 3, so the others aren't in the table.
Turn-up cost for 3, 7 and 14 days
| Car park | 3 days | 7 days | 14 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Stay 1 | £177 | £413 | £826 |
| Mid Stay 3 | £135 | £395 | £850 |
These are our sums from the day rates in the airport's published turn-up prices above; the lowest in each column is in bold. Check the pre-booked price for your dates on the airport's own site before you settle for any of these.
Compare before you book
Booking sites and private spaces
Holiday Extras and Airparks both sell East Midlands Airport's own car parks and its Meet & Greet. When we checked, Airparks listed Official Short Stay 1, 2 and 3, Mid Stay 1, 2 and 3, Long Stay 1 and 2 and Official Meet and Greet, and Holiday Extras listed the airport's Short Stay, Mid Stay, Long Stay and JetParks car parks with its Meet and Greet; neither page named an independent car park. YourParkingSpace is different: it is a marketplace where owners rent out driveways, garages and other spaces near the airport. Their prices change often, so compare them live.
Compare East Midlands parking →Also: Airparks · YourParkingSpace
Offer: £5 off your first YourParkingSpace booking
Code PARKING5. New customers only, until 23:59 on 31 October 2026 (UK time). YourParkingSpace's offer terms apply. Find a space on YourParkingSpace →
These are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. It never affects the prices and facts on this page.
Picking someone up
| Where to wait | Cost |
|---|---|
| Long Stay 2, 15 to 20 minute walk or free shuttle (check winter opening) | Free for up to 60 minutes, then £1 a minute |
| Short Stay 1, 1 to 5 minute walk, on foot only | £12 for up to 30 minutes, £14 for up to an hour, £18 for up to 2 hours |
| Rapid Drop Off, outside the terminal | Drop-off only: not for collecting |
The airport lists two places to pick up: Short Stay 1, which can only be reached on foot from the terminal, and Long Stay 2, free for up to 60 minutes. Press for a token at Long Stay 2's entry for the free hour; after that it is £1 a minute, so a wait of more than 78 minutes costs more there than Short Stay 1's £18 for up to 2 hours (our sum). The shuttle runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, and returning passengers catch it from the pickup zone just outside arrivals, but the airport's page still says it was unavailable from 1 November 2025 to 31 March 2026 and gives no dates for this winter, so check before you rely on it. The Rapid Drop Off is for drop-offs only. If you'll be longer than an hour, the airport recommends pre-booking a car park space. The Rapid Drop Off is barrierless, so you can't pay on the way out: pay online at pay.eastmidlandsairport.com, by phone on 03452 221517 or automatically with an AutoPay account, by midnight the day after your visit. You can't pay in advance, or in cash or by cheque, and if you don't pay a £100 Parking Charge is sent to the registered keeper, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. In Short Stay 1 you pay at the automatic ticket machines in and around the terminal, or by card at the exit barrier with the token you took on entry; Long Stay 2's exit takes cards only.
Early flight?
Hotel and parking the night before
Holiday Extras and Airparks both sell hotel-and-parking packages at East Midlands. Holiday Extras describes two kinds: hotels where the car stays in the hotel car park while you're away, and hotels with secured parking off-site, usually at JetParks or Long Stay, where you drive there on the morning of your flight and take the shuttle bus to the terminal. Airparks lists both kinds too. Holiday Extras gives the Jurys Inn, on the airport site, as a 3 to 5 minute walk to the terminal. Check which kind yours is before you book.
Hotels with parking →Also: Airparks hotels
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Hand over the keys
Meet & greet and valet
The airport's own Meet & Greet is pre-book only: you pull into a drop-off bay by the sheltered inspection area, hand your keys in at reception and walk 1 to 2 minutes to check-in, and staff drive the car to an official, highly secure on-site car park; when you return it is waiting close by in the red, yellow or green zone. The minimum stay is 3 days and the height limit is 2 metres. Holiday Extras and Airparks both sell the airport's own Meet & Greet, and neither listed an independent meet and greet at East Midlands when we checked. Holiday Extras says the car is stored in the airport's own Long Stay car park. Compare the price for your dates with the airport's own site before you book.
Compare meet & greet →Also: Airparks
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Blue Badge and accessible parking
Blue Badge holders get the first 30 minutes free in Short Stay 1, for picking up or dropping off: press the intercom at the entry or exit barrier, or use a pay machine in the terminal, and have the badge's serial number ready for the operator. Short Stay 1 has clearly marked Blue Badge bays, and Mid Stay 3 is the Mid Stay car park with them; both can only be reached on foot from the terminal. Long Stay 1 and 2 also have Blue Badge bays, and the airport says the Long Stay shuttle is fully accessible to wheelchair users. The Rapid Drop Off has two marked Blue Badge bays, one on the left and one on the right, but the airport lists no free time there. Meet & Greet is 20% off for Blue Badge holders (not on the saver rate) if you book by phone: the Blue Badge page gives 08081 686111, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and the Meet & Greet page gives 02081 638 001. Help points in every car park can call for a wheelchair or other help. See how East Midlands compares with other airports in the Blue Badge guide.
Before you fly
Lounges and fast track
East Midlands has one lounge on its website: the Escape Lounge (from £33.99 per person booked ahead, or from £49 at the door; under-3s go free). It is after security and the shopping area, opposite Gate 17. Security FastTrack, the airport's bookable security lane, costs from £5.99 per person and is open from 3am until the last departing flight. Every passenger needs a pass, including children, and infants under three use the assistance lane instead.
Nearby airports
East Midlands Airport parking: your questions
How much is parking at East Midlands Airport?
If you turn up without booking, Short Stay 1 costs £12 for up to 30 minutes, £14 for up to an hour, £18 for up to 2 hours, £22 for up to 3 hours and £59 for up to 24 hours, then £59 for each extra day. Mid Stay 3 costs £50 for up to 24 hours, £100 for up to 2 days and £135 for up to 3 days, then £65 a day. By our sums a week costs £395 in Mid Stay 3 and £413 in Short Stay 1. Those are the only two car parks with published turn-up prices. The airport says pre-booking can save up to 76%, based on an 8-day stay in January 2027.
What is the cheapest parking at East Midlands Airport?
Of the two car parks with published turn-up prices, Mid Stay 3 is cheaper for stays of up to 9 days, at £395 for a week by our sum. At 10 days both come to £590, and from 11 days Short Stay 1 is cheaper. The airport's lowest 'from' prices are pre-booked: £49.99 for 8 days in Long Stay (April 2027) or JetParks (May to September 2027), both pre-book only and closed over winter.
How much is 3 days of parking at East Midlands Airport?
If you turn up without booking, 3 days costs £135 in Mid Stay 3 and £177 in Short Stay 1. Those are our sums from the airport's published day rates, checked on 25 Oct 2026. They are gate prices, so check the pre-booked price for your dates before you travel.
How much is 2 weeks of parking at East Midlands Airport?
If you turn up without booking, 14 days costs £826 in Short Stay 1 and £850 in Mid Stay 3. Those are our sums from the airport's published day rates, checked on 25 Oct 2026. They are gate prices, so check the pre-booked price for your dates before you travel.
Is there free parking at East Midlands Airport?
Yes, for up to 60 minutes in Long Stay 2, for picking up or dropping off. Press for a token at the entry; after the hour it costs £1 a minute, and the exit takes cards only. It is a 15 to 20 minute walk from the terminal, or a ride on the free shuttle every 20 minutes, which the airport's page says was unavailable from 1 November 2025 to 31 March 2026. Blue Badge holders get 30 minutes free in Short Stay 1.
How much is the Rapid Drop Off at East Midlands Airport?
£8 for up to 10 minutes, then £1 for every minute after that, with a maximum stay of 30 minutes. It is for drop-offs only. It is barrierless: pay online, by phone or with AutoPay by midnight the day after your visit, or a £100 Parking Charge follows, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.
Can I turn up and park at East Midlands Airport?
Yes, at the Short Stay and Mid Stay car parks, but the airport says turn-up spaces are limited and it cannot guarantee you one, so it strongly recommends pre-booking, especially at peak times. It publishes turn-up prices only for Short Stay 1 and Mid Stay 3. Short Stay 2, Long Stay (apart from Long Stay 2's free pick-up and drop-off hour), JetParks and Meet & Greet are pre-book only.
Where can I pick someone up at East Midlands Airport?
In Short Stay 1, reached on foot from the terminal, at £12 for up to 30 minutes and £14 for up to an hour, or free for up to 60 minutes in Long Stay 2, a 15 to 20 minute walk or a shuttle ride away. Don't collect at the Rapid Drop Off: it is for drop-offs only.
Is it cheaper to park or get dropped off at East Midlands Airport?
Being dropped off at the Rapid Drop Off and collected from Short Stay 1 costs £20 if the drop-off takes up to 10 minutes and the pick-up up to 30, or just the £8 drop-off if your driver collects from Long Stay 2's free hour. Either way it means two return trips for your driver. A week in Mid Stay 3 costs £395 if you turn up without booking.
How do I get from Long Stay or JetParks to the terminal?
By free shuttle bus. The airport says the Long Stay shuttle runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, and takes 3 to 5 minutes; Long Stay 1 has three bus stops inside the car park, and Long Stay 2's stop is on the road just outside. JetParks is a 7 to 8 minute shuttle ride. The Short Stay and Mid Stay car parks have no shuttle: you walk.
Does East Midlands Airport have meet and greet parking?
Yes, pre-book only, with a 3-day minimum stay. You pull into a drop-off bay, hand your keys in at reception and go straight to check-in, a 1 to 2 minute walk. The car is driven to a secure on-site car park and is waiting close by when you return. Blue Badge holders get 20% off by booking by phone.
Are Long Stay and JetParks open in winter?
The airport says its Long Stay and JetParks car parks close over winter, and its 'from' prices for them are for April 2027 and May to September 2027, but it gives no closing dates. Its pick-up page still lists Long Stay 2's free hour, and says only that the shuttle was unavailable from 1 November 2025 to 31 March 2026, so check before you travel this winter.
Do Blue Badge holders park free at East Midlands Airport?
For 30 minutes in Short Stay 1, for picking up or dropping off: press the intercom at the entry or exit barrier, or use a pay machine in the terminal, with the badge's serial number ready. Long Stay 2's free 60 minutes, which is open to everyone, also applies; the airport lists no free time at the Rapid Drop Off's two Blue Badge bays. Meet & Greet is 20% off for Blue Badge holders who book by phone.
What happens if I come back late?
Pre-booked stays have 6 hours' grace after your booked exit time. After that, the overstay charge is £25 a day in Meet & Greet, Mid Stay and Short Stay, £20 in Long Stay and £15 in JetParks. The grace period doesn't apply to Short Stay 1 drop-off or pick-up bookings, where extra time is charged at the turn-up prices.
Can I cancel East Midlands Airport parking?
The airport's car parking terms say a booking made on its website can be cancelled for a full refund with at least 72 hours' notice before your arrival time, or up to 1 hour before if you bought cancellation protection. Bookings made less than 72 hours before arrival can't be cancelled and aren't refunded, and some discounted and promotional rates have their own terms. The terms say this doesn't cover bookings made through a sales agent. Check the terms of your own booking.
Method & corrections
Every turn-up price on this page is checked against the airport's own published charges and stamped with the date we checked it. Details credited to a booking site come from that site's own pages, and weekly totals are our sums. We re-verify the full dataset quarterly, and after any reported change — see how we check every figure and who maintains the site.
Spotted an error? Email hello@airportdropoffcharges.co.uk — corrections are made visibly and dated. The dataset behind this page is free to reuse with attribution: JSON · CSV (CC BY 4.0) — about the data.