Latest at London Luton · 11 Sep 2026: London Luton raised its drop-off charge from £7 to £9 for up to 12 minutes (then £1 per minute to a 30-minute maximum). It was £5 in 2024, so the charge has risen 80% in two years — the steepest increase in our index — and at £9 Luton is now the third-most-expensive UK drop-off, behind only Gatwick and Stansted at £10. All updates →
The London Luton drop-off charge in detail
£9 for up to 12 minutes.
If you overstay: £1 per minute beyond 12 minutes; 30-minute maximum stay.
Where to drop off at London Luton
Luton's Drop Off Zone is not outside the terminal doors — it's a signed area about a 5-minute walk away. Use postcode LU2 9QT, then follow the road signs (not your sat-nav) from the roundabout before the tunnel.
What the London Luton drop-off is actually like
Luton's paid drop-off isn't right outside the doors — it's about a 5-minute walk from the terminal, signposted from the roundabout before the tunnel, and the airport tells drivers to follow the signs rather than their sat-nav.
Source: the airport's own directions page.
How and when to pay the London Luton drop-off charge
How: Online only, at lutondropoff.apcoa.com — pay by card on the website after your visit, or set up an account for automatic payment.
When: pay by midnight the following day. Staying beyond the 30-minute maximum brings a £95 enforcement charge, reduced to £55 if paid within 14 days; the zone is enforced by ANPR and mobile CCTV.
There are no barriers, pay machines or card readers at the zone itself — ANPR cameras read your plate and you pay online afterwards.
Exemptions: There's no Blue Badge exemption in the Drop Off Zone itself — Blue Badge holders are directed to Terminal Car Park 1, which gives 30 minutes free and discounted rates after that.
Official payment site: lutondropoff.apcoa.com
Free drop-off alternative at London Luton
Long Stay car park — 2 hours free, bus to terminal. Allow 15–25 extra minutes versus the barrier.
Every airport's free alternative is in the free drop-off guide — or scan the full comparison table.
Pick-up charges at London Luton Airport: where to collect and what it costs
Unusually for a big UK airport, Luton's Drop Off Zone is signed for pick-ups as well — the same £7 for 10 minutes applies, and it has two entrances to spread the queues. If the flight hasn't landed, wait in the Long Stay car park instead: free for up to 2 hours, with a free shuttle every 20 minutes taking about 10 minutes to the terminal.
How pick-up charging works across the UK: pick-up charges at every airport · the quick comparison.
Getting to the London Luton drop-off
London Luton Airport terminal. Follow the drop-off signs on site — the zone can sit a short walk from the doors.
© OpenStreetMap contributors · Get directions →
By rail — Luton Airport Parkway connects to the terminal by the Luton DART people mover in under four minutes, with the Luton Airport Express reaching London St Pancras in about 22 minutes.source
Being dropped off isn't the cheap option.
You'll pay Luton's £9 twice — once out, once back.
That's £18 in barrier fees before anyone counts the fuel and the two airport runs. Flying yourself? Pre-book parking instead and the car's waiting when you land — even off the 1am arrival.
Pre-book Luton parking →Compare: Airparks · YourParkingSpace
Just dropping someone off? Long Stay car park is the free option here — details above.
Still weighing it up? Is it cheaper to park or get dropped off at Luton?
Some parking links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. It never affects our charges data.
London Luton drop-off & pick-up FAQs
How much is the drop-off charge at London Luton Airport?
London Luton Airport charges £9 for up to 12 minutes at the drop-off area closest to the terminal. If you overstay: £1 per minute beyond 12 minutes; 30-minute maximum stay.
Is there a free drop-off at London Luton Airport?
Yes. London Luton keeps a free or cheaper option — Long Stay car park: 2 hours free, bus to terminal. Allow 15–25 extra minutes.
How do I pay the London Luton Airport drop-off charge?
Online only, at lutondropoff.apcoa.com — pay by card on the website after your visit, or set up an account for automatic payment. Pay by midnight the following day. Staying beyond the 30-minute maximum brings a £95 enforcement charge, reduced to £55 if paid within 14 days; the zone is enforced by ANPR and mobile CCTV.
Can you pay the London Luton drop-off charge at a machine or by card at the airport?
No. There are no barriers, pay machines or card readers at the zone itself — ANPR cameras read your plate and you pay online afterwards. Pay by midnight the following day.
Is the London Luton drop-off charge free for Blue Badge holders?
There's no Blue Badge exemption in the Drop Off Zone itself — Blue Badge holders are directed to Terminal Car Park 1, which gives 30 minutes free and discounted rates after that.
Is there a pick-up charge at London Luton Airport, and where do you collect?
Unusually for a big UK airport, Luton's Drop Off Zone is signed for pick-ups as well — the same £7 for 10 minutes applies, and it has two entrances to spread the queues. If the flight hasn't landed, wait in the Long Stay car park instead: free for up to 2 hours, with a free shuttle every 20 minutes taking about 10 minutes to the terminal.
Has the London Luton Airport drop-off charge gone up?
Yes. It rose from £5 in 2024 to £9, an increase of about 80%.
Did you know?
Luton was the cradle of the British package holiday — by 1969 a fifth of all UK holiday flights departed from here. A 1970s Campari TV advert gave Lorraine Chase the punchline “Nah, Luton Airport”, which inspired a 1979 hit single of the same name.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Drop-off charges at airports near London Luton
Method & corrections
Every figure on this page is checked against the airport's own published charges and stamped with the date we checked it. We re-verify the full dataset quarterly, and after any reported change — see how we work and who maintains it.
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).