The short answer
For a single drop-off, being set down at the kerb (average £6.59, and free at 2 of 29 UK airports) is almost always cheaper than parking. But if you're the traveller leaving the car for the trip, drop-off isn't the real alternative to parking — a taxi both ways or a free lift are. Pre-booked parking beats the drive-up gate rate everywhere and usually beats two taxi fares; the drop-off charge barely features. Pick your airport below for the verified figures and live parking prices.
Why there's no single "park vs drop off" number
Drop-off is a fixed, published charge we verify against each airport's own page. Parking is a moving target — gate rates and pre-booked prices change week to week and by date — so any single figure we printed would be stale within days. That's why we quote the drop-off charge (durable, verified) and send parking to a live comparison of the partners that serve each airport, rather than a number that rots. The price index has every drop-off fee ranked.
Park or drop off at every UK airport
The verified drop-off charge and free alternative at each of the 29 airports we track, with a full comparison page for each.
| Airport | Drop-off | Free alternative | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Gatwick | £10 | ✓ Long Stay car parks | Full comparison → |
| London Stansted | £10 | ✓ Mid Stay car park | Full comparison → |
| London Luton | £9 | ✓ Long Stay car park | Full comparison → |
| Bristol | £8.50 | ✓ Waiting Zone | On the Bristol page → |
| Edinburgh | £8.50 | ✓ Long Stay free zone | On the Edinburgh page → |
| Bournemouth | £8 | ✗ none | On the Bournemouth page → |
| Exeter | £8 | ✓ Car Park P4 | On the Exeter page → |
| Leeds Bradford | £8 | ✓ One Hour Free Zone | On the Leeds Bradford page → |
| London City | £8 | ✗ none | On the London City page → |
| London Southend | £8 | ✗ none | On the Southend page → |
| Norwich | £8 | ✗ none | On the Norwich page → |
| Aberdeen | £7 | ✓ Long Stay car park | On the Aberdeen page → |
| Birmingham | £7 | ✓ Standard Drop Off car park | Full comparison → |
| Glasgow | £7 | ✓ Long Stay car park | On the Glasgow page → |
| Liverpool John Lennon | £7 | ✓ Drop-Off 2 | On the Liverpool John Lennon page → |
| London Heathrow | £7 | ✓ Park & Ride car parks (former Long Stay) | Full comparison → |
| Southampton | £7 | ✗ none | On the Southampton page → |
| Newcastle | £6 | ✓ Callerton Parkway | On the Newcastle page → |
| Manchester | £5.50 | ✓ JetParks 1 free drop-off area | Full comparison → |
| Belfast International | £5 | ✓ Long Stay car park | On the Belfast International page → |
| East Midlands | £5 | ✓ Long Stay 2 | On the East Midlands page → |
| Cardiff Wales | £4.50 | ✓ Car Park 2 | On the Cardiff Wales page → |
| Glasgow Prestwick | £4.50 | ✗ none | On the Glasgow Prestwick page → |
| Belfast City | £4 | ✓ Long Stay car park | On the Belfast City page → |
| Inverness | £3.90 | ✓ Free Drop Off area | On the Inverness page → |
| Teesside | £2.50 | ✓ Café validation | On the Teesside page → |
| City of Derry | £1 | ✗ none | On the City of Derry page → |
| Cornwall Newquay | Free | ✓ West Car Park | On the Cornwall Newquay page → |
| Humberside | Free | ✓ Short Stay Car Park 1 | On the Humberside page → |
When being dropped off wins
When you're not the one travelling (you're dropping a passenger and driving home), or you have a genuinely free, willing lift and use the airport's free window rather than the paid forecourt. For a set-down it's a one-off — an average of £6.59, and free at 2 of the 29 airports (Cornwall Newquay and Humberside). The free drop-off guide lists every free window and its catches.
When parking wins
When you're flying and the car has to sit for days. Then the drop-off charge is a rounding error and the comparison is gate price vs pre-booked price vs two taxi fares. Pre-booking a few weeks ahead is a fraction of the drive-up rate; on all but the shortest local trips it also beats a taxi both ways, and the car is waiting when you land.
The bit people forget: pick-up
Collecting someone is often not the same simple fee again. Manchester charges £100 for pick-ups attempted in its drop-off zone; Heathrow bans them; Gatwick, Stansted and East Midlands route collections through separate car parks. The pick-up charges guide covers all 29.
Compare pre-booked parking prices
We list every parking partner that covers this airport — Holiday Extras and YourParkingSpace — in alphabetical order, not by what they pay us. Some are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you, and it never affects our verified charges data.
Park or drop off: your questions
Is it cheaper to park or get dropped off at the airport?
For a single drop-off, being set down is almost always cheaper (UK average £6.59, free at 2 airports). If you're the traveller leaving the car for the trip, drop-off isn't the real alternative — pre-booked parking usually beats a taxi both ways and is far cheaper than the drive-up gate rate.
Is airport parking cheaper booked in advance?
Yes — drive-up gate rates are the most expensive way to park; pre-booking a few weeks ahead is typically a fraction of that.
Which is cheaper, a taxi or parking?
For a short trip from nearby, one short taxi fare can win. For most trips two taxi fares cost more than pre-booked parking — and parking leaves your car at the airport for the return.
How much is airport drop-off in the UK?
An average of £6.59 across the 27 charging airports; 2 (Cornwall Newquay and Humberside) are still free at the terminal. Gatwick and Stansted are highest at £10. Full ranked list on the price index.
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).