Latest at London Stansted · 19 Mar 2026: Stansted's Express Set Down changed to £10 for up to 15 minutes and £28 for over 15 minutes. All updates →
The London Stansted drop-off charge in detail
Express Set Down: £10 for up to 15 minutes.
If you overstay: £28 for over 15 minutes; 30-minute maximum stay.
Where to drop off at London Stansted
Express Set Down is on the forecourt directly outside the terminal — barrier-free ANPR, and signed drop-off only. Vehicles must not be left unattended (they can be towed, with a towing fee), and re-entering within 30 minutes of first entry brings a £28 charge.
What the London Stansted drop-off is actually like
The Express Set Down is on the main terminal forecourt directly outside Departures, with barrier-free number-plate entry; the free Mid Stay alternative is about a 7-minute shuttle transfer away.
Source: the airport's own directions page.
How and when to pay the London Stansted drop-off charge
How: Online at pay.stanstedairport.com, by automated phone on 03450 175046, or automatically with an autopay account — no cash and no on-site machines.
When: pay by midnight the day after your visit. Non-payment brings a £100 Parking Charge Notice, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.
There are no barriers or machines at Express Set Down — cameras log your plate and you pay afterwards.
Exemptions: Blue Badge travellers get an extension to the 30-minute maximum stay, though the charge itself still applies. Airport-operational, emergency and military vehicles are exempt.
Official payment site: pay.stanstedairport.com
Free drop-off alternative at London Stansted
Mid Stay car park — First 60 minutes free — pick-up or drop-off — with a free shuttle taking about 7 minutes. 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 Stansted Airport: where to collect and what it costs
The Express Set Down is drop-off only — for pick-ups, Stansted's own free option is the Mid Stay car park: the first 60 minutes are free for pick-up or drop-off, the second hour is £5, and the free shuttle takes about 7 minutes to the terminal. One catch — re-entering Mid Stay within an hour brings a £48 charge. Prefer to walk in and meet your passenger? The Green and Blue Short Stay car parks beside the terminal are pick-up-or-drop-off only, from £13 for up to 30 minutes.
How pick-up charging works across the UK: pick-up charges at every airport · the quick comparison.
Getting to the London Stansted drop-off
London Stansted 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 — Stansted Airport station is directly beneath the terminal, a two-minute step-free walk, on the Stansted Express to London Liverpool Street.source
Being dropped off isn't the cheap option.
£10 out — and the Express Set Down can't collect you coming home.
It's drop-off only: collection means Short Stay rates from £13, or the free Mid Stay with a shuttle and a wait. Flying yourself? Pre-book parking instead and the car's waiting when you land — even off the 1am arrival.
Pre-book Stansted parking →Compare: Airparks · YourParkingSpace
Just dropping someone off? Mid Stay car park is the free option here — details above.
Still weighing it up? Is it cheaper to park or get dropped off at Stansted?
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London Stansted drop-off & pick-up FAQs
How much is the drop-off charge at London Stansted Airport?
London Stansted Airport charges £10 for up to 15 minutes at the drop-off area closest to the terminal. If you overstay: £28 for over 15 minutes; 30-minute maximum stay.
Is there a free drop-off at London Stansted Airport?
Yes. London Stansted keeps a free or cheaper option — Mid Stay car park: First 60 minutes free — pick-up or drop-off — with a free shuttle taking about 7 minutes. Allow 15–25 extra minutes.
How do I pay the London Stansted Airport drop-off charge?
Online at pay.stanstedairport.com, by automated phone on 03450 175046, or automatically with an autopay account — no cash and no on-site machines. Pay by midnight the day after your visit. Non-payment brings a £100 Parking Charge Notice, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.
Can you pay the London Stansted drop-off charge at a machine or by card at the airport?
No. There are no barriers or machines at Express Set Down — cameras log your plate and you pay afterwards. Pay by midnight the day after your visit.
Is the London Stansted drop-off charge free for Blue Badge holders?
Blue Badge travellers get an extension to the 30-minute maximum stay, though the charge itself still applies. Airport-operational, emergency and military vehicles are exempt.
Is there a pick-up charge at London Stansted Airport, and where do you collect?
The Express Set Down is drop-off only — for pick-ups, Stansted's own free option is the Mid Stay car park: the first 60 minutes are free for pick-up or drop-off, the second hour is £5, and the free shuttle takes about 7 minutes to the terminal. One catch — re-entering Mid Stay within an hour brings a £48 charge. Prefer to walk in and meet your passenger? The Green and Blue Short Stay car parks beside the terminal are pick-up-or-drop-off only, from £13 for up to 30 minutes.
Has the London Stansted Airport drop-off charge gone up?
Yes. It rose from £7 in 2025 to £10, an increase of about 43%.
Did you know?
Stansted opened in 1943 as a wartime base for the US Army Air Force and was even briefly renamed “George Washington Field”. Its present terminal, designed by Sir Norman Foster, was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
Source: mediacentre.stanstedairport.com
Drop-off charges at airports near London Stansted
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).