dropoff

FOUR major UK airports have rung in the new year by hiking their drop-off fees.

Nearly all UK airports now charge for kiss and fly parking following Newcastle airport scrapping its free drop-off policy in December.

These include London City Airport, which has introduced a fee for the first time from 2026 – setting an £8 charge for up to five minutes with each additional minute costing £1 until a maximum stay of 10 minutes is reached.

The airport, based in the Royal Docks area of East London, said the measure is intended to maintain efficient access for all users, with Blue Badge holders and black cabs exempt.

Gatwick, the country’s second-busiest airport after Heathrow, became the most expensive for drop-offs by increasing its 10-minute fee from £7 to £10, having only raised it to £7 in May last year.

It attributed the rise to higher costs, including business rates that have more than doubled.

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However, it added that it is not aware of any further increases planned for this year.

Elsewhere, Heathrow lifted its charge from £6 to £7 on New Year’s Day, while also bringing in a new 10-minute rule for drop-off areas.

It warned that drivers who stay longer risk a fine, while also confirming that no additional increases are planned for the rest of the year.

Finally, Bristol increased its fee from £7 to £8.50 for up to 10 minutes.

Stays between 10 and 20 minutes rose from £9 to £10.50.

Blue Badge holders can still use the drop-off car park for an extended 40-minute stay, but that cost has also gone up, from £7 to £8.50.

This comes as the government plans to give councils in England simpler, stronger powers to stop cars parking on pavements across wider areas.

At the moment, councils usually have to use a Traffic Regulation Order – a slow, complicated legal process often limited to one street at a time.

But under the new approach, they will be able to bring in area-wide bans more easily and can also allow sensible exemptions where a bit of pavement parking helps traffic flow on narrow streets.

THE price for passenger drop-offs at London’s second busiest airport has jumped 40 percent.

That’s a £3 increase from previous charge of £7 and will apply to all drivers entering the drop off zone, excluding Blue Badge holders.

From today London Gatwick will have the highest drop-off fees in the country thanks to the new £10 charge.

The price has steadily increased over the years since it was first introduced in 2021 and was only £5.

It jumped to £6 in 2024 before being increased to £7 just a year later in May 2025.

“Poor old passengers and drivers are getting another blow to the pocket,” complained travel writer Andy Mossack in an interview with BBC Radio Surrey.

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“It is disgraceful.”

London Gatwick, which is the busiest single runway airport in Europe, said it was “not a decision they took lightly”.

However, it cited reasons such as the “doubling of business rates” as one of the reasons for the increase in cost.

A spokesperson for Gatwick suggested passengers could use the free shuttle bus if they are dropped of in the long stay car park.

They added: “We also have excellent public transport connectivity at the airport, with passengers able to connect directly with more than 120 train stations.

“Many local bus routes serve the airport 24  hours a day, seven days a week.”

Drop off fees have also increased at London Heathrow with its drop off fee increasing from £6 to £7 on January 1.

It is also introducing a strict 10-minute drop off time, with drivers charged £80 if they go over.

And London City, the last of the London airports to allow free drop offs, will be introducing a new charge in 2026 as well.

A £8 drop-off fee is being introduced at a UK airport that is the last remaining to implement the charge, with additional fees for stays of more than five minutes

The last remaining UK airport that doesn’t charge for a drop-off is set to introduce an £8 fee.

From Tuesday, 6 January 2026, travellers dropped off at London City Airport by car will be charged £8 for a stay of up to 5 minutes. Stays exceeding five minutes will incur a charge of £1 per minute, up to a maximum stay of 10 minutes.

The change aims to encourage more people to utilise public transport when travelling to the airport. Blue badge holders are exempt from this charge. London City Airport has proposed that the drop-off fee be incorporated into taxi meters, ensuring drivers aren’t burdened with the fare, which will be included in Transport for London’s (TfL) annual public consultation on fares.

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The initiative aims to promote the use of public transport among passengers, two-thirds of whom already opt for this mode of transport, according to London City Airport. The Docklands Light Railway is the main public transport route to the London airport, while the Elizabeth line is another alternative route near the terminal.

Alternatively, passengers can be dropped off directly in front of the terminal building on the forecourt. The drop-off charge will be a significant change for London City Airport, as it joins major UK airports in implementing the fee.

Recently, Heathrow’s Terminal Drop-Off Charge has risen from £6 to £7 per visit. Those keen to avoid the fee can be dropped off in the long-stay car park and then take a free shuttle bus.

Gatwick, Luton and Stansted also impose a minimum charge of £7 to use the designated drop-off zones, with the duration varying.

While it’s convenient to be dropped off close to the check-in desk, the ‘kiss and fly’ tax is an additional expense many would rather swerve. Thankfully, nearly all UK airports have alternative areas where you can be dropped off for free.

One of the most convenient options is to be dropped off at one of the airport’s long-stay car parks, many of which offer a free 10-minute stay. Typically, you can walk to the terminal from these car parks, or alternatively, hop on one of the free shuttle buses.

Even if other car parks are a bit further from the terminals, such as short or mid-stay, you can still utilise the complimentary shuttle service, even without parking your vehicle there. Another clever way to avoid extra charges is by getting dropped off at a nearby hotel, as many are conveniently situated near major airports, offering a quick walk to the terminal

You might even manage to get dropped off at a nearby train station or a safe spot just before entering the airport grounds. Some airports also offer a designated free drop-off zone, or a ‘free waiting area’, which can range from 15 minutes up to a generous hour.

Since each UK airport has different zones, charges, and time limits for free drop-offs, it’s essential to check directly on the airport’s website. Naturally, you can use the same strategy when returning to the UK, as long as the person picking you up knows your exact location.

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