Gatwick Airport is about to become the UK’s priciest place to drop someone off, raising its fee from £7 to £10 from today. That’s a 43% jump, all for the first 10 minutes in the drop-off zone, monitored by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.
London City Airport will also start charging £8 for drop-offs, while Bristol Airport has upped its fee to £8.50.
Gatwick says it’s not making the change lightly. The airport blames rising costs and a sharp increase in its business rates, more than doubling, according to the airport, after Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ latest budget changes. A spokesperson said the extra money will help fund sustainable transport projects and encourage passengers to use public transport instead of driving to terminals.
You can still dodge the drop-off fee by heading to the long-stay car park, where there’s a free shuttle to the terminals. Blue Badge holders remain exempt. But be warned, taxi and minicab fares are likely to include the charge.
When the fee first appeared in 2021, it was just £5. Now, it’s doubled in five years.
Industry experts say airports are being hit hard by higher business rates. Gatwick is expected to pay £51.6 million in the next tax year, up £11.9 million, while Heathrow’s bill will shoot up to £151.5 million.
The government says it’s capping business rate increases at 30% for large properties to soften the blow, with £4.3 billion set aside for relief. Without it, some airports could’ve faced hikes as high as 500%.
Rod Dennis from the RAC called Gatwick’s price rise “the largest we've ever seen,” saying it’s unfair for drivers who are just helping drop off people with heavy bags or young kids. He added that drop-off fees are still rare across Europe’s major airports, where most let you stop at terminals for free.
London City Airport, the last major UK airport without a drop-off charge, now plans to introduce an £8 fee for five minutes, plus £1 per extra minute (with a 10-minute max). The move ties into London’s wider climate goals, encouraging people to walk, cycle, or take public transport, which already accounts for two-thirds of journeys to the airport.
Bristol Airport, meanwhile, has joined the trend by raising its fee to £8.50. Like Gatwick, it also blames rising business rates. Blue Badge holders will still get up to 40 minutes to drop off passengers, but they’ll now pay £8.50 too.
