UK airports' drop-off charges rocket for Brits ahead of summer holidays
The biggest UK airports have hiked their airport drop-off fees significantly, adding to the cost of jetting away on holiday.
Ahead of the busy summer travel period, drivers taking relatives and friends to the airport should brace themselves for record terminal drop-off prices.
Seven of the UK’s 21 busiest airports are putting up fees and one is introducing them, new research from the RAC shows.
The biggest jumps were at Southampton Airport which has increased its drop-off fees to £6 for 20 minutes, up from £4 for 20 minutes in 2022, and Belfast International, which has put the charge up by £2 to £3 for 10 minutes.
Drivers heading to Glasgow Airport pay £5 for 15 minutes - up from £4 for 15 minutes in 2022 - while at Aberdeen the initial rate also sits at £5 for 15 minutes, having been £4 for 10 minutes in 2022).
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A number of bigger airports have increased their drop-off fees (PA)Leeds Bradford has upped its charges to £6 for 10 minutes - from £5 for 10 minutes - Liverpool John Lennon is now £5 for 10 minutes, up from £4 for 10 minutes, while Birmingham has increased its fee to £4 for 15 minutes, having previously been £3 for 15 minutes.
Belfast’s other airport, Belfast City, has now introduced a charge of £3 for 10 minutes, having previously not charged for dropping off.
Despite not increasing its fee this year, London Stansted continues to top the drop-off charges table with an initial charge of £7 for 15 minutes.
In contrastingly good news for those dropping off travellers, six of the busiest UK airports are among the 13 airports that have frozen drop-off charges since last summer.
Alongside Stansted holding its prices are London Heathrow and London Gatwick which charge £5, Manchester is £5 for five minutes, London Luton is still asking for £5 for 10 minutes and Edinburgh costs £4 for 10 minutes.
Some airports have frozen their fees over the past year (Bloomberg via Getty Images)There are still three airports where relatives and friends can be dropped off without any charge - Cardiff, London City and Inverness airports.
RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: "Having tracked airport drop-off fees since 2016, we can see putting up charges has now become something of an annual ritual.
"This year is no different with seven out of 21 increasing their fees and one introducing them for the first time. Drivers should brace themselves for jaw-dropping prices when they drop their loved-ones off at the terminal.
"Thankfully the proportion of airports hiking fees this year is lower than last year, but that will be little consolation as charges across the board have never been so high.
“What’s perhaps more frustrating is that many travellers will call on their friends or family to take them to the airport because of persistent industrial action on the rail network meaning that for many, being dropped off at the airport by car is the only reliable way to make their flight on-time.
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"Doing your research ahead of travelling has never been more important. Many airports offer a free or reduced-rate drop-off area away from the terminal in long-stay car parks where travellers can hop on a shuttle bus connection, saving their driver incurring more expensive charges nearer the departures building.
Doing research ahead of getting to the airport is a wise move (Getty Images/iStockphoto)"Drivers tempted to drop loved-ones on the roads inside the boundaries of the airport should beware as many enforce no-stopping areas with cameras could lead to hefty penalty charges.”
It can be helpful to research the airport you're heading to before you get there, as some have car parks situated further away from the terminal where dropping off is free. It may also be worth saying your farewells to family before you get to the airport. If you don’t they might prove expensive, particularly if you go over the initial time limit for drop-offs.
If you’re booking a taxi to take you to the airport, check to see whether the fare includes or excludes any drop-off fees to avoid any nasty surprises upon arrival.
Jo Rhodes, deputy editor of Which? Travel, said: "Travellers will be painfully aware of the spiralling costs of dropping a loved one at the airport. These latest figures come as a stark reminder that holiday budgets are being stretched at every turn, with higher hotel and flight prices already making a getaway unaffordable for many.
"If you are getting a lift, consider being dropped off slightly further away - many airports will have areas that are free or cheaper in price, though you'll need to allow extra time to walk or take a shuttle to the terminal. Always make sure to pay any drop-off fees as soon as possible, as many airports will levy late fines if you forget."
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