UK Airport Drop-off Hikes
Most UK Airports Significantly Raise 'Kiss-and-Fly' Drop-Off Fees by a Third Since Last Summer
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The RAC data show detailed fee levels at the top UK airports: Gatwick charges £10 for 10 minutes and Stansted £10 for 15 minutes; Edinburgh and Bristol are £8.50 for 10 minutes; London City has moved to £8 for five minutes, making it the most expensive per-minute option among the major airports studied.
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Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) is highlighted as one of the UK's most expensive drop-off charges in the RAC analysis.
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A segment of airports — including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Glasgow and Heathrow — are shown in the RAC breakdown as charging £7 for 10 minutes for drop-offs, adding nuance to the overall fee landscape.
UK airport drop-off fees have surged by around a third in just one year, with 16 of the country's 20 busiest airports raising their so-called 'kiss-and-fly' charges, according to RAC research. Gatwick and Stansted now charge up to £10 for a short stop, while London City Airport went from free drop-offs to charging £8 for just five minutes — making it the most expensive per-minute rate among major airports studied.
The average cost of dropping someone off at a UK airport has climbed sharply, drawing fierce criticism from motoring groups. Manchester Evening News reports that none of the ten busiest EU airports charge drivers anything for drop-offs, putting British airports in stark contrast with their European counterparts.
Which Airports Are Charging the Most
Gatwick and Stansted top the list of expensive drop-off zones. Gatwick charges £10 for 10 minutes, and Stansted charges £10 for 15 minutes, according to Motoring Research. Edinburgh and Bristol both charge £8.50 for a 10-minute stop. London City is the sharpest deal of all — at £8 for five minutes, drivers pay more per minute there than anywhere else in the study.
A cluster of airports — including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Heathrow — charge £7 for 10 minutes, according to Dazzling Dawn. Leeds Bradford Airport is also flagged as one of the UK's priciest options in the RAC breakdown. Four airports did not raise fees this year: Liverpool John Lennon, East Midlands, Belfast City, and Southampton.
London City's Jump From Free to Most Expensive
London City Airport's shift is the starkest change in the RAC data. It previously offered free drop-offs. Now it charges £8 for just five minutes. That works out to £1.60 per minute — a higher per-minute rate than any other major airport in the study, Head Topics reports.
The move reflects a broader trend across UK airports of treating the drop-off zone as a revenue stream. Airports set and control their own fees, so there is no cap on how high charges can go. Drivers who stay too long face steep additional costs.
RAC Slams Fees as Unfair to Families and Friends
The RAC has been vocal in its criticism. The group argues that kiss-and-fly charges are unfair to ordinary drivers who are simply dropping off a friend or family member. Unlike long-stay parking, these drivers are not using airport land for hours — just minutes. Yet costs have risen by about a third in a single year, according to Express.
The RAC warns drivers to watch out for park-now, pay-later zones near terminal areas. These zones can catch people off guard with bills arriving days later. The group points out that some UK airports still offer free drop-offs in nearby long-stay car parks, linked to terminals by shuttle buses — a cheaper option many travelers overlook.
UK Airports Out of Step With Europe and the World
The RAC's comparison with other countries puts the UK firmly in the minority. None of the ten busiest EU airports charge for drop-offs at all. Many major international hubs around the world also allow free short stops, according to Manchester Evening News. UK airports stand out as unusually aggressive in monetizing the drop-off zone.
With fees rising fast and no regulatory pressure to stop them, the RAC expects costs to keep climbing. Travelers heading to UK airports this summer should check drop-off charges in advance. Even a few extra minutes in a drop-off lane can push the cost well beyond what most people expect.
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