A Guide to Airport Pick-ups and Drop-off Prices 2024
The RAC has warned UK drivers to brace themselves for record high airport charges in 2024. In fact, prices for dropping off passengers at the UKs major airports have continued to increase year on year.
Airports introduced charges as a way to recoup some of their lost revenue during the pandemic, and to discourage drop-offs by car as part of climate initiatives. Airports claim they will be reinvesting the money to keep fares lower for air passengers.
The charges can make pickups and drop-offs stressful. The best way to combat this is to be prepared and know the latest updates and regulations.
Airport pick-up charges
Pick-up charges cost the same or even more than drop-offs at most airports. But it varies. At Birmingham, you can pay as much as £50 for under an hour. Yet at Stansted, the first hour is free (in the Mid Stay car park only). This makes a big difference when waiting for late arrivals.
If you drive for Uber there’s no need to worry. They pay for all pickup charges and reserve for pick-ups, so make sure you know how this works.
At Heathrow, pickups are from the Short Stay car park, in Heathrow’s Authorised Vehicle Area (AVA). The postcode for this is TW6 2EQ. You’ll be placed in a queue with other drivers, where you’ll be given passengers on a first-come, first-served basis.
Here’s a list of some of the other main airports’ fees:
- London Heathrow – £5 if you enter the pick-up area, no waiting
- London Stansted – £7 for 15 minutes
- London Gatwick – £5 for the first 10 minutes, an extra £1 a minute after that
- Manchester – £5 for 5 minutes and £6 for 10 minutes
- London Luton – £5 for 10 minutes
- Edinburgh – £5 for 5 minutes
- Birmingham – £5 for 15 minutes using Premium Set Down directly outside the terminal
- Bristol – £6 for 10 minutes
- Glasgow – £5.50 for 15 minutes
- Liverpool – £5 for 10 minutes
Here’s a handy table from the RAC that shows charges, time allowances and where the drop-off areas are.
Long delays – what to do?
You can do a few things to prepare for the possibility of long delays at the airport. Being flexible with your pickup schedule is the most important. We know that delays will continue all summer, so you can expect to take much longer than usual to pick up passengers.
Arrive at the airport well-prepared. Bring food, drink, and anything else you might need for a long wait.
Research all possible free waiting zones at the airports you regularly pick riders up from. Whilst Uber does pay pick-up charges, it’s important to move to free parking if it’s available and you’re waiting a long time.
With all the difficulties, delays, and changes going on with airport pickups – is there any good news?
The answer is – yes. Due to rising fuel costs, more people are ditching their cars, and this could mean an increase in taxi demand.
In fact, there’s a taxi driver shortage from the West Country to Scotland. And there is evidence to show the need for more drivers will continue to grow over the next few years.
So, despite the issues described, there will always be plenty of passengers.
As long as you keep up with the latest new developments in charges, plane delays, and parking rules, this is a great time to be a driver.
And whether you’re a seasoned pro or thinking about driving part-time, make sure you’ve got the right insurance cover. It’s easy to get a quote online with INSHUR, you can get one in less than 3 minutes, here.
Sources:
INSHUR Blogs:
Airport Pick Up & Drop Off Zones UK
Image: Adobe stock
