Drop-offs directly at Heathrow Airport terminal forecourts cost £7.00 per visit. However, free drop-off is available by using the Long Stay (Heathrow Park & Ride) car parks, where you can stay for up to 29 minutes for free and take a shuttle bus to the terminals.
Free drop-off is available at Heathrow's Park & Ride car parks, previously known as Long Stay, where passengers can take a free bus transfer to the terminal. Heathrow Park & Ride.
Any pick-ups should be made from our Terminal Parking or Park & Ride car parks.
To avoid the Heathrow drop-off charge, use the free Long Stay car parks (now called Park & Ride) for up to 30 minutes and take the free shuttle bus to the terminal, or alternatively, drop passengers at Hatton Cross tube station for a cheaper tube ride to the airport. These alternatives add a few minutes but bypass the £7 terminal fee, which applies to the forecourts.
Please note: There is a £6 charge for vehicles entering the drop-off areas. You can pay in advance, on the day you drop-off or by midnight the next day.
What happens if I drive through Heathrow drop off by mistake?
Missing the £7 drop-off fee can quickly turn into an £80 penalty charge notice. This can stretch your budget and affect your ability to pay your weekly PCO car hire fee if you are using a hire plan. Fortunately, there are free and cheaper alternatives to stop Heathrow drop-off charge from eating into your profits.
How to Avoid the Pick Up and Drop Off Fees at London Heathrow Airport I Free Parking I All Terminals
Is there a grace period for Heathrow drop off?
No, there's no grace period for the Heathrow Terminal Drop-Off Charge; it's £7 as of Jan 2026, and you must pay by midnight the following day or risk an £80 PCN, though you get a 10-minute limit to actually drop off before a potential Parking Charge Notice (PCN). The charge applies immediately upon entering the zone, and waiting for pick-ups is not allowed and should be done in the short-stay car parks.
No, you cannot pick up from Heathrow's terminal drop-off zones, as these are strictly for dropping passengers off, monitored by cameras, and you risk fines; instead, use the Short Stay car parks (pay on exit) or the Long Stay (Park & Ride) car parks for up to 30 minutes free, taking a shuttle to the terminal for pick-ups.
Yes, you can pay the Heathrow drop-off charge online through the official Heathrow website, which is the fastest method, or you can set up an AutoPay account for automatic payments or pay by phone. You must pay by midnight the day after your drop-off to avoid a £80 Parking Charge Notice (PCN), which is reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days.
How long do you get to pay an airport drop-off charge?
Payment can only be made after you visit the Express Set Down area. To avoid a parking charge, please ensure that you make your payment by midnight the day after your visit. Alternatively, you can set up an autopay account through our payment portal.
Members of the public can use the Long Stay (Heathrow Park & Ride) car parks for up to 30 minutes free of charge. Upon exit, the barriers will read your ticket or registration number. For Blue Badge holders, the first 2 hours of parking are free.
The drop-off fee was first suggested in 2020, as part of plans to reduce airport traffic. Heathrow said the charge was introduced in October 2021 because the airport was hit hard by the pandemic. It added the charge would help protect jobs and go towards sustainable transport schemes at the airport.
To avoid airport drop-off charges, use the airport's free long-stay or mid-stay car parks (often with free shuttle buses or short walks), find nearby public transport hubs for drop-offs, look for designated free drop-off zones outside the paid areas, or check for Blue Badge exemptions, always confirming your airport's specific options online beforehand.
Heathrow drop-off exemptions exist for Blue Badge holders (must register in advance), emergency/military/Heathrow operational vehicles (automatic), roadside recovery vehicles, and two-wheeled motorcycles, all receiving 100% discounts or full exemption, while coaches/buses use designated bays. To avoid the charge for passengers, use free drop-off in Park & Ride car parks with a free shuttle, book official Valet Parking, or arrange drop-offs at nearby public transport, as PCO-licensed vehicles, taxis, and EVs still pay.
To avoid the Heathrow drop-off charge, use the free Long Stay car parks (now called Park & Ride) for up to 30 minutes and take the free shuttle bus to the terminal, or alternatively, drop passengers at Hatton Cross tube station for a cheaper tube ride to the airport. These alternatives add a few minutes but bypass the £7 terminal fee, which applies to the forecourts.
Do I have to pay the ULEZ charge at Heathrow Airport?
Yes, you do need to pay the £12.50 ULEZ charge for Heathrow Airport if your vehicle isn't compliant with the emissions standards, as the airport is within the expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) for Greater London, effective from August 2023, and the charge applies for driving in the zone 24/7 (except Christmas Day). You'll pay this fee in addition to any other airport drop-off/pick-up charges if your vehicle doesn't meet the ULEZ criteria.
Yes, you can enter the airport to drop off a friend or family member. However, access is usually limited to the check-in area. Some airports offer visitor passes that allow you to accompany your loved ones to the gate. Always check with the specific airport for their policies.
Essentially, the 5 minute parking ticket rule is in fact a 10 minute grace period. This was put into place by the Government in April 2015 to help motorists avoid hefty fines for being just a few minutes late back to their vehicle.
We recommend getting to the airport three hours before your flight if you're travelling internationally, or two hours if you're travelling domestically or to Europe.
Can you drop people off at Heathrow for free? Yes, Heathrow drop off parking is FREE for 30 minutes at the Long Stay car parks. Passengers can catch the free shuttle bus to the terminals - they run every 10-15 minutes and take as little as 5 minutes.
People dropping off will only be allowed to wait for 10 minutes before they will be issued a Parking Charge Notice (PCN). This should still give you plenty of time – the Heathrow spokesperson said that 95 percent of drop-offs are currently under 10 minutes.
Airport pick-up/drop-off and parking fees are automatically included in the trip payment to cover the minimum expenses that you incur. Recirculation fines are not covered by Uber.
Heathrow Free Drop-Off Alternative: Long Stay Car Park (Free 30 Minutes) For Terminal 2, the official Long Stay Car Park is the best free option, offering up to 30 minutes of free parking. ...
Wait at Green Lane or Bath Road (Public Roads) ...
Visitors to the drop-off zones can pre-pay online or by phone and must do before midnight the following day otherwise they could be charged an £80 fine. A spokesperson for the airport, which is the busiest in the country, said the changes were aimed at "smoothing traffic flow and reducing congestion".
