Airport 'kiss and fly' drop-off charges

How airport drop-off charges work

What do the UK's biggest airports charge for drop-offs?

Here's what 29 major airports currently charge to drop passengers off directly outside the terminal.

How to drop off for free – airport-by-airport help

Even if there's a charge to park right outside the terminal, most airports have an alternative free drop-off area. It's usually a little way away though and you may need to take a shuttle or walk for up to 15 minutes. This is not ideal when dashing to make a flight, so always allow extra time for this option.

Many airports have additional free options for blue-badge holders or electric-vehicle drivers, so it's worth checking their websites if that's you. 

Don't just assume you can drive near to the terminal and drop off by the roadside – some airports have double red lines on approach roads and even cameras to catch you if you stop. Always be mindful of safety too when stopping.

Here's how to avoid paying at the 24 UK airports that charge:

• Aberdeen. Its long-stay car park is free for up to one hour, and there's a free shuttle bus to the terminal. See Aberdeen Airport info.

• Belfast City. The long-stay car park is free for up to 10 minutes. It's a five-minute walk from the terminal. See Belfast City info.

• Belfast International. Its long-stay car park is free for up to 15 minutes, and is a six-minute walk from the terminal. See Belfast International info.

• Birmingham. While the airport charges for its 'premium set down' area, its drop-off zone is free for up to 10 minutes. It's a 10-minute walk from the terminal or a free bus service runs every 15 minutes. See Birmingham Airport info.

• Bournemouth. Unfortunately, we can't find a free option here. Let us know if you know of one in the comments or by emailing news@moneysavingexpert.com.

• Bristol. There's a free one-hour waiting zone by the 'Silver Zone' car park to the south of the terminal, with frequent buses to the terminal. See Bristol Airport info.

• Cardiff. Car Park 2 is free for 20 minutes and is a short walk to the terminal. See Cardiff Airport info.

• East Midlands. Its long-stay car park is free for up to an hour. It's a 15-minute walk to the terminal or a bus gets you there in two minutes (bus only runs 1 November - 31 March). See East Midlands Airport info.

• Edinburgh. Its long-stay car park is free for up to 30 minutes. It's a 10-minute walk to the terminal. See Edinburgh Airport info.

• Exeter. You can park for up to 30 mins for free in Car Park P4. See Exeter Airport info.

• Gatwick. You can drop-off for free (up to two hours) in its long-stay car parks. Free shuttle buses take 10 to 20 minutes to reach the North Terminal and 7 to 12 minutes to reach the South Terminal. Alternatively, MoneySaver Tony suggests getting dropped off at the Gatwick Hilton, as you can walk through reception and straight into the South Terminal (we have not tried this ourselves though). Buses run every 10 to 12 minutes. See Gatwick Airport info.

• Glasgow. Pull into its long-stay car park and you can stay for free for up to one hour. It's an eight-minute walk to the terminal, or there's a free shuttle bus. See Glasgow Airport info.

• Glasgow Prestwick. Unfortunately we can't find a free option here – let us know if you know of one in the comments or by emailing news@moneysavingexpert.com.

• Heathrow. Drop-offs of up to 29 minutes are free in Heathrow's various long-stay car parks for the different terminals. Passengers can take a free bus transfer to the terminal.

• Inverness. You can stay for up to 10 minutes for free in its Short Stay car park, close to the terminal. See Inverness Airport details.

• Leeds Bradford. There's a one-hour free parking zone, which is a three to four-minute walk to the terminal. See Leeds Bradford Airport info.

• Liverpool. Its 'Drop Off 2' car park is free for up to 20 minutes and is a five to 10-minute walk to the terminal. See Liverpool Airport info.

• Luton. Luton's drop-off area is currently in the midstay car park, which is free for 15 minutes. Alternatively, its Long Stay Car Park is free for one hour, with shuttle buses running every 20 minutes. See Luton Airport's free drop-offs. 

• Manchester. Its JetParks 1 car park is free for one hour and is a five-minute shuttle ride away from the terminal. See Manchester Airport info.

• Newcastle. Its 'Short Stay 2' car park is free for up to 15 minutes, and is a short walk to the terminal. See Newcastle Airport info.

• Norwich. Unfortunately we can't find an official free option here, though some MoneySavers recommended walking from the nearby McDonalds or Holiday Inn on Delft Way (we have not tried this ourselves though). Let us know if you know of any other options by emailing news@moneysavingexpert.com. 

• Southend. Its long-stay car park is free for up to 15 minutes and is a four-minute walk from the terminal. See Southend Airport info.

• Southampton. Its long-stay car park was free for up to 30 minutes, but, unfortunately, it's currently closed. MoneySavers report that you can drop off for free at Southampton Airport Parkway rail station, then it's a short walk to the airport from there. Please let us know if you spot another way to drop off for free by emailing news@moneysavingexpert.com. See Southampton Airport info.

• Stansted. Its mid-stay car park is free for an hour. There's a free shuttle bus every 10 minutes, which takes seven minutes to get to the terminal. See Stansted Airport info.