Quick answer: The Gatwick drop-off charge is £10 for up to 10 minutes at the North or South Terminal forecourt, then £1 per extra minute, capped at £30 (30-minute maximum) — up from £7 since 6 January 2026. It is camera-enforced and paid afterwards; the Long Stay car parks are free for up to 2 hours with a shuttle. A Rushxo fixed fare to or from Gatwick has the charge handled.
Charges checked against Gatwick’s official pages on 6 September 2026. Airports change these fees, usually in January or March — the sources are listed at the end so you can re-check before you travel.
Quick answer
Drop-off cost: £10 for up to 10 minutes in the drop-off zones at the North and South Terminals, then £1 per extra minute, capped at £30. The maximum stay is 30 minutes. Up from £7 on 6 January 2026.
How to pay: No barriers: cameras log your plate. Pay online through Gatwick’s official page or on 0330 174 4503 by midnight the day after, or set up AutoPay. Unpaid: £100 Parking Charge Notice, £60 if paid within 14 days.
Free option: Long Stay car parks are free for up to 2 hours for drop-offs and pick-ups, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals.
Pick-up: Short Stay: £8 up to 30 minutes, £14 for 31–60 minutes, £18 for 1–2 hours. Express pick-up bays are in Car Park 6 (North, level 4) and Car Park 3 (South, ground floor).
Booked transfer: With a Rushxo fixed fare the driver takes you to the terminal door and the charge is dealt with — nothing to pay at the airport.
Gatwick’s forecourt charge has climbed faster than any other London airport’s since it was introduced in 2021, reaching £10 from January 2026. It is also the only London airport that meters the stay by the minute after the first band, so a slow goodbye is expensive. This guide covers the Gatwick drop-off charge as it applies in 2026 at both terminals, the payment deadline and penalty, the free Long Stay alternative, and what picking someone up costs.
The charged areas are the drop-off zones on the forecourts of the North Terminal and the South Terminal. Both are barrier-free with number-plate cameras. The tariff since 6 January 2026 is:
| Time in the drop-off zone | Charge (2026) |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 minutes | £10 |
| Each additional minute | £1 per minute (e.g. 15 minutes = £15, 20 minutes = £20) |
| Maximum charge / maximum stay | £30 — 30 minutes is the longest you may stay |
| Over 30 minutes | Overstay — a Parking Charge Notice can be issued on top |
Ten minutes is generous for unloading at the kerb, but it goes quickly if you park up to help someone find a trolley or the check-in for their airline. If you are likely to be longer, the Short Stay is cheaper (£8 for up to 30 minutes) and the Long Stay is free for two hours.
Nothing is collected on the forecourt: the cameras record your entry and exit times and you pay afterwards.
Use the payment link on Gatwick’s official drop-off page, enter your registration and pay by card.
Automated line: 0330 174 4503.
Register your vehicle and a card once and every visit is billed automatically — useful for regular drop-offs or company vehicles.
The deadline is midnight the day after your visit. Miss it and the registered keeper gets a £100 Parking Charge Notice, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. The same £100/£60 penalty applies to stopping on Gatwick’s red routes on the approach roads, which are enforced by camera, so do not pull over on the roundabouts or slip roads to avoid the forecourt.
Yes. The Long Stay car parks at both terminals are free for up to 2 hours when you are dropping off or picking up, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal. After two hours the standard Long Stay roll-up rate applies (£38 for 2–24 hours). Two free hours is the most generous allowance at any London airport, and it makes Gatwick the easiest place to avoid the fee altogether if you have the time.
Allow 20–30 minutes from the car park to the check-in hall including the bus. For a passenger with a lot of luggage, a pushchair or reduced mobility, the forecourt or the Short Stay is kinder; for a quick drop of an adult with a cabin bag before a mid-morning flight the Long Stay is a no-brainer.
Gatwick also has its railway station under the South Terminal, so seeing someone off who can arrive by train from London, Brighton or the coast costs nothing at all.
Gatwick discourages pick-ups on the forecourt (and the by-the-minute tariff makes waiting there costly), so use one of these:
If the flight is delayed you pay for the wait. A pre-booked Rushxo pick-up is flight-tracked and the fare is fixed, so a late landing costs you nothing extra, and with meet and greet the driver waits inside arrivals with a name board.
| Option | Cost | Where you end up | Time limit | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forecourt drop-off zone | £10 up to 10 min; £1/min after; £30 max | Terminal door | 30 min max | Quick kerbside drop-off with luggage |
| Long Stay (free) | Free up to 2 hrs; £38 for 2–24 hrs | Free shuttle bus to terminal | 2 hrs free | Avoiding the fee, relaxed drop-offs and pick-ups |
| Short Stay / express pick-up | £8 up to 30 min; £14 to 1 hr; £18 for 1–2 hrs | Minutes’ walk from arrivals | Pay per band | Pick-ups, walking someone to check-in |
| Rushxo fixed-fare transfer | Fare fixed when you book — the drop-off charge is handled by your driver, nothing to pay at the airport | Terminal door | No time pressure — driver waits for you on pick-ups (flight-tracked) | Door-to-door, early flights, luggage, groups |
Yes. Taxis, minicabs and private-hire vehicles use the same camera-controlled forecourt and pay the same £10 minimum, and most operators pass the charge on to the passenger either on the meter or in the final price. With the January 2026 rise, that is a noticeable slice of a short local fare from Crawley or Horley.
With Rushxo the fixed fare quoted at booking is what you pay: the driver takes you to the terminal door and handles the charge. Rushxo is a TfL-licensed operator (licence 11588) with DBS-checked drivers, running 24/7, with flight-tracked pick-ups, optional meet and greet, and saloons, executive cars, MPVs and V Class (minibuses up to 16).
Fares as quoted by the Rushxo booking page on 6 September 2026 — one-way, per vehicle not per person, with the forecourt drop-off charge handled. Exact addresses and weekend peak times can change the price; get your exact fixed fare here.
| From | Saloon | Executive | MPV | V Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central London | £158 | £183 | £187 | £205 |
| Brighton | £105 | £129 | £133 | £168 |
| Crawley | £84 | £110 | £110 | £136 |
| Horsham | £84 | £110 | £110 | £136 |
| Redhill | £65 | £91 | £91 | £117 |
| Guildford | £66 | £91 | £91 | £117 |
Book both legs together and the return is 10% off two singles.
North or South Terminal door, drop-off charge handled, flight-tracked pick-ups and a price that does not change.
It is £10 for up to 10 minutes in the forecourt drop-off zones at the North and South Terminals, then £1 for each additional minute, up to a maximum of £30. You may not stay longer than 30 minutes. The £10 rate started on 6 January 2026; it was £7 before.
Pay online via Gatwick’s official drop-off charge page or by phone on 0330 174 4503 by midnight on the day after your visit. There are no barriers or machines on the forecourt. Regular users can set up an AutoPay account.
A £100 Parking Charge Notice, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. The same penalty applies to stopping on the red routes around the airport.
Yes. The Long Stay car parks are free for up to 2 hours for dropping off or picking up, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals. After 2 hours the standard Long Stay rate applies.
Short Stay roll-up rates are £8 for up to 30 minutes, £14 for 31–60 minutes, £18 for 1–2 hours, £21.50 for 2–3 hours and £26 for 3–4 hours, at both terminals.
Use the express pick-up areas in the Short Stay car parks: Car Park 6, Level 4 at the North Terminal and Car Park 3, ground floor at the South Terminal. Stay with your vehicle. Or park in the Short Stay and meet your passenger in arrivals.
No. Blue Badge holders are exempt from the Gatwick drop-off charge. Check the airport’s page for how to make sure the exemption is applied to your vehicle.
Yes, all taxis and private-hire vehicles pay the £10 minimum and most add it to the fare. With Rushxo the fare is fixed at booking and the driver handles the charge, so there is nothing extra to pay.
Not sensibly. The zone is charged by the minute after the first 10 minutes and the maximum stay is 30 minutes, after which a Parking Charge Notice can be issued. Wait in the Long Stay (free for 2 hours) or the Short Stay (£8 for 30 minutes) instead.
Yes. Both forecourts use the same tariff, the same payment system and the same penalty. The Short Stay and Long Stay prices are also identical at the two terminals.
Airport parking and forecourt tariffs are set by the airport operators and can change without notice; Rushxo is not affiliated with any airport. If you spot a change, tell us on WhatsApp and we will update this page.
A common question from visitors is how much it costs to be dropped at the terminal door, and whether the driver or the passenger pays. Every London airport now charges for kerbside drop-off.
| Airport | Charge in 2026 | Time allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Gatwick | £10 (up from £7 on 6 January 2026) | 10 minutes |
| Stansted | £10 | 15 minutes |
| London City | £8 | 5 minutes |
| Heathrow | £7 per entry | No waiting or pick-ups |
| Luton | £7 | Check on arrival |
How payment works: there are no barriers or cash machines. Cameras read the number plate. At Heathrow you pay online, by phone or by autopay, either in advance or by midnight the next day. Miss that and an £80 parking charge follows, cut to £40 if paid within 14 days.
Who pays: the vehicle's owner gets the charge. A friend dropping you off pays it. Taxi and private hire firms usually pass it on, sometimes as an extra on top of the quoted fare.
With us: the drop-off charge is included in our fixed fares, so there is nothing to add at the kerb. A saloon from central London to Heathrow starts from about £85.
A: £10 for up to 10 minutes from 6 January 2026. You pay online, by phone or by autopay.
A: You get an £80 parking charge, cut to £40 if paid within 14 days. You have until midnight the next day to pay the £7.
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