Gatwick’s Drop-Off Fee Jumps to £10, Making It the UK’s Most Expensive Airport Drop-Off
London Gatwick is pushing up the cost of dropping passengers outside its terminals to £10, increasing the fee by £3 and making it the biggest increase the airport has ever applied. The change takes effect on 6th January, and puts Gatwick well above every other UK airport for the price of their drop-off charges.
The airport says the hike is unavoidable, pointing to rising costs and “a more than doubling of our business rates,” adding that the decision is “not a decision we have taken lightly.” Heathrow is also increasing its fee on January 1st — from £6 to £7 — but even that doesn’t come close to Gatwick’s new price tag.
The fee has climbed sharply since it was introduced. It was launched at £5 in 2021, rose to £6 in 2024, then hit £7 in May this year. The new price increase means that the cost of the drop-off charge has doubled in under five years — a point highlighted by the RAC’s Rod Dennis, who said: “The words ‘Happy New Year’ are unlikely to be uttered by drivers dropping off friends and family at Gatwick in January.” He also warned that the more than 40% increase is the highest the RAC has ever seen.
Motorists are frustrated, especially as many people use drop-off zones to help travellers with heavy bags or children in tow — situations where public transport isn’t easy. Some drivers also worry that taxis and ride-hailing services will simply pass the cost on to passengers.
Gatwick argues the higher fee will help cut congestion at terminal entrances and encourage people to use greener transport options. The airport points to free drop-offs in its long-stay car parks — with a shuttle to the terminals — and stresses that Blue Badge holders won’t pay the charge. It also highlights its strong public transport network, noting that it has connections to more than 120 train stations and bus routes running “24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Part of the extra revenue from the price increase will go toward sustainability efforts, including a £1 million investment in new and improved Metrobus routes in 2025, Gatwick said in a recent statement.
By comparison, some UK airports still charge nothing for drop-offs — though London City, one of the last free options, plans to introduce a fee soon. And as critics note, many major European airports don’t have fees like these at all.
