Millions of passengers being dropped off for flights at Heathrow Airport will be hit with a price hike and strict 10 minute linger time
Heathrow Airport is to hike its “kiss and fly” drop off charge by 16% from the start of January.
The current £6 fee for dropping off passengers will jump to £7 from January 1, the airport has confirmed. And a maximum 10 minutes stay will also be imposed, after which motorists risk being hit with a parking charge notice and a hefty £80 fee.
A spokesperson for Britain’s busiest airport said: “This change brings Heathrow’s Terminal drop-off charge in line with other major UK airports and plays a key role in our sustainability strategy. It helps reduce congestion, encourages public transport use, and ensures our forecourts are used for their intended purpose. Free drop-off and pick-up options remain available for all terminals at all our Park & Ride car parks.”
Guy Hobbs, travel expert at consumer group Which?, said: “This new price hike, and draconian time limit, from Heathrow will only add another layer of stress and cost to travellers. Fortunately, there are alternative long stay car parks where you can drop off free of charge at all major UK airports.”
Heathrow said that 95% of passengers already complete their drop-offs within the 10 minutes allowed, with a spokesperson adding: “We have introduced a 10-minute maximum stay to smooth traffic flow and reduce congestion.”
The airport insisted the drpp-off fee formed part of Heathrow’s plans to “enable investment in more bus, rail and sustainable transport initiatives and to encourage passengers to consider options for travel that have a lower environmental impact.”
Heathrow’s website says its drop-off areas are located “right outside each terminal, making for the easiest and quickest way to drop-off passengers.” It explains how drivers can pay for a single drop-off, or pre-pay for multiple drop-offs online or by phone. The fee must be made by midnight on the next day, and there is no option to pay at an airport ticket machine or in the terminal drop-off zones.
Results published in October showed Heathrow’s revenues in the first nine months of 2025 rose 2% to £2.7billion, driven by strong long-haul flying, and an increased uptake of what it calls premium services. Profits dipped 0.2%, but still stood at £1.5billion.
Unlike many other UK airports, Heathrow’s drop-off area isn’t also available for passenger pick-ups. That can take place in its car parks, where there is minimum charge for 30 minutes.
The latest rise comes after a report from motoring group RAC in July this year found more than half of UK’s busiest airports have upped their drop-off charges this year. Some have hiked the fee for stopping briefly to let out friends and family by as much as a third.
Yet while drivers here are stung – and face getting slapped with hefty fees if they forget to pay – most airports in Europe offer free drop-offs, the RAC said.
Its researchers found that 11 of the 20 top airports, based on passenger numbers for 2024, had increased their prices since last year. The rise was steepest at Belfast City, drop- where charges were upped a third, to £4 for 10 minutes. On a cost-per-minute basis, the most expensive airports were London Luton and Manchester, where drivers pay £5 for five minutes, the RAC added.
