The Gatwick drop off charge was introduced in 2021, as a result of the pandemic losses, when the airport was shut for a number of months. As a local who travels and commutes to London very often using the Gatwick train station, this fee is an inconvenience as it can add up really quickly.
Having a neighbour working for EasyJet, I have learned how to avoid the Gatwick drop off charges, and in this article I am going to share the info with you. Firstly though, let me give you all the details you need about this fee, how to pay it, and where you are allowed to park at Gatwick.
Gatwick Drop Off Charges
As of March 2021, Gatwick Airport has introduced a terminal drop-off charge that applies to all vehicles dropping off passengers at both North and South Terminals. The charge is set at £6 for the first 10 minutes of parking, with an additional £1 charged for each minute up to a maximum of 20 minutes. The maximum charge for this service is £25, and the maximum time allowed for drop-off is 30 minutes.
The terminal drop-off charge is enforced through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This means that any vehicle entering the drop-off zone will be automatically charged, so it’s important to plan ahead and ensure that you have enough time to drop off your passengers without exceeding the time limit.
It’s worth noting that the drop-off zones are located directly outside the airport terminals, making them the most convenient option for quickly and easily dropping off passengers. However, the charges apply to all vehicles, including cars, taxis, and minibuses, so it’s important to factor in the cost when planning your journey to the airport.
The South Terminal Drop Off Charges Area
The South Terminal drop off area is located at the lower level of the airport. You can also use the short stay car park for the same fee and amount of time. Gatwick actually encourages drivers to use the short stay car park, due to the limited space in the lower forecourt.
The North Terminal Drop Off Charges Area
The North Terminal drop off area is located between the Sofitel and Premier Inn Hotels, and the multi storey car park. The same as the South Terminal, you can use the short stay car park to drop off and pick up passengers for the same amount of time and the same £6 fee.
How to Pay the Drop Off Charge
To avoid incurring extra charges, it is essential to pay for the drop-off fee by midnight the day following your visit to the forecourt when dropping off passengers at Gatwick airport. Please note that payments cannot be made at the terminal drop-off zones, but only through the online autopay system. Click here to access the payment gateway.
How to Avoid the Gatwick Drop Off Charges:
Are You Living Locally? Apply for a Membership
The introduction of the drop off charge has been a big hit for the local commuters, who often used the airport to drop off and pick up family members at the train station. An extra £10 a day is a huge amount to pay, especially if you need to commute every day.
There is however now a new membership, which allows people who live close to the airport, who don’t have access to the public transport, and who commute, to access the airport’s express drop off area for an administrative fee of £50 per year.
If you’re a resident living in postcode areas RH6 0, RH6 9, and RH11 0, you may be eligible for a special membership that can save you money. For a fee of just £50 per year, you can enjoy two free entries per day to the airport’s drop-off zone, located in the South Terminal. You can apply for the membership by clicking here.
Blue Badge Holders
If you are a Blue Badge holder, you can be dropped off and picked up from Gatwick Airport for free, if you register the number plate of the car in advance. This Blue Badge exemption is valid for a 30-minute free drop-off session and up to three hours of your chosen start time. In order to benefit from the free drop off, you must register the number plate of the car you will be arriving with, in advance. Registration is available anytime from three months before your flight up to the day before you travel.
You will need your Blue Badge to register online, to apply for the exemption. If you are travelling to the airport by taxi, you will have to contact the company in advance and let them know that you are a Blue Badge user and that you need to register the number plate of the car you will be travelling with at the airport. You will have to have the permit printed when you board the taxi, in order for the taxi driver to wave the fee.
Please note that an exemption must be applied for before the date of travel to allow adequate time for processing. Applications on or after the date of travel will not be accepted.
The Long Stay Car Park
The easiest way to avoid the Gatwick drop off charges is by using the long stay car park. The long stay car parks at Gatwick Airport give you two free hours of parking, before starting charging. If you are using it just to drop off, you don’t even have to park in a bay if your passenger doesn’t have luggage. As someone who travels hand luggage only, I get dropped off straight at the last bus stop, as it takes me only a few seconds to get out of the car.
The South Terminal Car Park is very conveniently located, just outside the terminal. The bus comes every 10 minutes or so, and it arrives at the terminal in a very short time.
The North Terminal Long Stay Car Park is located a bit further away from the terminal, so consider being dropped off with plenty of time before your flight. As a local, I almost missed my flight the first time I got dropped off there, because the bus took 20 minutes to arrive, and then another 10 to get to the terminal. Being used to the only 5 minutes at South, I wasn’t expecting to take so long to reach the North Terminal.
To enter the long stay car parks you will have to take a ticket from the machine. You can either park and go to the airport to pick up your passenger, or drop them off at one of the bus stops around the car park. When you leave the car park, simply scan the ticket and the barrier will lift if you have been inside for less than two hours.
What Not to Do
There are a few TikTok videos claiming that you can avoid the Gatwick drop off charges at the South Terminal by parking in front of the Hilton Hotel, or at the Shell Garage. This is not true. As a local, I know that Hilton has a security guard that will issue fines for pick ups and drop offs of non-guests. The same, Shell has been issuing fines – unless you put fuel in your car or buy something from the shop, you can’t use their car park. After those TikTok videos went viral, a lot of local businesses have had issues with the high amount of cars using their small car parks to avoid the drop off charges at Gatwick. Because of it, now they are issuing their own fines, so best not to do do it. The long stay car park is much closer to the terminal, and the shuttle drops you off right in front of the terminal.
FAQ:
Is there a charge for dropping off at Gatwick?
For the first 10 minutes, there is a fee of £6. After 10 minutes, there is an additional charge of £1 per minute, up to a maximum of 20 minutes. It is advisable to plan your drop-off in advance to avoid any unexpected charges. For those who need to drop off passengers for a longer period, the long-stay car park is a suitable option, which offers up to two hours of free parking.
How do I avoid a drop off charge at Gatwick?
You can avoid the drop off charge at Gatwick by using the long stay car parks at both the South and the North Terminal. The long stay car parks are free for the first two hours. They both provide a free shuttle service to the terminals.
How do I pay for the Gatwick drop?
You can pay for the Gatwick pick up or drop off online, by midnight the day after you use the drop-off zones. If you come to Gatwick often, you can open an account with the NCP and set up an automatic payment.
How long can you wait in Gatwick drop off?
The £6 drop off fee allows you 10 minutes of waiting for your drop offs and pick ups at each of the terminals at Gatwick Terminals. The maximum amount of waiting time is 30 minutes, for which you will have to pay £25. Each minute after the 10 minutes mark is charged with an extra £1.
For more similar articles, check out the recommendations below:
- How to find cheap parking at Luton Airport
- Going on a package holiday to Santorini with Jet2
- Airport hacks every traveller should know
Like it? Pin it!
Disclaimer: Some of the links on this website are “affiliate links.” This means that if you click on the link and do a purchase, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost for you. This helps me keep my website running and continue to share my travelling knowledge with you. I thank you for booking your flights or hotels using the links on my website. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
Additional charges for our convenience in dropping off and picking up, are reasonable. But if we can avoid it, why not? The long stay car park doesn’t sound bad. At least it has a shuttle service that can send us to the terminal.
It sucks that now you have to pay for drop-off at Gatwick. The Long Stay Car Park seems the best choice to avoid the charges, especially now many people traveling with a carry-on only. They can move easily and fast from the vehicle. The Blue Badge Holders sounds good, too, although I don’t know how people can obtain it. I hope it won’t stay like that once they make enough to cover the losses from Covid.
This is really helpful. I agree with you that these little charges can be a significant amount once it piles up. I think using the long stay car park is the best option. Will just keep in mind to a lot enough time in case there are any delays.
I am not sure I have heard of other airports that charge for all vehicles dropping off passengers. It typically is built into cab or Uber rates. But not personal cars. That would certainly make me what to find a way to save on drop-off costs at Gatwick. And I would be worried about missing the very short time period to pay the fee or risk an even greater fee. Parking to do a drop off seems like far too much time for me. But I do like the idea that the fee has time limits to stop the people who fill up the waiting areas for really long times. Interesting read.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on avoiding Gatwick drop-off charges and providing information on the South and North terminal drop-off areas, Joanna. Your advice on what not to do and responses to frequently asked questions are greatly appreciated!
Tiktok really has a lot to answer for! There’s so much misinformation on that platform it’s crazy. You should do a video from a local’s point of view to show it’s not true. The long stay car parks are really the best option. Plus there’s the free shuttle bus to take you to the terminal. I think it’s greedy to ask for this drop off charge but I’m not the airport management 🙂
Such an informative post, thank you for sharing!
If you use the short stay car park and pay on exit so you also have to pay the drop off fee?
No, as you pay when you exit. I hope this helps.