The Gatwick forecourt charge in 2026
Dropping off on the forecourt at either Gatwick terminal costs £10 for the first ten minutes. The charge rose from £7 on 6 January 2026, and it is the same at North and South.
| Time on the forecourt | Charge |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 minutes | The minimum charge |
| Each extra minute | £1 |
| Maximum charge | The £30 cap |
| Maximum stay | 30 minutes |
Tariff from Gatwick's drop-off page, checked 25 September 2026.
Ten minutes is enough for a quick goodbye and a bag out of the boot. Stay 20 minutes and the bill reaches £20. The charge counts from the moment the camera reads your plate on the way in, so a slow queue into the drop-off zone uses up your time.
How to pay, and the midnight deadline
There are no ticket machines or payment booths at either forecourt. You pay online, by phone or through AutoPay by midnight the day after your visit.
The automated line is 0330 174 4503.
Pay through Gatwick's drop-off website with your number plate.
Register once and the charge is taken after each visit.
Midnight the day after you use the zone.
Number plate cameras enforce the charge. Forgetting is not grounds for appeal, so pay before you leave the airport or sign up for AutoPay if you drop off often.
AutoPay suits anyone who does the airport run a few times a year. It removes the risk of a missed payment turning a small charge into a much larger one.
The free alternative: two hours in Long Stay
The official Long Stay car parks at both terminals are free for up to two hours, with a free bus to the terminal. It is the most generous free window at any airport we cover.
- Drive to Long Stay. Follow the signs for your terminal's Long Stay car park.
- Park up. The barrier reads your plate, and the clock starts.
- Take the bus together. Buses run every 10 to 12 minutes, day and night.
- Leave within two hours. Past that, the drive-up rate starts at £38.
For a drop-off, your passenger takes the bus and you drive away. For a pick-up, you ride to arrivals and bring your passengers back on the bus. It takes longer than the forecourt, but it costs nothing when the flight is on time. See the Official Long Stay guide for the bus stops.
Picking up: express pick-up inside Short Stay
The express pick-up bays sit in Short Stay: Car Park 6 Level 4 at North and Car Park 3 ground floor at South. They charge normal Short Stay rates, from £8 for up to 30 minutes.
North Terminal
Car Park 6, Level 4. Ask your passengers to meet you at the bay.
South Terminal
Car Park 3, ground floor. Ask your passengers to meet you at the bay.
Gatwick warns that unattended cars in the express pick-up areas may receive a Parking Charge Notice. The bays are for collecting passengers, not for dropping them off.
For a longer wait, park in a normal Short Stay space and meet your passengers in arrivals. Arrivals has free Wi-Fi, coffee shops and toilets while you wait. The South Terminal also offers a £25 flat evening rate in Short Stay from 5pm to 2am, booked in advance.
Drop-off and pick-up options compared
Long Stay is free for two hours but adds a bus ride. The forecourt is quickest but charged. Short Stay sits between the two.
| Option | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Forecourt drop-off | From the minimum charge, with a cap | A quick drop with no waiting |
| Long Stay | Free for two hours | Pick-ups when you have time |
| Express pick-up bays | Short Stay rates | Collecting passengers fast |
| Short Stay space | Short Stay rates | Meeting passengers in arrivals |
Our rule of thumb: drop off on the forecourt, pick up from Long Stay or Short Stay. Waiting on the forecourt for a delayed flight is the one choice that reliably costs the most.
Blue Badge holders
Blue Badge holders are exempt from the forecourt charge once registered through Times24. They also get cheaper Premium Short Stay for up to four hours.
Register the vehicle before your visit. Times24 asks for the passenger's name, flight date, vehicle registration and a copy of the Blue Badge. Premium Short Stay at the standard Short Stay rate suits a longer pick-up with assistance, and Long Stay's two free hours apply as normal.
Taxis and private hire
The forecourt charge applies to taxis and private hire cars as well. Ask whether your fare includes it when you book.
A friend or family member giving you a lift pays the charge themselves, by midnight the next day. Settle who pays before the trip to avoid a surprise notice. Drivers who do the run often can register for AutoPay and forget about the deadline.
Dropping off at North and South
The tariff and rules are the same at both terminals, and airlines decide which one you use. Check the terminal before you set off, because a wrong turn costs time on the forecourt.
The terminals are linked by a free shuttle train that runs every few minutes. Dropping at the wrong terminal is not a disaster for the passenger, who can ride across. For the driver, it may mean a second forecourt visit, so confirm the terminal on the boarding pass first. Jet2 flies from the South Terminal, for example.
The railway station sits under the South Terminal. For a passenger travelling light, dropping them at a nearby station for the train can avoid the forecourt altogether.
Tips to keep the charge down
Have bags ready, say goodbye at home and leave the forecourt quickly. Every minute past the first ten adds £1.
Keep cases on the back seat, not buried in the boot.
The charge counts from entry, not from when you stop.
Pay by phone before you leave the airport.
One setup covers every future visit.
When parking beats the drop-off run
Two forecourt visits cost at least £20, and each round trip adds fuel and time for the driver. For a longer trip, parking your own car can cost less than two lifts.
Off-airport park and ride starts from just over £6 a day on our sample dates. See cheap parking at Gatwick for every option ranked by price, or meet and greet for a handover near the terminal.
More questions about drop-off and pick-up at Gatwick
£10 for up to ten minutes on the forecourt at either terminal. Each extra minute costs £1, up to a £30 cap.
Online, by phone on 0330 174 4503, or automatically through a registered AutoPay account. There are no machines or booths at the forecourt.
Cameras record your number plate and a Parking Charge Notice follows. Forgetting is not grounds for appeal, so set a reminder or register for AutoPay.
The official Long Stay car parks at both terminals are free for up to two hours, with a free bus to the terminal.
No, they are exempt once registered through Times24, the firm that runs the scheme for Gatwick.
You can stay up to 30 minutes, but the same charge applies and it climbs to the cap. A car park is cheaper for anything but a quick stop.
No. Gatwick says the express pick-up areas are for collecting passengers only.
Parking for your trip instead? Search your dates above to compare every Gatwick car park live. Our code is already in the form, and cancellation cover runs up to 72 hours before arrival.