ULEZ & Airport Parking: Which UK Airports Are Affected?

Which UK airports are inside the ULEZ?

Heathrow and London City Airport fall within London's Ultra Low Emission Zone. Non-compliant vehicles pay £12.50 per day when driving into the ULEZ boundary. Gatwick, Stansted and Luton sit outside the zone.

London's ULEZ expanded in August 2023 to cover all London boroughs, bringing Heathrow inside the zone. London City Airport, in the east, is also inside. Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Southend all sit outside the ULEZ boundary, so there is no daily emissions charge for driving to them. If you drive a non-compliant vehicle to Heathrow or London City, the £12.50 daily charge applies. The good news for Heathrow travellers is that many off-airport car parks sit just outside the zone, which we cover below. Driving into the capital too? See the Congestion Charge and airport parking.

What is the ULEZ charge for driving to the airport?

The ULEZ daily charge is £12.50 for cars and vans that do not meet Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel standards. The charge applies per calendar day you drive inside the zone, so a return trip can mean two days' charge.

The ULEZ charge is £12.50 per day for non-compliant cars and vans, set by Transport for London. It applies to each calendar day your vehicle is driven within the zone, 24 hours a day. For an airport trip to Heathrow or London City, that means you pay for the day you drive in to drop off or park, and again for the day you drive out on return, if those fall on different days. Compliant vehicles and electric cars pay nothing. You can check your vehicle using the official TfL ULEZ checker.

Can I avoid the ULEZ charge by parking off-airport?

Yes. Many off-airport Park & Ride car parks serving Heathrow are located just outside the ULEZ boundary. You park outside the zone and take a free shuttle to the terminal, avoiding the £12.50 daily charge entirely.

This is the key saving for Heathrow travellers with a non-compliant vehicle. Several off-airport Park & Ride compounds sit just beyond the ULEZ boundary. By driving to a car park outside the zone and taking the free shuttle to the terminal, you avoid the £12.50 charge altogether, on both the outbound and return days. Over a return trip that is a £25 saving, on top of the lower parking price. Compare Heathrow Park & Ride options with us, and see our dedicated Heathrow ULEZ parking guide for the detail, with BCP30 applied.

Which off-airport car parks are outside the ULEZ?

Several Heathrow Park & Ride compounds sit outside the ULEZ boundary to the west of the airport. We show which car parks avoid the zone when you compare Heathrow parking, so you can pick one that saves the daily charge.

Because the ULEZ boundary runs along the Greater London edge, car parks to the west of Heathrow can fall outside it. Exactly which ones avoid the zone depends on their precise location, so rather than guess, compare Heathrow parking with us and look for the Park & Ride options outside the ULEZ. You drive to the compound outside the zone, leave your car, and ride the free shuttle in. This avoids the charge while also undercutting on-airport parking prices, the best of both. Apply BCP30 for up to 30% off.

What about Clean Air Zones at other airports?

Birmingham city centre has a Clean Air Zone (£8/day for non-compliant cars), but Birmingham Airport sits outside it. Bristol has a Clean Air Zone, but Bristol Airport is also outside. Other UK airports are currently unaffected.

Beyond London's ULEZ, several cities run Clean Air Zones, but the airports themselves generally sit outside the charged areas. Birmingham's CAZ covers the city centre, not the airport. Bristol's CAZ covers the city, while the airport lies to the south, outside it. Edinburgh and Glasgow have Low Emission Zones in their centres, again away from the airports. So for most UK airports there is no clean-air charge to drive there. See our Clean Air Zones guide for the full picture.

How do I check if my car is ULEZ compliant?

Check your vehicle on the official TfL ULEZ checker at tfl.gov.uk. Enter your registration and it tells you instantly whether you are compliant. Most petrol cars from 2006 and diesels from 2015 meet the standard.

Checking takes seconds. Enter your number plate into the TfL vehicle checker and it confirms whether your car meets the ULEZ standard. As a rough guide, petrol cars meeting Euro 4 (broadly 2006 onwards) and diesels meeting Euro 6 (broadly 2015 onwards) are compliant, but always check your specific vehicle rather than rely on the year. Electric vehicles are always exempt. If your car is non-compliant, parking outside the zone is the simple way to avoid the charge at Heathrow.

What are the key takeaways on ULEZ and airport parking?

Heathrow and London City are inside London's ULEZ; Gatwick, Stansted and Luton are outside. Non-compliant vehicles pay £12.50/day, but parking at an off-airport compound outside the zone avoids it entirely.

To summarise the main points:

• Heathrow and London City are inside the ULEZ (£12.50/day for non-compliant cars).
• Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Southend are outside the zone.
• Park at an off-airport compound outside the boundary to avoid the charge.
• Electric vehicles are always exempt; check your car on the TfL checker.

Whichever option you choose, pre-booking through a comparison platform ensures you see every choice side by side and secure the genuine cheapest deal for your dates, with no booking fee, free cancellation up to 72 hours before arrival, and promo code BCP30 for up to 30% off at checkout.

More questions