The Pick Up & Drop Off charge
Leeds Bradford charges for every stop in its Pick Up & Drop Off car park, a one-minute walk from the terminal. The charge rises in four steps up to an hour.
| Time in the car park | Charge |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 minutes | £8.00 |
| 10 to 20 minutes | £10.00 |
| 20 to 30 minutes | £13.50 |
| 30 to 60 minutes | £16.50 |
Tariff as reported by ukair.com and airportdropoffcharges.co.uk, checked against the airport's own statement. Each further hour is charged at the one-hour rate, per ukair.
The car park is cashless. You pay by card at the exit barrier on the way out, so there is nothing to do online afterwards.
The One Hour Free Zone
The One Hour Free Zone at LS19 7UE is free for up to an hour, with a 3 to 4 minute uphill walk to the terminal. It is the only free way to drop off or pick up at Leeds Bradford.
Free for stays of up to 60 minutes.
Signed from Whitehouse Lane.
About 3 to 4 minutes via the Mid Stay walkway.
A minimum charge applies if you come back within the hour.
The free zone suits a drop-off with time to walk a passenger in, or a pick-up where you meet them in arrivals. The walk runs along the Mid Stay walkway and climbs towards the terminal, so allow more time with cases or a passenger who walks slowly.
The re-entry rule
Re-enter the One Hour Free Zone within an hour of leaving it and a minimum charge of £68 applies. It is the strictest re-entry rule we have found at the airports we cover.
You drop someone off in the free zone, leave, and get a call that a passport is still in the car. Driving back into the free zone within the hour triggers the minimum charge. Use the Pick Up & Drop Off car park for the second visit instead, which costs far less for a short stop.
The rule stops drivers leaving and re-entering to stretch the free hour. It also catches honest mistakes. Check the car for passports, phones and bags before your passenger walks away.
How the charge has changed
The first 10 minutes cost £6.50 in 2024 and now cost about 23% more. The One Hour Free Zone has stayed in place through the change.
Charges for a quick stop have risen at many UK airports over the same period. At Leeds Bradford, the free zone is the reason the rise matters less than it might: drivers who can walk a few minutes uphill can still drop off for nothing.
No free stopping at the terminal
Leeds Bradford has no free forecourt stopping. Every drop-off and pick-up goes through a car park, paid or free.
Do not stop on the approach roads or verges to wait. Traffic moves close to the terminal, and there is nowhere safe to pull in. Plan which car park you will use before you set off.
Which option to use
Use the free zone when you have time to walk, and the Pick Up & Drop Off car park when you need to be quick.
| Option | Cost | Walk to the terminal | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick Up & Drop Off | Charged from the first minute | About one minute | A quick drop-off with bags |
| One Hour Free Zone | Free up to an hour | 3 to 4 minutes, uphill | Walking a passenger in, meeting arrivals |
| Official Short Stay and Premium Short Stay | Pre-book or pay on exit | A few minutes | A longer wait for a delayed flight |
For a solo traveller with a carry-on, the free zone costs nothing and the walk is short. For a family with cases, the paid car park beside the terminal saves a climb with luggage and is over in a few minutes. For a pick-up on a delayed flight, a short stay car park takes the pressure off the clock, because you are not racing a 10-minute tariff band or the free hour.
Picking up arriving passengers
Wait until the passenger has their bags before you drive in. Then head for the free zone or the Pick Up & Drop Off car park.
Passport control and baggage reclaim can take a while on a busy evening. Track the flight, ask the passenger to message you once they have their cases, and drive in then. In the free zone, an hour is usually enough to walk up, meet them and walk back. For a long delay, a short stay car park is safer than overrunning the free hour.
Blue Badge holders and assisted travel
The airport says Blue Badge areas are available across all its car parks.
The uphill walk from the free zone can be hard for passengers with limited mobility. The Pick Up & Drop Off car park is only a one-minute walk from the terminal. Book assistance with your airline in advance if the passenger needs help inside the terminal.
Winter at Leeds Bradford
Leeds Bradford sits on high ground at Yeadon, and snow, ice and fog are more common than in the city below.
In winter, the walk from the free zone can be icy. Allow extra time for the drive up the hill and the walk to the terminal, and check the airport's travel updates in bad weather.
A lift against parking
A lift means a drop-off on the way out and a pick-up on the way home. For a week away, parking can cost less than two return drives.
Add the fuel for two round trips to the charges. For a family, a pre-booked car park or Meet and Greet can work out cheaper and simpler. Compare prices on our Leeds Bradford Airport parking page.
Taxis, private hire and buses
Taxis and private hire cars use the same drop-off arrangements as everyone else.
Ask your taxi firm whether the fare includes the drop-off charge. For a passenger travelling light, the Flyer buses link the airport with Leeds and Bradford and avoid the charge altogether. Check the current timetable before relying on an early or late bus.
Tips for a smooth drop-off
Decide on the car park before you leave home.
- Pick your option. Free zone if you have time, Pick Up & Drop Off if not.
- Check the car. Passports, phones and bags out before your passenger leaves.
- Keep a card handy. The paid car park is cashless.
- Do not re-enter the free zone within the hour. The minimum charge applies.
More questions about drop-off and pick-up at Leeds Bradford
£8.00 for up to 10 minutes in the Pick Up & Drop Off car park, rising in steps to £16.50 for up to an hour.
Yes, in the One Hour Free Zone at LS19 7UE, free for up to an hour. The walk to the terminal is 3 to 4 minutes, uphill.
A minimum charge of £68 applies, so do not drive out and come back within the hour.
By card at the exit barrier. The car park is cashless.
No. There is no free forecourt stopping. Use the Pick Up & Drop Off car park or the One Hour Free Zone.
Yes. It rose from £6.50 in 2024 to the current rate for the first 10 minutes, an increase of about 23%.
Parking instead? Search your dates above to compare every Leeds Bradford option live. Our code is already in the form, and cancellation cover runs up to 72 hours before arrival.