Fees for dropping passengers off at airports have risen by up to five times in the past three years, according to new figures.
A breakdown on drop-off charges at UK airports shows most airports have hiked costs significantly since the year before the pandemic, while also introducing more complex pricing structures.
As a result the cost of a trip at 30,000 feet is sneaking up, with car parking and public transport tickets also on the rise along with the price of air fares.
One of the biggest rises has been seen at London Stansted, which cost £4 for a 10-minute drop off in 2019, but now charges £7 for 15 minutes.
If you dawdle for too long, you'll be hit with a £25 charge.
London Heathrow offered drop-off for free in 2019 but now charges £5, while also issuing £80 fixed penalty notices (FPN) for non payment.
Gatwick has also introduced a £5 charge for 10 minutes as well as an extra £1 per minute thereafter up to 20 minutes.
Another airport which has introduced a big price hike is Bristol, which now charges £5 for 10 minutes and £10 for 20 minutes, having asked for just £1 in 2019.
Below is a list of drop-off fee charges now compared to 2019, compiled by the RAC.
- London Stansted : Now charges £7 for 15 minutes, £25 for more than 15 minutes; did charge £4 for 10 minutes
- London Heathrow : Now charges £5; did charge nothing
- London Gatwick : Now charges £5 for 10 minutes and £1 per minute thereafter up to 20 minutes; did charge nothing
- London Luton : Now charges £5 for 10 minutes and £1 per minute thereafter; did charge £4 for 13 minutes
- Bristol : Now charges £5 for 10 minutes and £10 for 20 minutes plus; did charge £1 for 10 minutes
- Leeds Bradford : Now charging £5 for 10 minutes, £7 for 10-20 minutes and £9 for 20-30 minutes; did charge £3 for 30 minutes
- London Southend : Now charging £5 for 10 minutes and £7 for 11-30 minutes; did charge £3 for 10 minutes
- East Midlands : Now charging £5 for 15 minutes and £1 for every minute thereafter; did charge £3 for 10 minutes
- Manchester : Now charging £5 for 5 minutes, £6 for 10 minutes and £25 for over 10 minutes; did charge £3 for 5 minutes
- Liverpool John Lennon : Now charging £4 for 10 minutes, £10 for 20 minutes and £25 for 1 hour; did charge £3 for 20 minutes
- Edinburgh : Now charging £4 for 10 minutes, £8 for 10-15 minutes and £15 for 15-30 minutes; Did charge £2 for 5 minutes
- Glasgow : Now charging £4 for 10 minutes, £6 for 11-15 minutes, £10 for 16-20 minutes and £15 for 20-30 minutes; did charge £2 for 10 minutes
- Newcastle : Now charging £4 for 10 minutes and £6 for 30 minutes; did charge £2 for 10 minutes
- Aberdeen : Now charging £4 for 10 minutes and £10 for 30 minutes; did charge £2 for 10 minutes
- Doncaster-Sheffield : Now charging £4 for 10 minutes; did charge £3 for 15 minutes
- Southampton : Now charging £4 for 20 minutes; did charge £2 for 15 minutes
- Birmingham : Now charging £3 for 15 minutes, £8 for 15-20 minutes, £13 for 20-25 minutes and £18 for 25-30 minutes; did charge £3 for 15 minutes
- Exeter : Now charging £3 for 30 minutes and £5 for 1 hour; no information on previous charges
- Belfast International : Now charging £1 for 10 minutes, £3 for 10-20 minutes and £5 for 20-60 minutes; was charging £1 for 10 minutes
- London City : Free drop-off and no waiting - penalty charges issued
- Belfast City : Free for 10 minutes, £3 for 10-30 minutes and £6 for 30-60 minutes
- Cardiff : Free for five minutes and £3 for every 5 minutes thereafter; was free for 10 minutes
