Terminal Drop-Off ChargeA £5 charge applies every time a vehicle enters Heathrow Airport's terminal drop-off areas. Drop-off areas are located right outside the terminal for the easiest and quickest way to drop-off passengers.
Free drop-off options are available at Heathrow's Long Stay car park, where passengers can take a free bus transfer to the terminal. We strongly recommend that taxi drivers (black cab), private-hire vehicle drivers and operators register for a business account.
Picking-up at HeathrowIf you are picking-up a passenger from Heathrow, it is prohibited to wait on the terminal forecourt. Please park in one of our Short Stay car parks, and pay at a pay-on-foot machine, or one of our Long Stay car parks for 30 minutes for free.
If you're coming from an international flight, it is recommended to schedule your pick up an hour or 1.5 hours after landing to give enough time for getting through customs. It's also recommended to call your assigned driver once you've landed to inform them that you've arrived so they know to expect you soon.
If you'd prefer not to pay the drop-off charge, Heathrow offers a free drop-off option at the Long Stay car parks. Once you've dropped your passengers off, they will just need to take the free transfer bus to the terminal.
Heathrow Long Stay FREE ParkingHeathrow offers FREE parking for up to 29 minutes at the Long Stay car parks, perfect if you're dropping off or picking up passengers. ?? Passengers will need to catch the FREE shuttle bus to and from the terminals - transfers run every 10-15 minutes and take 5 minutes.
If you plan to meet them inside the airport, park in short-term parking and wait outside of their terminal. Alternatively, meet them curbside if you don't want to go inside the airport. If you aren't able to pick your traveler up, you can schedule a ride to be ready for your arriving party when they land.
But the good news is that in most cases there's no need to pay anything when saying goodbye to family and friends, as almost all airports have a free area for drop-offs – as long as you're willing to take a short walk or shuttle ride to the terminal.
Yes, you can pay the Heathrow drop-off charge the day after you enter the drop-off zone, but you have to pay it before midnight on that day. Any later and you'll be charged with an £80 Parking Charge Notice (PCN).
As Heathrow Airport will be firmly situated within the ULEZ zone, there is no way to drive in and out of the airport with a non-compliant vehicle without incurring a charge.
Drivers picking up at Heathrow airport must use the short stay car park at each terminal as passengers are directed there through the app. We will take care of the cost of parking for up to 30 minutes (£4.50). Please make sure your passenger arrives within that time before entering the car park.
Pickup from our forecourts (the area outside the terminal building) is not allowed. The nearest location to Terminal 3 for pick-ups is the Terminal 3 short stay car park. Alternatively, you can also collect passengers from the Terminal 3 Long Stay car park, where the first 30 minutes are free.
The short stay car park is located on Level 5 of the Terminal 5 multi-storey car park and offers easy access to the terminal building. The rates for the short stay car park are £4.50 for up to 30 minutes, £9.00 for up to 1 hour, £13.50 for up to 2 hours, and £18.00 for up to 24 hours.
You can pay on arrival or pre-book Heathrow Short Stay Parking Terminal 2 in advance for durations over one hour up to two hours before you arrive, subject to availability. We advise using the 'Get a parking quote' widget at the top of the page to pre-book and save money.
The nearest location to Terminal 2 for pick-ups is the Terminal 2 short stay car park. Alternatively, you can also collect passengers from the Terminal 2 Long Stay car park, where the first 30 minutes are free.