Is there any free parking at Heathrow Airport?

Heathrow 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.



There is no long-term free parking at London Heathrow (LHR), but you can find very brief windows of free access for drop-offs and pickups. In 2026, the Long Stay Car Parks offer up to 30 minutes of free parking, which is the best option for meeting arriving passengers without paying the steep Short Stay fees. You must enter, stay less than 30 minutes, and exit; otherwise, daily rates apply. For "drop-offs" directly at the terminal curb, Heathrow charges a £5 Terminal Drop-Off Charge per visit, which must be paid online. There is no way to avoid this at the curb. If you are looking for free parking for the duration of a trip, some nearby residential streets in Feltham or Hounslow might not have restrictions, but this is highly risky due to local "permit only" zones and the potential for vandalism. Most travelers find that pre-booking an "Off-Airport" park-and-ride service is the most cost-effective compromise between the high cost of official parking and the insecurity of street parking.

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Exemptions. You don't have to pay the Terminal Drop-Off Charge if you are driving a Heathrow permitted operational vehicle or a vehicle recorded at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in either of these categories: Emergency service vehicles, such as police, ambulances and fire engines. Military vehicles.

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The nearest location to Terminal 5 for pick-ups is the Terminal 5 short stay car park. Alternatively, you can also collect passengers from the Terminal 5 Long Stay car park, where the first 30 minutes are free.

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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.

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Picking-up at Heathrow If 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.

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Short-term stay Heathrow Short Stay Parking can be found next to each of the terminals and is recommended for stays of up to five hours.

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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.

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If you are picking up please park in a designated pick up space. Parking is free for the first 30 minutes, with roll-up prices applying thereafter. Blue badge holders are entitled to 2 hours free parking.

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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.

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Heathrow Long Stay FREE Parking Heathrow 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.

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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.

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For cheap Heathrow parking, we'd recommend a Park and Ride service such as Purple Parking and NCP Flightpath. Both offer fuss-free procedures and easy transfers. For speed and convenience, the best place to park would be at a Meet and Greet car park such as Maple Parking or Purple Parking.

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Our highest rated Heathrow Terminal 3 car park is the Purple Parking Park and Ride located just a 10-12 minute transfer shuttle away from the terminal.

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How do I get cheap parking at Heathrow? The best way to get the cheapest rates for Heathrow's Official Parking Products is by booking in advance as far as possible.

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Allow between 30 minutes and 2 hours. Immigration queueing times have increased this week (some groups have been taking nearly two hours to reach arrivals from touchdown) but it's still very inconsistent so Peter's comment above is valid.

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