Parking charges have become an increasingly important source of revenue for airports in recent years, with a large percentage of them received from vehicles dropping off or picking up travelers.
For example, Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, received £86m of all parking charges in 2022.
RAC’s analysis also revealed which places charge the most for so-called “kiss and fly” parking charges, with Stansted topping the table at £7 for 15 minutes.
Leeds Bradford and Southampton airports are next with a price of £6, while 10 other airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester charge £5.
This marked a huge increase from 2017, when Stansted charged more at just £3.50, while most other airports charged £2 or less. At the time, seven airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester, charged nothing to drop off travelers.
Three airports free of charge
There are now only three airports that do not charge, with Cardiff, London City and Inverness airports having a free option on the Terminal Concourse.
Mr Lyes said: “Hopefully the proportion of airports raising charges this year is lower than last year, but that will be little consolation as charges across the board have never been higher.
“Drivers who are tempted to leave loved ones on the roads within the airport boundaries should be careful, as many enforce no-stop-with-camera areas that could result in hefty fines.”
The analysis also broke down penalties for those who fail to pay or overstay the designated time. Drivers at Heathrow are penalized the most, with an £80 fine charge notice for non-payment of a parking ticket.
In many other cases, the charge simply increases steeply once you miss the 15- or 20-minute stay, with several airports automatically charging £25 once you miss the time limit.
