What it costs to stop outside the terminal, how to pay, how to avoid the charge, and where to meet arriving passengers.
Stansted charges for stopping in the drop-off zone outside the terminal: £10 for up to 15 minutes, and £28 for 15 to 30 minutes. The maximum stay is 30 minutes — it is for dropping off, not waiting.
Number-plate cameras record the car as it enters and leaves. You pay online or by phone afterwards — usually by midnight the day after. Forget, and the registered keeper receives a Parking Charge Notice. Check the exact payment deadline on the Stansted Airport website before you travel, as it can change.
The free option: Stansted has a free drop-off area further from the terminal, with a short walk or shuttle bus to departures. It saves the charge but adds time — allow an extra 15 to 20 minutes, more with heavy bags or children.
Picking someone up? You cannot wait in the drop-off zone for an arriving flight. Use the short stay car park (charged by the time you stay) and meet inside arrivals, or book a car: your driver tracks the flight, waits, and meets the passenger inside the terminal — parking is included in our fixed price.
With a pre-booked car from London, the drop-off charge and any parking are already in one fixed price — from £95 to central London. No cameras, no online payment to remember.
Get my fixed price ↑Charges as published for 2026 — check the Stansted Airport website before you travel, as prices and rules can change.
Stansted airport transfers · All London airport drop-off charges · Gatwick drop off & pick up guide · Heathrow drop off & pick up guide