If you're being dropped off at Gatwick by car, there's a fee to factor into your plans — and it's easy to get caught out if you don't check the rules in advance. The airport charges drivers £6 to use the designated drop-off zones directly outside the North and South terminals, with a 10-minute maximum stay. Payment is made online, and the clock starts from the moment you enter the zone, so there's no hanging around to say lengthy goodbyes.
The charge applies to all cars, whether you're dropping off friends, family or a taxi has brought you. Cameras read number plates as vehicles enter, so drivers can either pay in advance or within a set window after the visit — missing the payment deadline means a penalty charge notice landing on your doormat, which turns a £6 fee into something considerably more painful.
There are ways around it, though. Gatwick operates free drop-off options a short shuttle ride from the terminals, typically in long-stay car park areas, for anyone happy to trade a few minutes of convenience for the cost of a coffee. For pick-ups, the advice is even stronger: waiting at the terminals isn't allowed, so drivers should use the free waiting facilities in the long-stay car parks and only head to the forecourt once their passengers are ready and waiting with luggage in hand.
It's worth noting the fee has crept up over the years — it started lower and has risen incrementally, part of a broader pattern across UK airports, where Heathrow, Manchester, Stansted and others have all introduced or raised similar drop-off charges. Gatwick says the scheme helps manage congestion and funds sustainable transport initiatives, though that's little comfort if you're the one paying.
For travellers, the practical takeaway is simple: decide before you set off. If convenience matters — heavy luggage, young kids, an early flight — budget the £6 and pay online promptly. If you're watching the pennies, plan the free drop-off option and allow an extra 15 minutes or so for the shuttle. And if someone's collecting you after your trip, make sure they know the pick-up rules too, because the same logic applies in reverse and the fines for lurking at the terminals are enforced.
Anyone driving to Gatwick should also double-check current prices and payment deadlines on the airport's own site before travelling, as charges and terms do change — usually upwards — with little fanfare.
