Stansted Airport has increased the cost for drivers dropping off passengers at its terminals.
Motorists stopping for 15 minutes or more will face a £28 fee, while those staying for under 15 minutes will be charged £10, marking a £3 rise from previous rates.
Drivers exceeding 30 minutes in the terminal area risk a £100 Parking Charge Notice, which can be reduced to £60 if settled within 14 days.
A £28 charge applies to vehicles re-entering the car park within 30 minutes of their initial entry.
Blue Badge holders are entirely exempt from all these new fees.
A spokesperson for Stansted Airport said that the move would aim to “manage congestion at the terminal and reduce ‘kiss and fly’ traffic, which is a major contributor to road congestion around the airport”.
It added that the airport is “required under planning conditions to ensure that at least 50 per cent of passengers access the airport by public transport. This threshold will rise to 54 per cent as passenger numbers increase”.
“We continue to offer a free park and ride facility for those who are happy to be dropped off and picked up further away from the terminal, as well as a discount scheme for local residents living within 10 miles of the airport”, the spokesperson added.
It follows on from similar price rises for drop-off parking at other UK airports.
In December, London’s Heathrow increased drop-off charges from £6 to £7.
It also introduced a maximum 10-minute stay before a £40 penalty applies.
The Heathrow charge also went up by a pound at the start of 2025, which means a 40 per cent rise since the charge was brought in four years ago at.
Heathrow says that it is raising the fee to match other leading airports.
Gatwick Airport has also implemented a significant increase to its passenger drop-off fee, raising it to £10 in a move that will make it the most expensive in the UK.
