Is it cheaper to park or get dropped off at Heathrow Airport?
A neutral comparison of every way in and out of London Heathrow. The verified prices below come from the airport's own published pages — they decide our ranking, not commission.
Whether it's cheaper to park or get dropped off at London Heathrow depends on your trip length.
- Quick drop-off: £7 each time a vehicle enters a terminal drop-off zone
- Free alternative: Park & Ride (formerly Long Stay)
- Longer trip: pre-booked parking usually beats the drive-up gate
What's the cheapest way to park or drop off at London Heathrow?
Dropping off at London Heathrow costs £7 at the forecourt. The free alternative is the Park & Ride (formerly Long Stay) (free for 30 minutes). Drive-up gate parking is £271.20 for 7 days. For a trip of more than a day, pre-booked Park & Ride or Meet & Greet is usually cheaper than parking at the gate. Every price here is read from the airport's own published page and date-stamped; we never invent a "from £X".
| Option | When it wins | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drop-off forecourt | A quick goodbye — under the included time limit, no luggage faff. | £7 per drop-off | Verified |
| Park & Ride (formerly Long Stay) | You can spare a few extra minutes' walk or shuttle to skip the fee. | Free | Verified |
| Drive-up gate parking | A short trip where you need your car nearby and didn't pre-book. | £271.20 for 7 days at the gate | Verified |
| Pre-booked Park & Ride | Trips over a day — leave the car off-site and shuttle in. | Pre-book price coming ↓ | Ad |
| Meet & Greet | Maximum convenience — hand the keys over at the terminal door. | Pre-book price coming ↓ | Ad |
Cheapest option, by how long you're going
At London Heathrow, one day of drive-up parking (£38.74) costs about the same as 6 forecourt drop-offs (£7 each). If you're only running someone to the terminal, the free Park & Ride (formerly Long Stay) beats both; if the car stays for the trip, pre-booking beats turning up at the gate.
| Your trip | Best option | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| A quick goodbye within 30 minutes | Park & Ride (formerly Long Stay) | Free | Verified |
| One drop-off, no parking, can't use the free zone | Drop-off forecourt | £7 per visit | Verified |
| You're parking for the trip but didn't pre-book | Drive-up gate parking | £271.20 for 7 days (£38.74/day) | Verified |
| You're parking for the trip and booked ahead | Pre-booked Park & Ride | Live price below ↓ | Ad |
| Maximum convenience — hand the keys over at the door | Meet & Greet | Live price below ↓ | Ad |
Verified figures read from London Heathrow's own published pages, last checked 2026-06-10. We don't publish a Park & Ride or Meet & Greet price we can't verify — those show a live "from" price below when our parking partner has one.
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Our ranking above uses only the airport's own published prices — it isn't affected by commission.
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Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to park or get dropped off at London Heathrow?
For a quick drop-off it's almost always cheaper to drop off — the £7 forecourt charge, or the free Park & Ride (formerly Long Stay), beats paying for parking you won't use. If you're flying yourself and the car stays for the trip, parking is what you pay — and pre-booking is usually cheaper than the drive-up gate price. (Verified 2026-06-10.)
What's the cheapest way to park or drop off at London Heathrow?
For a quick drop-off, the £7 forecourt charge — or the free Park & Ride (formerly Long Stay) is cheapest. For a trip of more than a day, a pre-booked Park & Ride is usually cheaper than parking at the gate. (Verified 2026-06-10.)
Is Meet & Greet or Park & Ride better at London Heathrow?
Park & Ride is the cheaper of the two — you leave the car off-site and take a shuttle. Meet & Greet costs more but is the most convenient: a driver meets you at the terminal and parks the car for you. We show live prices for both when our parking partner has them; we never quote a price we can't verify.
Is there a free option at London Heathrow?
Yes — the Park & Ride (formerly Long Stay) is free for 30 minutes. Up to 30 minutes free in Park & Ride car parks, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal doors every 15 minutes (Verified 2026-06-10.)
How much does it cost to drop off at London Heathrow?
London Heathrow's drop-off charge is £7, or free via the Park & Ride (formerly Long Stay). (Verified 2026-06-10.)
More at this airport
Sources & method
- Official London Heathrow drop-off page — verified 2026-06-10
The drop-off, free-alternative and drive-up gate-parking figures are read from the airport's official pages and date-stamped. Pre-booked Park & Ride and Meet & Greet prices come from our parking partner's live feed — we show them only when verifiable and never invent a 'from £X'.
Independent: we are not owned by any airport, network or booking site. Any affiliate links are labelled Ad and earn us a commission — this never affects the figures we publish or which option we show as cheapest.