How to avoid the East Midlands drop-off charge
To avoid the £5 East Midlands drop-off charge, use the Long Stay 2 car park — free for 60 minutes — which saves you £5 per drop-off.
- Free alternative: Long Stay 2 car park (60 min free)
- Forecourt charge avoided: £5 per drop-off
- If you do use the forecourt, pay by: Barrier-free — pay by 23:59 the day after your visit (online or by phone; payment cannot be made on exit)
- Penalty for an unpaid forecourt visit: £100
How do I avoid the drop-off charge at East Midlands?
East Midlands charges £5 to use the terminal drop-off forecourt, but you can avoid it: park in the Long Stay 2 car park, which gives you 60 minutes free. Free for up to 60 minutes for drop-off and pick-up, then £1 per minute. A 15-20 minute walk from the terminal, or take the free shuttle bus That saves the full £5 per drop-off. If you do use the forecourt and don't pay, the penalty is £100.All figures are official, date-stamped snapshots read from the airport's own published page and verified 2026-06-18.
The free alternative: Long Stay 2 car park
Step by step
Use the Long Stay 2 car park
Free for up to 60 minutes for drop-off and pick-up, then £1 per minute. A 15-20 minute walk from the terminal, or take the free shuttle bus You get 60 minutes free, avoiding the £5 forecourt charge.
Check Blue Badge exemption
Blue Badge holders get up to 30 minutes free at Short Stay 1 (nearest the terminal); general drivers pay £6 for up to 30 minutes there (£8 up to 1 hour). The 60-minute free drop-off/pick-up at Long Stay 2 is open to all drivers (see free alternative). No specific Blue Badge concession is published for the Rapid Drop-off area
If you do pay, don't miss the deadline
If you can't avoid the forecourt, East Midlands lets you pay by Barrier-free — pay by 23:59 the day after your visit (online or by phone; payment cannot be made on exit) — missing it risks a £100 penalty. £100 Parking Charge for overstaying the 30-minute maximum or non-payment, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days, plus a debt-recovery fee of up to £70
If you can't avoid the forecourt
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Frequently asked questions
How do I avoid the East Midlands drop-off charge?
Use the Long Stay 2 car park — free for 60 minutes, which avoids the £5 forecourt charge. Free for up to 60 minutes for drop-off and pick-up, then £1 per minute. A 15-20 minute walk from the terminal, or take the free shuttle bus (Verified 2026-06-18, per the official East Midlands page.)
Is there a free way to drop someone off at East Midlands?
Yes — the Long Stay 2 car park gives you 60 minutes free. Free for up to 60 minutes for drop-off and pick-up, then £1 per minute. A 15-20 minute walk from the terminal, or take the free shuttle bus
Are Blue Badge holders exempt from the East Midlands drop-off fee?
Blue Badge holders get up to 30 minutes free at Short Stay 1 (nearest the terminal); general drivers pay £6 for up to 30 minutes there (£8 up to 1 hour). The 60-minute free drop-off/pick-up at Long Stay 2 is open to all drivers (see free alternative). No specific Blue Badge concession is published for the Rapid Drop-off area
If I use the East Midlands forecourt, when do I have to pay?
Pay by Barrier-free — pay by 23:59 the day after your visit (online or by phone; payment cannot be made on exit). Otherwise you risk a £100 penalty. £100 Parking Charge for overstaying the 30-minute maximum or non-payment, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days, plus a debt-recovery fee of up to £70
Full East Midlands drop-off charge breakdown →
Blue Badge drop-off at East Midlands: is it free? →
How to avoid the charge at every UK airport →
Latest at East Midlands
Sources & method
- Official East Midlands drop-off page — verified 2026-06-18
Every figure — the forecourt charge, the free-alternative allowance and the penalty — is read from the airport's official page and re-verified on the date shown. We never republish unverified prices.
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.