How to avoid the London Stansted drop-off charge
To avoid the £10 London Stansted drop-off charge, use the Mid Stay car park free drop-off — free for 60 minutes — which saves you £10 per drop-off.
- Free alternative: Mid Stay car park free drop-off (60 min free)
- Forecourt charge avoided: £10 per drop-off
- If you do use the forecourt, pay by: 23:59 the day after your visit
How do I avoid the drop-off charge at London Stansted?
London Stansted charges £10 to use the terminal drop-off forecourt, but you can avoid it: park in the Mid Stay car park free drop-off, which gives you 60 minutes free. Free drop-off area at the Mid Stay car park with a free shuttle bus to the terminal That saves the full £10 per drop-off.All figures are official, date-stamped snapshots read from the airport's own published page and verified 2026-06-10.
The free alternative: Mid Stay car park free drop-off
Step by step
Use the Mid Stay car park free drop-off
Free drop-off area at the Mid Stay car park with a free shuttle bus to the terminal You get 60 minutes free, avoiding the £10 forecourt charge.
If you do pay, don't miss the deadline
If you can't avoid the forecourt, London Stansted lets you pay by 23:59 the day after your visit. £28 tier applies to stays over 15 minutes (from 19 March 2026); a Parking Charge may also be issued for non-payment — amount not currently published
If you can't avoid the forecourt
Pre-book London Stansted parking
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Frequently asked questions
How do I avoid the London Stansted drop-off charge?
Use the Mid Stay car park free drop-off — free for 60 minutes, which avoids the £10 forecourt charge. Free drop-off area at the Mid Stay car park with a free shuttle bus to the terminal (Verified 2026-06-10, per the official London Stansted page.)
Is there a free way to drop someone off at London Stansted?
Yes — the Mid Stay car park free drop-off gives you 60 minutes free. Free drop-off area at the Mid Stay car park with a free shuttle bus to the terminal
Are Blue Badge holders exempt from the London Stansted drop-off fee?
Normal charges apply, but where the passenger holds a valid Blue Badge the driver is eligible for an extension to the 30-minute maximum stay if reasonably required
If I use the London Stansted forecourt, when do I have to pay?
Pay by 23:59 the day after your visit. £28 tier applies to stays over 15 minutes (from 19 March 2026); a Parking Charge may also be issued for non-payment — amount not currently published
Full London Stansted drop-off charge breakdown →
Parking vs drop-off at London Stansted: which is cheaper? →
Blue Badge drop-off at London Stansted: is it free? →
How to avoid the charge at every UK airport →
Latest at London Stansted
Sources & method
- Official London Stansted drop-off page — verified 2026-06-10
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.