Passengers using the drop-off zone outside London Stansted Airport will face higher fees, with the cost for stays between 15 and 30 minutes rising to £28.
The airport has also increased its short-stay “express set down” charge by around 40%, from £7 to £10 for visits of under 15 minutes.
Airport officials said the changes are intended to encourage passengers to use public transport instead of being dropped off by car. A spokesperson said so-called “kiss and fly” journeys are the least environmentally friendly option, often involving up to four separate car trips per flight.
However, the price rise has been criticised by some drivers. Essex-based taxi driver Matt Malone, 54, described the increase as “absolutely disgusting”, adding that drop-offs were free when he began working 15 years ago.
The airport introduced a new payment system in December 2024, replacing barriers with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to speed up the process. It also offers an alternative option, with up to one hour of free parking in the mid-stay car park. From there, a 24-hour shuttle bus takes passengers to the terminal in around seven minutes at no cost.
With the £10 express charge, Stansted is now among the most expensive airports in the UK for short drop-offs, on a par with London Gatwick Airport.
According to travel data firm Travel SOS, Stansted was the UK’s fourth busiest airport in 2025, behind Heathrow Airport, Gatwick and Manchester Airport. The airport is currently working to expand its capacity to handle up to 51 million passengers a year in the coming years.
A Stansted spokesperson said the airport is “proud to be the UK’s number one airport for public transport use”, with nearly half of passengers travelling by train, coach or bus.
They added: “Express Set Down charges have been designed to tackle ‘kiss and fly’ journeys, which are the least sustainable way of accessing the airport.
“Reducing the number of cars accessing the space immediately in front of the terminal also helps manage congestion in a capacity-restricted area.”
The airport also said residents living within 10 miles benefit from discounted parking rates.
