The Stansted Airport drop-off charge for 2026 is £10 for up to 15 minutes at Express Set Down. Stay longer and you pay £28. The maximum stay is 30 minutes. You pay after your visit, online or by phone, by 23:59 on the next day.
You do not have to pay it. The Mid Stay car park has a free drop-off area. You get 60 minutes at no cost, and a free shuttle bus takes your passenger to the terminal in about seven minutes.
This guide covers both options and how the payment system works. It also explains what happens if you miss the deadline, how Blue Badge holders are treated, how taxis and pick-ups work, and how to plan the drive from Birmingham.
Prices and rules come from Stansted Airport’s own pages and its payment operator, APCOA. We checked them on 28 October 2026. These prices apply to winter 2026/27 travel. The airport has announced no change for 2027 so far.
Stansted drop-off options at a glance
| Option | Cost | Time limit | Getting to the terminal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express Set Down | £10 up to 15 minutes, £28 over 15 minutes | 30 minutes maximum | Right outside the terminal |
| Mid Stay free set down | Free up to 60 minutes, £5 for the second hour, then a day rate | Leave within 60 minutes to pay nothing | Free shuttle bus, about 7 minutes |
| Short Stay (Green and Blue) | £13 up to 30 minutes, £21 up to 1 hour, £25 up to 2 hours, £38 up to 4 hours | 4 hours | A walk of 5 to 8 minutes (Green) or 10 to 12 minutes (Blue) |
The airport raised the Express Set Down fee in March 2026. Some older pages still show £7 and £25, and some show lower Mid Stay re-entry charges. Trust the airport’s own pick up and drop off page.
For context, Heathrow charges £7 and Gatwick £10 for 10 minutes, according to news reports. Stansted’s £10 covers 15 minutes, but its £28 band is steep.
Where Express Set Down is
Express Set Down sits immediately outside the terminal building. Stansted has one terminal, so there is only one place to look. The sat nav postcode for the airport is CM24 1RW.
Leave the M11 at Junction 8a if you are coming from London, or Junction 8 if you are coming from Cambridge. Then follow the airport signs, and look for “Express Set Down” as you near the terminal.
Blue Badge spaces sit at the front of the area in Zone C, which is closest to the Assistance Desk. A help point in the area connects to that desk.
How Express Set Down works
The area has no barrier and no ticket machine. Cameras read your number plate as you drive in and out, so the airport records your visit by your registration. You drop your passenger, leave and pay afterwards. The airport made the area barrier-free in January 2025.
The charge applies 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Here are the rules in plain words:
- Up to 15 minutes costs £10.
- Over 15 minutes costs £28.
- The maximum stay is 30 minutes. Go past it and a Parking Charge may follow, with extra action such as debt recovery.
- If you leave and re-enter within 30 minutes of first entering, you pay £28 again.
- You must not leave the car. Unattended vehicles can be towed, and a towing fee applies.
The airport’s terms apply from the moment you drive in, whatever your reason for entering. APCOA, a parking company, manages the area and enforces the charge on the airport’s behalf.
Why does the airport charge at all? A spokesperson says the fees help cut the environmental impact of private car drop-offs and ease congestion in a tight space. The airport also says about half of its passengers already arrive by train, coach or bus.
How to pay the Stansted drop-off charge
You cannot pay in advance. Payment opens only after your visit. You have until 23:59 on the day after. Drop someone off on Monday afternoon, and you must pay by the end of Tuesday.
Both methods use your vehicle registration:
- Go to pay.stanstedairport.com, or call 03450 175046 and use the automated line.
- On the website, select “Pay Now”, then enter your registration and select “Search”.
- Check the visit details and pay by card.
- Keep the confirmation email or a screenshot.
The airport does not accept cash or cheques.
AutoPay for regular visits
If you drive to Stansted often, set up AutoPay. You register your vehicle and a payment card once, and the system takes payment after each visit. On the payment site, choose “Sign In/Register” for a personal account, or “Register A Corporate Account” for a business. Then select “Sign up now”.
A personal account holds up to 10 vehicles. A corporate account holds up to 200, which suits companies with several drivers. The airport says it is your job to keep a valid card on the account, so check the expiry date before each trip.
Pay safely and get help
Type the payment address yourself, or use the link on the airport’s own page. Search adverts can lead to look-alike sites that add fees.
If you have a payment problem, the APCOA customer service team answers on 03450 175046, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. It closes on public holidays. You can also email GeneralEnquiries.MAGParking@apcoa.com. Set a phone reminder as you leave the airport, because a problem on a Friday night is hard to fix before the deadline.
What happens if you miss the deadline
Once the payment window closes, the system stops taking your payment. APCOA then sends a Parking Charge Notice to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
The airport’s amounts are £100, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days. Its terms say you must pay within 28 days of the issue date to avoid extra charges. After 28 days, further action can follow, including debt recovery costs.
You can only pay or appeal once the notice arrives. The notice explains how, and you can appeal through the APCOA website.
Some cases catch people out:
- Borrowed cars. The notice goes to the registered keeper, not the driver. Tell a friend or family member about the deadline if they use your car.
- Hire and company cars. The notice goes to the hire or fleet company, which may pass the charge to you. Check your agreement.
- Typing errors. A wrong registration leaves your visit unpaid. Contact APCOA as soon as you notice.
Can you get a refund?
Sometimes. If you entered Express Set Down while holding a valid Stansted car park booking for the same date and time, send APCOA proof through its help centre. A screenshot of the booking confirmation works. Without a valid booking, the airport cannot refund the charge.
Free drop-off at Stansted Airport: using the Mid Stay car park
The free set down sits inside the Mid Stay car park. It works for both drop-offs and pick-ups. If you have never been, follow these steps.
- Leave the M11 for the airport. The Mid Stay postcode is CM24 1PZ.
- Follow the airport’s directions. From London, take Junction 8a, follow the road for just over a mile, take the Stansted Airport exit and branch left. At the Bassingbourn roundabout, take the third exit and follow signs for Mid Stay. At the next roundabout, take the first exit. The car park is straight ahead.
- Coming from Cambridge? Take Junction 8, join the A120 at Priory Wood roundabout (third exit) and branch left. Then follow the same final steps.
- Drive up to the barrier. The system reads your number plate and opens the gate. You collect no ticket.
- Park, unload and walk to the nearest bus stop with your passenger.
- Take the free shuttle. It operates around the clock. The airport describes the ride as about seven minutes.
- Leave within 60 minutes. The barrier reads your plate on the way out, and you pay nothing.
Know the limits. The first 60 minutes are free. The next hour costs £5, and after two hours a day rate applies. If you leave and re-enter within an hour of first entering, you pay £48. Plan one clean visit.
The trade-off is effort. Your passenger carries their bags onto a bus and off again. The airport suggests allowing up to 20 minutes for the whole transfer. For a relaxed morning flight, that works well. For a tight schedule, it does not.
Mid Stay Blue Badge spaces are in Zone L, close to the bus pick-up shelter. The bus is wheelchair accessible, and the driver can help passengers on and off. Help points sit outside each revolving door at the terminal.
Short Stay: a walk to the terminal
Short Stay lets you drop off or collect, then walk with your passenger to the terminal. The airport’s main page names the Green and Blue car parks for this use. Green is a 5 to 8 minute walk. Blue is 10 to 12 minutes.
Prices are £13 for up to 30 minutes, £21 up to one hour, £25 up to two hours and £38 up to four hours. For anything longer than four hours, the airport points to its Turn Up & Park prices.
Short Stay makes sense when you want more than 15 minutes. £13 for half an hour beats the £28 Express Set Down band. It also gives you time to walk in, help with check-in and share a coffee.
Which option fits your trip?
Choose Express Set Down when time is tight, the bags are heavy or someone needs a short, flat walk. The £10 buys the shortest route to check-in. Keep the stop under 15 minutes.
Choose Mid Stay when you can add time and want to pay nothing. It suits early check-in, a family with plenty of time and a passenger with a small bag.
Choose Short Stay when you want to walk your passenger in. It is the one paid option where a longer goodbye feels natural.
Here is what typical stops cost, using the published 2026 prices:
- A quick 10-minute drop-off at Express Set Down: £10.
- A 20-minute goodbye at Express Set Down: £28, because you passed 15 minutes.
- A 45-minute stop at Mid Stay: free, including the shuttle.
- A 90-minute stop at Mid Stay: £5, because you used the second hour.
- A 45-minute stop at Short Stay: £21, with a walk to the terminal.
- A second visit to Mid Stay within one hour: £48.
The jump from £10 to £28 catches the most drivers. Set a timer on your phone when you pull in.
Taxis, private hire, Uber and hire cars
Taxis, private hire vehicles and ride-share cars use the same Express Set Down area, and the charge applies to the vehicle. Uber tells its drivers that all rider drop-offs must happen there, and that the driver carries any fine. The local resident discount excludes taxis, business vehicles and ride-share cars.
The airport’s pages give no clear rule on who pays for a taxi journey. Many operators build the charge into the fixed fare, but practice varies. Ask your provider whether the quote includes it.
Two other cases are worth knowing. A pre-booked VIP Valet car parking customer is exempt from the Express Set Down charge when using that service. A hire car works like any other car, so the hire company receives any penalty notice and may pass it on to you.
Picking someone up at Stansted
The airport’s current price table lists Express Set Down as drop-off only. Its car page says the same, and tells drivers to use Short Stay or Mid Stay for pick-ups. Some older airport pages, including parts of its terms, still mention pick-ups there. That mix of wording has caused disputes. Press reports describe a driver who used the area for a pick-up, paid the charge and was refused a refund.
The safe plan is simple. For pick-ups, use the Mid Stay car park, which is free for 60 minutes. Or use Short Stay at £13 for up to 30 minutes. Tell your passenger which area you are in before they leave arrivals, because the walk or shuttle takes time.
Blue Badge, assistance, electric vehicles and residents
Blue Badge. A Blue Badge does not remove the fee. The airport says all vehicles using Express Set Down must pay. The badge brings one benefit: if your passenger holds a valid badge and needs longer than 15 minutes, you can ask for extra time. Speak to a traffic marshal and show the badge. Without that notice, extra charges may apply.
The extra time does not apply when only the driver holds a badge. The airport also says the Blue Badge scheme does not operate on its road system. Unattended vehicles are towed by police, and a fine must be paid to get them back.
Assistance. Help points sit across the airport, including in the Express Set Down area. Assistance is available around the clock. If your passenger needs help, they can request it in advance through the airport’s Assisted Travel service.
Electric vehicles. The airport’s drop-off pages list no exemption for electric or hybrid cars. Treat them as paying vehicles.
Other exemptions. The terms name authorised airport operational vehicles, emergency service vehicles and military vehicles.
Local residents. You must be 18 or over and live within 10 miles of the airport. Residents within 5 miles pay 50p for up to 15 minutes, and residents within 10 miles pay £1. Longer stays pay the standard rate, and you still need to pay by the deadline. You can register up to two personal vehicles, and the discount covers two entries a day per household. The airport says applications currently take about ten working days. An AutoPay account does not register you for the discount, so complete the resident form separately.
Other ways to reach Stansted
Not every passenger needs a lift. The airport says nearly half of its passengers arrive by train, coach or bus.
From London, the Stansted Express takes about 45 minutes from Liverpool Street. Coaches and buses operate around the clock, and every bay is wheelchair accessible.
From Birmingham, National Express operates coaches to Stansted. Published timetables show journey times from just under four hours to more than five hours, depending on changes. A train to London followed by the Stansted Express suits a solo traveller with light luggage. It suits children, heavy bags or an early flight much less.
Driving from Birmingham to Stansted Airport
Birmingham to Stansted is about 126 miles. Allow around two hours and twenty minutes in normal traffic, and more on busy days. You then drive the same distance back, so a Birmingham to Stansted Airport drop-off by car takes most of a day.
A little planning helps:
- Choose your drop-off area at home. Decide between Express Set Down, Mid Stay and Short Stay before you leave, not in a queue.
- Check live traffic. The best route depends on the M6, M1, M25, A14 and M11 on the day. Coming from the north on the M11, use Junction 8. Coming from the London side, use Junction 8a.
- Work back from check-in. Look up your airline’s check-in and bag drop deadlines, then add the drive and the drop-off.
- Have your payment details ready. If you use Express Set Down, pay on the drive home.
- Take a break. The return leg is just as long.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting to pay, because there is no barrier to remind you.
- Staying past 15 minutes without noticing the jump from £10 to £28.
- Typing the wrong registration on the payment site.
- Leaving and re-entering, which costs £28 at Express Set Down or £48 at Mid Stay.
- Assuming a Blue Badge or an electric car brings a full exemption.
- Leaving the vehicle unattended.
- Using Express Set Down for a pick-up.
- Trusting an old page that still shows £7.
Quick checklist before you leave
- Pick your drop-off area.
- Note the postcode: CM24 1RW for the terminal, CM24 1PZ for Mid Stay.
- Save the payment link on your phone.
- Check your airline’s check-in deadline.
- Tell your passenger where you will stop.
- Request assistance in advance if it is needed.
How National Executive Transfers can help
Some passengers would rather skip the drive and the fee questions. A pre-booked chauffeur is another way to get there.
National Executive Transfers has operated since 2015 from Birmingham Airport, with a Mercedes-Benz fleet and licences across three West Midlands councils. Our Stansted Airport chauffeur service collects passengers from a home, hotel or office and drives them to the airport for an agreed fare. Your driver plans the drop-off around your check-in time, and nobody has to make the long drive home alone.
One honest point on fees: airport access charges can apply, depending on the vehicle and the drop-off arrangement. Ask us what your quote includes when you book, and check the same with any other provider.
For a rough idea of cost, our online form lists one-way starting fares from Birmingham of around £398 in an E-Class and around £515 in a V-Class. Your exact price depends on your pickup point, so request a quote.
Other options work well too. You can drive and use the free Mid Stay car park, or take a train to London and the Stansted Express. A chauffeur costs more than both. It suits early departures, groups with bags, older passengers and anyone who wants the transfer settled before the day. See our airport transfers page for every airport we cover.
To check availability or a price, call 01564 778080 or get a quote online. Send your flight time, pickup point and group size, and we will match the right car to your journey.
Will the Stansted drop-off charge change in 2027?
The airport has announced no change to the Express Set Down charge since it rose on 19 March 2026. Airports often review prices, and Stansted can change them at any time. Check the airport’s pick up and drop off page before you travel. We update this guide when the prices change.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is £10 for up to 15 minutes and £28 for stays over 15 minutes in the Express Set Down area. The maximum stay is 30 minutes.
Pay online at pay.stanstedairport.com or call 03450 175046. You can also set up AutoPay. There is no barrier or kerbside machine, and the airport does not accept cash or cheques.
By 23:59 on the day after your visit. You cannot pay in advance.
A Parking Charge Notice goes to the registered keeper. It is £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. Extra charges can follow after 28 days.
Yes. You appeal through the APCOA website after the notice arrives.
Yes. The Mid Stay car park is free for up to 60 minutes, and a free shuttle bus takes your passenger to the terminal.
The airport describes the ride as about seven minutes. It suggests allowing up to 20 minutes for the whole transfer.
The next hour costs £5, and a day rate applies after two hours. Re-entering within one hour of your first entry costs £48.
Yes. If your passenger holds a Blue Badge and needs more than 15 minutes, show the badge to a traffic marshal and ask for extra time. That does not apply when only the driver holds a badge.
The airport lists no exemption for electric vehicles, so assume they pay.
Only if you had a valid Stansted car park booking for the same date and time. Send proof to APCOA through its help centre.
The airport’s current price table lists it as drop-off only. Use Mid Stay or Short Stay for pick-ups.
Yes. Residents within 5 miles pay 50p for up to 15 minutes, and residents within 10 miles pay £1. Apply through the airport’s resident scheme form.
It is about 126 miles. The drive takes roughly two hours and twenty minutes in normal traffic.
The airport has announced no change as of 28 October 2026. Check its pick up and drop off page before you travel, because prices can change.
