Around £2 million a day is being spent on parking at five major UK airports, with passengers paying £751 million in 2025
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Passengers paid £751 million to leave their cars at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands in 2025.
Around £2 million a day is being spent on parking at five of England’s biggest airports, up from £703 million in 2024.
At Heathrow, annual car parking revenue increased from £185 million to £197 million in 2025, according to its annual report.
The airport, now fully foreign-owned, made almost £200 million after charging drivers up to £98 a day, while Stansted has raised its 30-minute drop-off fee to £28.
Drivers at Heathrow get the first 30 minutes free in long stay parking, but are charged £46.80 to stay two to 24 hours. Terminal drop-offs are charged at £7, and short-stay parking is £98 a day.
A week’s priority parking in Terminal 2 can cost up to £485 even if pre-booked.
Across the five airports, ownership is now 55 per cent overseas, with investors based in Europe, Canada, the Middle East, Australia and Asia.
Heathrow is owned by Heathrow Airport Holdings, part of a consortium led by French investment firm Ardian. The company bought out the last remaining UK investor last year and increased its stake to 32.6 per cent.
Australian Retirement Trust owns a further 11.2 per cent, with the rest split between investors from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain and Canada.
Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns East Midlands, Manchester and Stansted, reported £406.1 million in parking income for 2024–25, up from £370.3 million.
A week’s parking at Manchester can cost up to £430, falling to around £81 if booked ahead.
Stansted Airport has been criticised for increasing its drop-off fees to £10 for 15 minutes and £28 for up to half an hour.
Meanwhile, Gatwick, which is 50.01 per cent owned by French company Vinci Airports, made £148.1 million from parking in 2025.
The figures were first reported by The Telegraph.
Clive Wratten, chief executive of the Business Travel Association, said rising drop-off and parking charges were becoming “a little bit out of hand” and suggested they may eventually need to be capped.
He also questioned why passengers were being charged for drop-offs despite already paying airport fees within their ticket.
A Heathrow spokesperson said the airport offers a range of transport options and that income from drivers helps offset costs for passengers.
A spokesperson for Manchester Airports Group (MAG) said parking revenue is reinvested into infrastructure and helps keep airline charges down. Airport parking income can also contribute to wider revenues and investor returns.