Dropping someone off outside the terminals at Manchester Airport costs £5.50 for five minutes, according to the airport's website. There is a free alternative at JetParks 1, with a shuttle bus to the terminals.

Terminal drop-off zones. The airport lists the same prices for the Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 zones: £5.50 for five minutes, £6.50 for ten minutes and £25 for up to 30 minutes, which is the maximum stay. There are no payment barriers, so drivers must pay online after leaving, by midnight the following day. An unpaid charge becomes a £100 Parking Charge Notice, which the airport says is reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. The airport also warns of a £100 charge for picking up passengers in the drop-off zone. For comparison, Which?, whose pricing checks were last carried out in June 2026, recorded £5 for five minutes and £6.40 for ten.

Free drop-off at JetParks 1. All passengers can use the free drop-off area at JetParks 1 (postcode M90 5AZ) for up to 60 minutes. A free shuttle bus runs 24 hours a day to the terminals and takes around six minutes. It is a one-way service from the car park to the terminal.

The airport's terms for the free area say it is for drop-off only, not for picking up passengers, and not for commercial use. An overstay charge of £25 applies after 60 minutes, and drivers who re-enter within 30 minutes of leaving face a £25 recirculation fee. Blue Badge holders who display their badge can stay for as long as is reasonably necessary without an overstay charge.

Anyone who needs longer than 30 minutes, or wants to go into the terminal with their party, is pointed by the airport to its short-stay and turn-up-and-park options.

Sources: Manchester Airport, pick up and drop off; Manchester Airport, free drop-off terms; Manchester Airport, drop-off zone terms; Manchester Airport, parking FAQs; Which?, 26 March 2026 (airport details as listed on 26 October 2026). This article was produced with the help of AI tools and checked by an editor against the sources above.