Birmingham Airport charges £7 for up to 15 minutes at the Premium Set Down zone right outside the terminal in 2026. There is also a separate Drop Off Car Park a short walk away that gives you 10 minutes free. Here is the full breakdown, the genuinely free option, and how to avoid a £100 penalty.

Birmingham Airport drop-off charges for 2026

Birmingham runs two separate facilities, and what you pay depends on which one you use.

  • Premium Set Down, the express zone at the terminal doors: £7 for up to 15 minutes. You pay from the first minute and the price climbs steeply if you stay longer.
  • Drop Off Car Park, a short walk away: the first 10 minutes are free, then £6 up to 15 minutes, £7 up to 20 minutes, and rising from there.

If you are happy to walk a few minutes, the Drop Off Car Park is the one to use. Premium Set Down only makes sense if you genuinely need to stop at the door.

The free Birmingham drop-off option

The Drop Off Car Park gives you 10 minutes free. Birmingham is one of the last major UK airports to still offer any free drop-off time at all, so it is worth knowing.

  • It sits around 400 metres from the terminal, a 5 to 10 minute walk along a covered walkway.
  • A free shuttle bus also runs between the car park and the terminal if you would rather not walk.

One catch to watch: if you leave and come back within an hour you do not get a second free 10 minute window, so do not circle the airport waiting for a delayed flight.

How to pay and avoid a penalty

Both zones are barrierless and use number-plate cameras, so there is nothing to scan on the way in. You pay afterwards by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with no cash accepted. You can pay online, at a machine on site, or set up automatic payment in advance.

You have until midnight the day after your visit to pay. Miss that and you risk a Parking Charge Notice of £100, reduced to £50 if you pay within 14 days. Pay as soon as you are home and it is a non-issue.

Blue Badge holders

Blue Badge holders get 30 minutes free, but only in the Premium Set Down zone, not the standard Drop Off Car Park. You validate it on the way out at the NCP desk inside Premium Set Down with your badge and vehicle registration. There is no need to register in advance.

Dropping off, or parking and flying yourself?

If you are flying out rather than just dropping someone off, paying the gate rate for parking is the most expensive way to do it. Booking ahead is far cheaper, and a meet and greet handover at the kerb skips the drop-off charge entirely because the driver takes the car for you. Compare every car park at Birmingham Airport to see the real prices side by side.

Prices are correct as of June 2026 and can change. Always check the airport's own website before you travel.