East Midlands Airport (EMA) is one of the cheaper UK airports for parking. Long Stay rates start around £4 per day, and the off-airport Meet & Greet market offers three differentiated tiers (All Inclusive, Flexible, Non-Flexible). The £5 ANPR drop-off charge added a small new line to factor in, but on balance EMA is still the best-value Midlands option for most travellers.
The price brackets
| Type | Indicative weekly rate | Walk or shuttle |
|---|---|---|
| Official Long Stay | £28 to £45 | 10 min shuttle |
| Off-airport Park & Ride | £30 to £50 | 5 to 12 min shuttle |
| Meet & Greet (Non-Flexible) | £70 to £85 | 0 min, no refund on amendments |
| Meet & Greet (Flexible) | £75 to £95 | 0 min, free amendments to 24h |
| Meet & Greet (All Inclusive) | £90 to £110 | 0 min, free cancellation + every fee covered |
The 3-tier Meet & Greet structure
EMA's Meet & Greet operators (Midlands Airport Parking) split into three tiers, which is unusual at UK airports. Each tier targets a different traveller:
- Non-Flexible: the cheapest option. Date and time changes are not refundable. Choose this only if your dates are firm.
- Flexible: the middle tier. Free amendments up to 24 hours before drop-off. The right balance for most leisure travellers.
- All Inclusive: the premium tier. Free cancellation up to 24 hours, every fee covered, no extra charges on collection.
The £5 ANPR drop-off
EMA switched to barrier-free ANPR drop-off on 1 May 2025. £5 for the first 15 minutes, £1 per minute after. You pay online by midnight the day after the visit; miss the deadline and the airport sends a Penalty Charge Notice. The free alternative is the Long Stay car park (free for short stays, free shuttle to the terminal). Full breakdown: East Midlands Airport drop off charges 2026.
Where to actually save money
- Long Stay is genuinely cheap at EMA. Official Long Stay weekly rates start around £4 per day, which is roughly half of what equivalent rates run at the bigger airports.
- Flexible Meet & Greet is the right tier for most trips. Non-Flexible saves you £5 to £15 but only if your dates are 100 percent firm. The risk of needing to amend usually outweighs the saving.
- Book inside the 14-day window. EMA is less peak-driven than the bigger airports; off-peak weekday departures are particularly good value.
- AutoPay for the drop-off. Set up AutoPay on EMA's site so you do not forget to pay the £5 within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest week-long EMA parking?
Official Long Stay from £28 if booked early off-peak; off-airport Park & Ride from £30 to £40 for the same dates.
Is the All Inclusive Meet & Greet worth the extra £15 to £25?
If your trip is firmly planned, no. Flexible offers the same convenience minus the cancellation insurance. If your dates might shift, All Inclusive's free cancellation pays for itself the first time you need to use it.
How does the £5 drop-off compare to other airports?
£5 is the cheapest among the airports we cover, with a more generous 15-minute window than Bristol (10 min) or Heathrow (10 min). EMA continues to offer one of the most pragmatic drop-off setups in the UK.
Are EMA's official car parks Park Mark accredited?
Yes, all of EMA's official parking is. Off-airport operators vary; the green badge is shown on each listing.
Compare EMA parking now
See live East Midlands Airport parking prices.
Prices verified May 2026 against eastmidlandsairport.com and Midlands Airport Parking's published rates. Always check the live listing before booking.