Drivers dropping off friends and family at UK airports are facing the highest charges on record this summer with more than half putting up their fees since last year, according to new RAC analysis. Of the 11 airports that have increased their prices since last year, Belfast City’s rise is the steepest with charges going up by a third (now £4 for 10 minutes, up from £3 last year), followed by Newcastle (now £5 for 10 minutes, up from £4 last year). London Heathrow, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Liverpool all upped their drop-off fees by £1, or 20%, and now charge £6 for between 10 and 20 minutes, up from £5 last year. The remaining five airports that put their prices up are London Gatwick, Bristol, Leeds Bradford and Southampton, which now all join Stansted in charging the top rate of £7 for dropping off, and Glasgow which increased its fee by 50p to £6 for 15 minutes. But on a cost-per-minute basis, the most expensive airports are London Luton and Manchester, where drivers have to fork out £5 to stop for just five minutes. Remarkably, these £1-per-minute drop-off rates mean the cost of a return flight from Manchester to Turkey in August is cheaper on a per-minute basis. With Cardiff Airport introducing drop-off fees this year for the first time (£3 for 10 minutes, the same rate as at Belfast International airport), this leaves London City as the only top 20 UK airport that still offers drivers a free drop-off close to the terminal - although anyone doing so needs to be careful not to wait in their vehicles or leave them unattended, or face a penalty. Airports UK chief executive says “charges are a part of the airport business model” Karen Dee, chief executive of trade body Airports UK, said: “All airports offer a free drop-off facility. They also have a wide variety of options to suit all passengers’ needs, including premium drop-off in front of the terminal building for those who wish to use that. “Where fees are charged, this helps airports manage and reduce congestion, noise, carbon emissions and air pollution for local communities, something that they are mandated to do by the Government and local authorities. “These charges are a part of the airport business model and help enable the provision of the widest variety of flights from the airport.” The cost of dropping off passengers at UK airports Top 20 airports based on total passenger numbers reported to the CAA for 2024 Belfast City Airport - £4 for 10 minutes (up from £3 last year) Newcastle - £5 for 10 minutes (up from £4 last year) London Heathrow - £6 (up from £5 last year) Edinburgh - £6 for up to 10 minutes (up from £5 last year) Birmingham - £6 for 15 minutes (up from £5 last year) Liverpool - £6 for up to 10 minutes (up from £5 last year) London Stansted - £7 for 15 minutes (no increase on last year) London Gatwick - £7 for 10 minutes (up from £6 last year) Bristol - £7 for 10 minutes (up from £6 last year) Leeds Bradford - £7 for 10 minutes (up from £6.50 last year) Southampton - £7 for 20 minutes (up from £6 last year) Glasgow - £6 for 15 minutes (up from £5.50 last year) London Luton - £5 for five minutes Manchester - £5 for five minutes (no increase on last year) Cardiff Airport - £3 for 10 minutes (introduced for the first time this year) Belfast International Airport - £3 for 10 minutes (no increase on last year) London City Airport - free drop-off (no waiting in vehicles or leaving them unattended) Aberdeen - £5.50 for 15 minutes (no increase on last year) East Midlands - £5 for 15 minutes (no increase on last year) Bournemouth - £5 for 30 minutes ((no increase on last year)