Luton Airport: where to park before a flight and where to pick up passengers

Parking at London Luton Airport means choosing between the official car parks and private operators. Some places are for leaving your car while you travel, others for collecting a passenger. Below is a summary based on a guide published by the Polish Express portal on 24 October 2026.

Car parks for departing passengers

The airport's official car parks come in three types, depending on the distance from the terminal:

• Long Stay – the furthest away and the cheapest. A bus to the terminal takes about 10 minutes. An example price per day in 2025 was £16.
• Mid Stay – about a 10-minute walk to the airport. The price is around £20 per day.
• Terminal Car Park 1 and 2 – less than 5 minutes' walk from the terminal and the most expensive: around £27 per day.

Private car parks, run by independent companies, are usually cheaper than the official ones. They typically use a shuttle bus to the terminal. The author advises checking how far it is to the terminal, whether you must hand over your keys, whether the transfer is included and whether you can collect your car at night.

Where to pick up a passenger

• Paid Drop Off and Pick Up zone near the terminal – £9 for 12 minutes and £1 for each additional minute, with a maximum stay of 30 minutes. It works when the passenger walks out to the terminal front themselves. It is not suitable if you need to collect someone from the arrivals hall, such as an elderly person.
• Free zone at the Long Stay car park – up to 2 hours free, and the third hour costs £7. This is a good option if the passenger takes the free bus from the terminal or needs to be collected from the terminal.

Drivers' tips

It is best to book parking online in advance, as paying on the day is the most expensive option. Official car parks can be fully booked. Some drivers wait outside the airport, for example at a petrol station, and drive into the zone only once the passenger has left the terminal. You can also meet at Luton Airport Parkway station, which the Luton DART shuttle reaches from the airport in 4 minutes. Another option is the car park at the Ibis and ParkInn hotels, where, according to the author, up to 30 minutes is free.

What this means for you

Many people travelling to and from Poland use Luton Airport, and families often collect relatives from arrivals. Before you travel, check current prices and rules on the airport's official website, as the amounts quoted may change.