8 airport rip-offs and how to avoid them

Travelling away from a UK airport should be exciting, but it’s often fraught with unexpected charges and costs – all eating into your holiday budget before you’ve even made it to the runway.

From extortionate drop-off charges to overpriced food, we’ve rounded up eight of the biggest airport rip-offs you can be stung by and reveal how to get around them.

Rip-off #1: Drop-off charges

Think you’re saving money by avoiding taxis and airport parking charges when getting a lift to the airport? You’ll be surprised how many airports charge just to drop-off outside.

There’s a minimum charge of £10 to use the designated drop-off zones in the​ North and South terminals ​​​at Gatwick. This must be paid by midnight the day after you use the zones or you can receive a Parking Charge Notice, too. Other airports have a similarly high starting price, with Stansted, Luton, Heathrow and Leeds Bradford’s rates starting at £7, and Bristol’s price starting at £8.50 for up to 10 minutes.

Edinburgh charges £6 for up to 10 minutes with a £1 charge per minute afterwards and Liverpool will also prise £6 from you for up to 10 minutes and £10 for up to 20. Norwich charges £6 for up to 30 minutes. Fly from Manchester, and you’ll only get a five-minute drop-off window for a fiver. Elsewhere, Teesside is more generous, offering 10 minutes for £2.50.

London City used to be the only London airport without a drop-off charge, but this changed in January 2026, and it now costs £8 for up to five minutes and £1 per minute after this.

Be warned, too, that hanging around in any of these ‘drop zones’ can make your parking charges rocket. Stansted’s charge escalates to £25 if you go over 15 minutes while Liverpool will take £10 once you hit 20 minutes and £25 for up to an hour.

However, most airports offer free alternatives with specific car parks detailed on their websites. These are usually in mid or long stay, with a bus ride or long walk to the terminal, so do your research online before arriving. It’s worth mentioning, though, that there are usually free or reduced options for anyone who has mobility issues. You’ll find details for Blue Badge Holder’s parking online for each airport.

If your closest airport is Edinburgh, note that local residents can apply for a 50% discount at paid drop-off and pick-up, too.

Another alternative is to drive yourself to the airport and park up. But do ensure you pre-book your parking online in advance to get the best deal.

Rip-off #2: FastTrack fees

In a hurry? FastTrack is no longer the preserve of the business class passenger. Many airports now offer this time-saving service for a fee. Stansted charges £6.49 per person; at Edinburgh, Norwich and Newcastle it's £7. Glasgow asks for just a penny less at £6.99, while Gatwick, Bristol, Birmingham and Liverpool all charge £6. Buy directly at the airport and you’ll face even higher charges, with Gatwick jumping to £8 and Birmingham charging £8.50 when you pay at the desk.

The same goes for FastTrack passport control, too. Gatwick, Manchester, Heathrow, Birmingham, Stansted and Glasgow all offer the service, charging between £15 (Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester) per person and £25 at Heathrow to avoid those frustrating queues that can build up on arrival. But, think, is the charge actually worth it in the long run?

If this is a must for you, tickets are best bought online in advance to make the most of discounted prices. At some airports it’s possible to get FastTrack tickets as part of packaged rates with lounge access and airport parking in a mega deal. Compare prices here to find the best deal for you.

Rip-off #3: Food and drink

If you’re planning on eating at the airport, expensive food and drink costs are hard to avoid. Even if you opt for a few snacks at one of the airport’s vendors, be prepared to pay premium prices. When we looked at prices in Manchester Airport Terminal 2 in February, a bacon sandwich was £7.75 in the Great Northern Market and a fry-up cost £14.75 with toast adding on an extra £3.50.

Save money by bringing food from home. Solid items including sandwiches, crisps, fruit and biscuits are all able to pass through security. Remember you currently can’t take liquids over 100ml through, so avoid having to fork out for an overpriced bottle of water in the departure lounge by bringing a refillable bottle with you and using the free water fountains.

Rip-off #4: Shop prices

Food and drink aren’t the only overpriced purchases you’ll encounter at the airport. If you’re after a bargain from the duty free and airport shops, do a quick search on your smart phone to check online prices before buying, as great deals might not actually be the best ones available. You’ll soon confirm if you’re getting an airport bargain or not.

For example, we checked the price of a 100ml bottle of Jo Malone perfume at Heathrow Terminal 3 and found the savings were significant. It cost £97.60 at duty free compared to £122 at John Lewis. However, Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream was £44.95 for 30ml in duty free compared to £34.99 in TK Maxx, highlighting the need to check prices before you buy.

Miniature toiletries such as shower gel, toothpaste and make-up remover are also notorious for price markups. One way to beat overpriced minis, and the 100ml liquid rule if you’re travelling with hand luggage only, is by making a click and collect order into a Boots or Superdrug at the airport you’re flying from, then simply collecting it after security. Just remember that you won’t be able to take any liquids over 100ml on the flight home, so only order full-sized items you’ll likely use the majority of, like sun cream and shampoo.

Rip-off #5: Last-minute currency

There is only one thing to advise here. Don’t buy your travel money at the airport. Ever. You will pay as much as 10% more for your cash than by organising before you go. That’s the same as throwing £10 away for every £100 you change.

If you can, compare rates for home delivery and pick-up online before your holiday – MoneySavingExpert’s TravelMoneyMax tool will help you find the best deals. And if you’ve left it too late, always pre-book your money to collect at the airport to benefit from better rates than those on the day – you can do this as little as a couple of hours before you fly for some currencies.

Rip-off #6: Wi-Fi charges

While each of the 20 UK airports we checked offers free wi-fi, the amount of access time without a charge varies from airport to airport.

Fly from Glasgow and you’ll only get one hour of free wi-fi access before you’ll have to pay £2 for premium usage. Cardiff allows you two hours of free wi-fi access, while Liverpool allows four.

Some airports are more generous – Gatwick, Stansted Heathrow, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh all offer unlimited free wi-fi for their customers. However, it’s best not to rely on the airport wi-fi where possible. Avoid heavy internet usage at the airport by having all your essential travel documents either printed or downloaded on your phone in advance. Similarly, download any entertainment such as tv episodes or podcasts to your phone or iPad before you leave home.

Rip-off #7: Excess baggage fees

Being hit with last-minute baggage fees because you’ve gone over your airline’s checked luggage weight limit is the last thing you want at the airport, especially when the charges can quickly add up. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, for example, both charge £65 per one-way journey for overweight items, while Emirates can charge up to $50 for every kilo over the allocated weight limit.

The easiest way to avoid excess baggage fees is to pack sensibly and weigh your bag before you depart for the airport to make sure you’re within the specified limit. Wear any bulky items on the plane (think coats and boots) and avoid using up precious weight with heavy electricals or books.

If going over your allowance is unavoidable, book extra hold luggage online in advance – it can be up to 60% cheaper than buying at the airport.

Rip-off #8: Unexpected extras

Be aware that some airport fundamentals that you’d assume to be free can cost you at certain airports.

Only four of the twenty airports we researched provide free luggage trolleys to transport your bags. Heathrow remains free, along with Glasgow, Aberdeen and Newcastle. Luton, Bristol, Edinburgh and Birmingham, however, want £2 per trolley, while Manchester, Southend and Belfast International all charge £1 (although you get your coin back at Belfast). For many of these airports, you’ll need coins with you on arrival to use, so if you can, avoid the charge and invest in luggage with wheels.

Travelling through Norwich Airport? You have our pity – expect an additional charge of £10 for each passenger over the age of 15. It's part of an 'Airport Development Fee'. As of January 2026, this fee will be included in the price of airline tickets rather than passengers having to pay it themselves. On a brighter note, a similar fee charged at Teesside was abolished in 2021.

Please note: All prices are based on those at 20 of the most popular UK airports in February 2026. All prices were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.