Picking up and dropping someone off to and from Heathrow Airport can be a daunting task. Driving through London in the first place can make some people anxious but finding the right terminal and picking someone up or dropping them off can be challenging and stressful.
We would always recommend getting a taxi to Heathrow Airport if possible but if it isn’t we will show you exactly how you can pick someone up from Heathrow airport.
Pickup up someone from Heathrow Airport
Picking up someone from Heathrow Airport can be confusing as in most airports you can drive outside the front of them and pick someone up or drop someone off.
Heathrow however is different and it has different rules for picking someone up and for dropping them off.
Picking someone up from Heathrow can be done by the passengers making their way to either the short stay car park or long stay car park and being picked up from there.
Being picked up from the short stay car park is by far the most convenient option as it’s only a 2-minute walk away from the airport. The long-stay car park is further away and will require a shuttle to get there.
With that said, if you are looking to save money you can do so by meeting your passengers at the long stay car park as the first two hours are free. The short stay car park you will have to pay to enter but doesn’t require a shuttle to get there so it all depends on your budget and how tired you are after travelling.
The long-stay car parks for example can take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes to reach via the shuttle bus, so if you have had a long haul flight and want to get home a little earlier it may be worth paying the extra to get picked up from short stay.
As we mentioned above the first two hours of long-stay are free, after that, you can pay up to £31.40 a day for parking. A short stay on the other hand costs £3.80 for 30 minutes of stay and then increases to £7.00 for an hour or £11.30 for 1 – 2 hours. We would advise you to take this into consideration when picking someone up as you could pay a hefty fee if their flight is delayed.
If you want to pick someone up from the short-stay parking at Heathrow Airport below are the pickup points:
Terminal 2 Short Stay
Postcode: TW6 1EW
Terminal 3 Short Stay
Postcode: TW6 1QG
Terminal 4 Short Stay
Postcode: TW6 3XA
Terminal 5 Short Stay
Postcode: TW6 2GA
You can see more about getting to Heathrow Airport in our guide.
Dropping off passengers at Heathrow Airport
You can drop off passengers outside of each of the Heathrow Airport terminals in the lanes dedicated to doing so. Passengers can then unload onto the pavement and go on with their journeys.
When dropping off passengers there are a few things you will want to take into consideration. The first being you are not allowed to wait at any time outside of the terminals. The forecourts are monitored by both the Police and Airport staff and you will be moved along if you are seen as waiting.
Secondly, when dropping off passengers there is a drop off charge at the terminals of £5 a time, this fee will need to be paid either before dropping off, on the same day or by midnight the next day.
Payment for the drop off charge can be made online or via their telephone booking system (tel:03300085600). If you don’t pay in time you will be fined £80 which will be reduced to £40 if you pay within 14 days.
These charges are for drop-offs only and don’t apply to picking up as you can only now pick up from the car parks.
Final Thoughts
Getting to Heathrow airport can be stressful as it is very busy. We always recommend to our readers where possible to book a private airport transfer as it takes a lot of that stress away. However, we know this isn’t always possible so being prepared and knowing what you can do before the time is going to help cut down on that stress.
If you are picking someone up from Heathrow Airport we would recommend meeting them in the short-stay parking which is convenient for both the driver and the passenger arriving at Heathrow. It may be a little more costly than the free long stay car park but the long stay is further away and involves too much waiting around for the driver of the car.
If the thought of picking someone up or dropping someone off at Heathrow fills you with anxiety then use our make a booking button at the top of this page to get a quote on a private taxi to Heathrow Airport. It’s cheaper than you think and it cuts down on the stress of travelling.
Other options would be to stay at a hotel close to Heathrow which you can walk to and get picked up from. This way you are still driving to Heathrow but you don’t have to worry about the strict picking up and dropping off rules of the airport.
There are many hotels within walking distance of Heathrow Airport so be sure to have a look for them, You could also stay an extra night at the hotel if budget allows it so you are breaking up your trip so it doesn’t feel like you are travelling for long. This is especially useful for those travelling with children. Booking a hotel allows you to recharge your batteries ready for the journey home.