From 29 September 2026 the airport’s Rapid Drop Off charge is £8 for up to 10 minutes, up from £5 for 15 minutes. The higher entry fee and steeper per-minute penalty increase costs for drivers who operate repeated airport runs.
After the first 10 minutes, the published rate is £1 per minute, so a 15-minute stay would cost £13.
A free alternative exists: Long Stay car park allows pick-ups/drop-offs free for up to 60 minutes, but it lacks terminal-door convenience.
Arrow Cars operates the airport’s private hire concession with fixed, prepaid fares that exclude extra parking or waiting charges.
East Midlands Airport changed its Rapid Drop Off tariff on 29 September 2026. The headline charge is now £8 for a stay of up to 10 minutes immediately outside the terminal. Previously the Rapid Drop Off fare was £5 for up to 15 minutes. The minimum entry charge has therefore risen by £3 while the included time has been cut by five minutes.
The airport's published guidance charges an additional £1 for every minute after the first 10 minutes. That makes a 15-minute terminal stop cost £13 under the current tariff (the £8 initial charge plus five additional minutes at £1 each).
What this means for drivers and operators
Repeated airport work: For fleets and drivers who make frequent terminal trips, the £3 uplift in the minimum Rapid Drop Off fee adds up. Each round trip that uses the Rapid Drop Off area now carries a higher baseline cost, and any small delays that push a stop beyond 10 minutes sharply increase the bill.
Dwell-time incentive: The combination of reduced included time and the steep per-minute charge gives drivers a stronger financial incentive to reduce dwell times when unloading passengers and luggage.
Long Stay car park: The airport continues to offer a free alternative. Drivers can use the Long Stay car park for pick-ups and drop-offs without charge for up to 60 minutes. That avoids Rapid Drop Off fees but does not provide the same terminal-door convenience.
Blue Badge parking: Blue Badge arrangements remain separate. Blue Badge parking is available in Short Stay 1 with the first 30 minutes free and designated bays provided.
Airport payment and account options
Rapid Drop Off is barrier-free. Payment can be made online or by telephone. Regular users can set up an AutoPay account so charges are collected automatically. AutoPay may be relevant to taxi, private-hire and chauffeur fleets that make frequent airport journeys because it streamlines charge collection.
The airport's official private hire concession is run by Arrow Cars. Collection and drop-off points for that concession sit outside the terminal. East Midlands Airport says fares booked through Arrow Cars are fixed and prepaid and do not carry additional parking or waiting-time charges.
The tariff change raises the immediate cost of short terminal stops and tightens the margin on frequent airport work. Drivers and operators can reduce exposure by cutting dwell times, using Long Stay parking for slower turnarounds, or relying on Arrow Cars' fixed prepaid service when appropriate.
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