To pick someone up from Gatwick, use the express pick-up bays in the short stay car parks: the ground floor of Car Park 3 at the South Terminal, or Level 4 of Car Park 6 at the North Terminal. These are charged at short stay rates. If you’d rather not pay, the long stay car parks give you up to two hours free, with a shuttle bus to the terminal.
Collecting someone at Gatwick catches a lot of people out. There’s no free waiting outside arrivals, the drop-off zone can’t be used for pick-ups, and a flight that lands on time can still mean a 45-minute wait while bags come through. This guide covers each option, what it involves and when it makes more sense to book a taxi instead. It’s put together by Airports Taxi UK, whose drivers collect passengers at both terminals every day.
Gatwick Pick-Up Options at a Glance
| Option | Where | Cost | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express pick-up (short stay) | South: Car Park 3, ground floor North: Car Park 6, Level 4 |
Short stay rates | Quick collections when the passenger is already out |
| Long stay car park | Long stay car parks, then shuttle bus | Free for up to 2 hours | Saving money if you don’t mind the extra time |
| Pre-booked taxi | Driver meets you inside arrivals | Fixed fare, waiting included | Late or delayed flights, heavy luggage, longer trips home |
Gatwick Short Stay Pick Up, Step by Step
Use the terminal postcode in your sat nav (RH6 0NP for the South Terminal, RH6 0PJ for the North Terminal) and follow the signs for short stay parking as you get close. Our Gatwick postcode guide has directions from the M23 if you haven’t driven there before.
- Check the arrival terminal on the airline’s website or app. Airlines do change terminals.
- Wait until the passenger has landed and is close to coming through, so you’re not paying for time you don’t need.
- Drive into the short stay car park for that terminal and head for the express pick-up bays.
- Stay with the car. Gatwick warns that unattended vehicles can get a parking charge notice.
- Tell the passenger which car park and level you’re on. They walk over from arrivals in a few minutes.
- Pay at the exit. The charge rolls up with time, so a long wait costs more.
The express bays are for collections only. Gatwick asks drivers not to use them for dropping people off; the drop-off zones outside departures are for that, at £10 a visit.
Using the Long Stay Car Park for Free
Gatwick’s long stay car parks let you wait for up to two hours without charge. The passenger takes the free shuttle bus from the terminal to meet you, so you avoid the short stay fee completely. It works well when you know the flight is on time and the passenger travels light.
The downside is time. Shuttle buses run regularly but not constantly, and with luggage and a queue at the stop it can add 20 to 30 minutes to the journey. After two hours, normal long stay charges start, so a badly delayed flight can wipe out the saving.
What Usually Goes Wrong
Most pick-up problems come down to timing. A flight shown as “landed” might still be taxiing for 15 minutes, and passport control at Gatwick can take anywhere from ten minutes to well over an hour in the summer. Bags from a long-haul flight can take a while too. People circle the airport roads, wait in a lay-by or stop in the drop-off zone, and any of those can lead to a fine.
Other common problems are going to the wrong terminal, misreading which car park belongs to which terminal, and leaving the car to go and find someone inside. If you need to go into the terminal to help with bags or a child, park properly in the short stay car park rather than the express bays.
Late-Night and Early-Morning Arrivals
Gatwick is busy around the clock, and plenty of flights land after midnight or before 6am. Trains are thin at those hours and some services don’t run at all, which is when most people ask a friend for a lift. If you’re the one driving, check the car park opening details before you set off, allow for overnight roadworks on the M23 and M25, and keep your phone charged so the passenger can reach you. For very late or very early landings, a pre-booked driver saves someone an interrupted night’s sleep and a tired drive home.
When a Taxi Makes More Sense
If you’d be driving an hour each way to collect someone, paying for parking on top, a pre-booked airport transfer from Gatwick often costs about the same once fuel and time are counted, and nobody has to sit in a car park watching the arrivals board.
With Airports Taxi UK the driver tracks the flight, so an early landing or a delay is handled without anyone ringing round. We include an hour of free waiting after the plane lands. The driver waits inside the arrivals hall with a name board, helps with the bags and walks the passenger to the car. The fare is fixed when you book.
Taxi Fares From Gatwick
These are live fixed fares from our booking system for a saloon from the South Terminal, plus an MPV price for groups of up to six. North Terminal fares are usually a few pounds less.
| Gatwick to | Saloon | MPV (6 seats) |
|---|---|---|
| Brighton | £71.48 | £92.59 |
| Heathrow Airport | £88.08 | £113.96 |
| Canary Wharf | £94.37 | £121.84 |
| Reading | £105.20 | £135.64 |
| Basingstoke | £106.15 | £137.21 |
| Central London | £109.00 | £139.94 |
| St Albans | £113.77 | £146.76 |
| Stansted Airport | £121.42 | £156.70 |
| Portsmouth | £128.92 | £166.31 |
Fares can change slightly with the date and time, so enter your journey in the booking form for an exact quote. The price you see is what you pay. A taxi from Gatwick Airport to London includes the Congestion Charge and ULEZ where the route needs them, so there’s nothing extra to settle with the driver.
Connecting Flights: Gatwick to Heathrow and Stansted
If you’re landing at Gatwick and flying out of another London airport, a taxi from Gatwick to Heathrow is usually the quickest link. It’s about 45 miles round the M25 and takes around an hour outside rush hour. Coaches run between the two, but they take longer and you’ll need to fit your bags on board and keep to their timetable. A Gatwick to Stansted taxi is a longer run across or around London, usually somewhere between 90 minutes and two hours, and we’d always allow plenty of time for the M25.
Tell us your onward flight time when you book and we’ll keep an eye on the incoming flight, so the driver is there when you come out.
Picking Up Groups and Families
A saloon takes four people and two large cases, which is often not enough after a family holiday. An estate fits four cases, an MPV carries six passengers, and our 8 seaters take eight people with eight cases. For bigger families our 7 seater taxis at Gatwick are popular, and child seats can be added for £10 each.
For business travellers or a special occasion, our Gatwick chauffeur service uses executive cars with the same meet and greet and flight tracking.
Why Book a Gatwick Pick-Up With Us?
- Driver waits inside the arrivals hall with a name board
- Live flight tracking, with an hour of free waiting after landing
- Fixed fares with parking, ULEZ and the Congestion Charge included
- Vehicles from saloons to 8 seaters
- 5% off the return leg when you book both ways
Related Gatwick Pages
- Gatwick Airport taxi: all routes and fares
- Gatwick Airport postcode guide
- Coach, train or taxi to Gatwick?
- Gatwick meet and greet
- Gatwick Airport guide: terminals, trains and taxis
Gatwick Pick-Up FAQs
Where do you pick up passengers at Gatwick?
In the express pick-up bays: the ground floor of Car Park 3 at the South Terminal and Level 4 of Car Park 6 at the North Terminal.
Is there free pick-up at Gatwick?
Yes, in the long stay car parks, which are free for up to two hours. The passenger takes the shuttle bus out to you.
Can I wait outside arrivals at Gatwick?
No. Stopping outside the terminal isn’t allowed for collections, and the drop-off zone is for departures only.
Can I leave my car in the express pick-up bays?
No. You have to stay with the vehicle, and unattended cars can get a parking charge notice.
How long does your driver wait at Gatwick?
We include an hour of free waiting after the flight lands, and we track the flight so delays are covered.
How much is a taxi from Gatwick Airport to London?
From £109.00 in a saloon to central London, fixed and including the Congestion Charge and ULEZ.
How long is a taxi from Gatwick to Heathrow?
Around an hour outside rush hour, for a fixed fare of £88.08 in a saloon.
Book Your Gatwick Pick-Up
Put your flight number, terminal and destination in the booking form at the top of this page. You’ll see a fixed price straight away, and we’ll confirm the driver’s details before you land.