Birmingham is the compact option. There is one terminal, the car parks and hotels are a few minutes' walk away, and a free monorail runs from the railway station in about a minute and a half. Security is easier to pack for than at most airports, because liquids up to 2 litres stay in your bag. With everything this close, the decisions are about cost, not distance. This guide covers what is worth knowing before you fly from Birmingham: the way in, what drop-off costs and how to keep it free, how early to arrive, and which parking suits your trip.
Getting there by car
Leave the M42 at junction 6 and follow the A45 and the airport signs. The airport postcode is B26 3QJ, which also covers Car Parks 1, 4 and 5, Premium Set Down and the Drop Off car park. Car Parks 2 and 3 and the valet car park use B26 3AW, and Car Park 7, off the A45 near the control tower, uses B26 3QW. When you arrive, follow the signs for your car park.
If you are parking off the airport, use the postcode in your parking confirmation instead. Our directions to Birmingham Airport page has more on the route.
Dropping off: ten free minutes, then it climbs
- The Drop Off car park is the one to use. The first 10 minutes are free, then £7 up to 15 minutes, rising in steps to £56 for an hour. It is about 400 metres from the terminal, a 5 to 10 minute covered walk, with a dedicated entrance on Airport Way. If you come back within the hour, the free 10 minutes do not apply again.
- Premium Set Down, opposite the terminal, is the closest: £8 for up to 15 minutes, then rising quickly, to £25 for 25 to 30 minutes.
- There is no barrier at either. Cameras record the visit, and you pay within 24 hours of leaving, online, at the card-only machines on site or by AutoPay. Not paying brings a parking charge notice.
- Blue Badge holders get 30 minutes free at Premium Set Down. Validate it at the customer service cabin before leaving, with the badge holder present and the car's registration.
Ten minutes is enough to unload and say goodbye if the cases are ready to go, so get everything out of the boot before you arrive. For collecting someone, the airport recommends Car Park 5, from £12 for up to an hour, a 5 to 10 minute walk from arrivals. If you are parking rather than being dropped off, none of this applies. Our drop-off charges guide compares Birmingham with every other UK airport.
Bags, check-in and security
- Check-in zones: Jet2 uses Zone A, Emirates Zone D, and every other airline Zones B and C.
- Day-before bag drop: if you are flying with Jet2, easyJet, Ryanair or TUI, you can drop your hold bags off the day before, then go straight to security on the morning you fly. Some flights are excluded, so check with your airline.
- Liquids: you can carry liquids, pastes and gels in containers of up to 2 litres, with no limit on the number of containers. Leave them loose in your bag, not in a plastic bag, and leave them and your electricals in the bag at security. Insulated bottles must be empty. Anything over 2 litres goes in the hold.
- Pockets: empty everything into your bag, including phones, keys, coins and tissues. Watches can stay on.
Your return flight may not allow the same liquids, because many UK and overseas airports still have a 100ml limit, so pack the bag for home with that in mind.
How early to arrive
Birmingham's advice is to arrive when your check-in opens, which is on your booking information. If you have checked in online and have no hold bags, arrive at the time your airline advises and go straight to the security queue on the first floor.
Then add the time from your car park. Because everything is close, the margins are small:
- Car Park 1 is about a minute's walk from the terminal, and Car Parks 2 and 3 about two minutes.
- Car Park 5 is about five minutes by shuttle.
- Park & Ride: allow 25 to 35 minutes from the car park barrier to check-in. The Park & Ride we sell is about 12 to 14 minutes from the terminal.
- Meet & Greet: be at the handover point 10 to 15 minutes before your booked time.
Which parking suits which trip
Before You Fly lists every Birmingham car park we sell in one table, cheapest first, including the airport's own car parks. When we compared prices for an eight-day trip booked about three months ahead, the gaps were small:
- Park & Ride was the cheapest, at around £48.
- On-airport parking started at around £53 for Car Park 5, a five-minute shuttle ride, and around £65 for Car Parks 1, 2 and 3, a minute or two from the terminal.
- Meet & Greet started at around £65, the same as Car Park 1.
So at Birmingham, the choice is less about money than about what you want at each end. For about £5 more than Park & Ride, Car Park 5 keeps you on the airport. For about £17 more, Car Park 1 or Meet & Greet puts you a minute from check-in; Meet & Greet also means someone else parks the car. Prices move with the dates, so compare them side by side for your trip. Our Meet & Greet or Park & Ride guide explains how to choose.
Whichever you pick, book the flexible rate if your dates might move. It can be cancelled up to 72 hours before arrival for a full refund; see the cancellation FAQs. Blue Badge holders can find more in the Blue Badge FAQs.
Lounges and hotels
Birmingham's lounges include the Aspire Lounge, which gained two new tiers in 2026, Luxe by Aspire and Suite by Aspire, as well as the No1 Lounge and Clubrooms. All can be pre-booked. Compare them on our Birmingham lounges page.
For a dawn flight, the Novotel is directly opposite the terminal and the ibis within a short walk, and there are more hotels nearby. Search Birmingham hotels.
Getting there by train
Birmingham International station is joined to the terminal by the Air-Rail Link, a free monorail that runs daily from 03:30 to 00:30 and takes about a minute and a half. It leaves from the first floor of the station and arrives on the first floor of the airport; take the lift down for check-in.
- London Euston: three trains an hour with Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway, taking about 70 minutes with Avanti.
- Birmingham New Street: about 10 minutes, with several direct trains every hour.
- Further afield: CrossCountry to Manchester Piccadilly and Bournemouth, and Transport for Wales to Shrewsbury and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
Is drop-off free at Birmingham Airport?
For the first 10 minutes in the Drop Off car park, about a 5 to 10 minute covered walk from the terminal. After that it is £7 up to 15 minutes, rising to £56 for an hour. Premium Set Down, opposite the terminal, costs £8 for up to 15 minutes. Pay within 24 hours of leaving.
Where do I collect someone at Birmingham?
The airport recommends Car Park 5, from £12 for up to an hour, about a 5 to 10 minute walk from arrivals. Wait there until your passenger has their bags.
How early should I arrive at Birmingham Airport?
Birmingham advises arriving when your check-in opens, shown on your booking. With hand luggage only and online check-in, arrive when your airline advises and go straight to security on the first floor.
How do I get from the train to the terminal?
Take the free Air-Rail Link from the first floor of Birmingham International station. It runs from 03:30 to 00:30 every day and takes about a minute and a half.
Which parking is cheapest at Birmingham?
Park & Ride is usually the cheapest, but at Birmingham the gap is small: in our comparison for an eight-day trip, the airport's Car Park 5 cost only about £5 more. Compare Birmingham parking for your dates.
Sorted before you fly.
