Liverpool John Lennon Airport is a single terminal in Speke, on the south side of the city. It is a compact airport: the car parks we sell here are all within walking distance of the terminal, so there is no shuttle to wait for. The part to plan is the drop-off, where the free option means a seven-minute walk and a strict 20 minutes. This guide covers what is worth knowing before you fly from Liverpool.
Getting there by car
The postcode for the airport is L24 1YD, off Speke Hall Avenue. If you are parking, use the postcode in your parking confirmation instead.
- From the north and east, take the M62 to junction 6, join the A5300, and follow the signs for the A561 to the airport. Coming down the M6, join the M62 westbound at junction 21A, taking the slip road signed for Liverpool.
- From the south, take the M6 to junction 20 and the M56 to junction 12, then the A557 and A562 over the Runcorn bridge to join the A561.
- From the Wirral and North Wales, take the M53 or the A55 to the M56 eastbound, then follow the route from the south.
At the roundabout by the terminal, follow the signs for your own car park rather than the terminal.
Drop-off: the charge, and the free 20 minutes
- Express Drop-off and Pick-up, directly opposite the terminal: £7 for up to 10 minutes, £10 for up to 20 minutes and £25 for up to an hour. Spaces cannot be reserved, and you pay as you leave.
- The free option is the Drop-off 2 car park (L24 1YL), about a seven-minute walk from the terminal: the first 20 minutes are free, then £9 up to an hour. Coming back within two hours costs at least £9, so do not loop round.
- Blue Badge holders can have up to 40 minutes free in the Express area. You claim it by sending the airport's customer service team a copy of the Blue Badge, the boarding pass for the travelling passenger, in the same name, and the car's registration.
Twenty minutes in Drop-off 2 is plenty to unload and say goodbye, but it is a walk with cases. With heavy bags or young children, the £7 at Express may be worth it. If you are parking rather than being dropped off, none of this applies. Our drop-off charges guide compares Liverpool with every other UK airport.
Security
At Liverpool, the liquids limit is still 100ml per container. Gels, aerosols, pastes, perfume and make-up count as liquids, and food and powders are best packed in the hold, because they can mean extra checks. Check the airport's security page before you go for whether liquids need to come out of your bag, as the screening equipment has been changing.
Other airports differ: some, including Edinburgh, Birmingham and Bristol, allow containers up to 2 litres. Pack the bag for home for the airport you are flying back from.
How early to arrive
Liverpool does not publish a single arrival time. Go by your airline's check-in and bag-drop times, on your booking, and allow extra time at busy periods, as the airport asks passengers to. Then add the walk from your car park, which at Liverpool is between about 5 and 10 minutes for the car parks we sell.
Which parking suits which trip
Before You Fly lists every Liverpool car park we sell in one table, cheapest first. They are all on-airport car parks within walking distance, so the choice is mostly about price. When we compared prices for an eight-day trip booked about three months ahead:
- Skypark Liverpool was the cheapest, at around £62, a 5 to 10 minute walk from the terminal.
- Imagine Car Parking was around £68, a 5 to 7 minute walk.
- The airport's Long Stay and Park Smart were around £72, both within walking distance.
With no shuttle at any of them, parking here is simple: drive in, walk over, and walk back to the car when you land. Prices move with the dates, so compare them for your trip. 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.
Lounges and hotels
Liverpool's lounge, run by Aspire, opened in the main departure area in 2025, with a separate Luxe by Aspire section. From 1 November 2026 it is open daily from 04:00 to 20:00, and it is closed on Christmas Day. Pre-booking is recommended. Compare it on our Liverpool lounges page.
For a very early flight, the Crowne Plaza Liverpool John Lennon Airport and the Hampton by Hilton are among the hotels close to the airport. Search Liverpool hotels.
Getting there by bus and train
- 500 Airport Express: Arriva's bus to Liverpool city centre, taking about 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic, and stopping at Liverpool South Parkway on the way.
- By train: the nearest station is Liverpool South Parkway, a few miles away, with buses including the 80A and 86A linking it to the terminal in about 10 to 15 minutes. The 86A also runs on into the city centre.
Frequently asked questions
Is there free drop-off at Liverpool Airport?
Yes, in the Drop-off 2 car park (L24 1YL), where the first 20 minutes are free. It is about a seven-minute walk from the terminal. Coming back within two hours costs at least £9.
How much is the Express drop-off at Liverpool Airport?
£7 for up to 10 minutes, £10 for up to 20 minutes and £25 for up to an hour, directly opposite the terminal. You pay as you leave.
Do Blue Badge holders pay to drop off at Liverpool?
Blue Badge holders can have up to 40 minutes free in the Express area, by sending customer service a copy of the badge, the travelling passenger's boarding pass in the same name, and the car's registration.
Is there a shuttle bus from the car parks at Liverpool?
Not for the car parks we sell. They are all within walking distance of the terminal, between about 5 and 10 minutes on foot.
What is the cheapest parking at Liverpool Airport?
In our comparison for an eight-day trip, Skypark Liverpool was the cheapest, at around £62, a 5 to 10 minute walk from the terminal. Compare Liverpool parking for your dates.
Sorted before you fly.
