Luton has one terminal and a short run from the M1, so the airport itself is easy to find. What catches people out is the last few hundred metres. The drop-off zone is a five-minute walk from the terminal, not outside the door, and charged by the minute. The railway station is a shuttle ride away, not under the terminal. This guide covers what is worth knowing before you fly from Luton: how to get to the terminal, what drop-off costs and how to avoid it, how early to arrive, and which parking suits your trip.
Getting to the terminal by car
Leave the M1 at junction 10. The airport is about two miles from the motorway, signposted all the way. For the sat-nav, Luton Airport recommends the postcode LU2 9QT, then following the signs to your car park or the drop-off zone. If you are parking off the airport, use the postcode in your parking confirmation instead.
Our directions to Luton Airport page has the route from each direction.
The drop-off charge, and the free two hours
There is no stopping outside the terminal at Luton. The Drop Off and Pick Up Zone is about 260 metres away, a short five-minute walk, and it is charged.
- £9 for up to 12 minutes, then £1 for each extra minute. The maximum stay is 30 minutes, and staying longer brings a £95 enforcement charge, reduced to £55 if paid within 14 days.
- There is no barrier and no machine. Cameras read the number plate, and you pay online by midnight the following day.
- Do not leave the car. Unattended vehicles in the zone are towed away.
- Blue Badge holders get no concession in the zone itself, but have 30 minutes free in Terminal Car Park 1 instead.
- The free alternative is the Long Stay car park, where the first two hours are free. A free shuttle bus runs to the terminal around the clock, about every 20 minutes, and takes around 10 minutes. On the way back, it leaves from bus bay B.
For someone dropping off at 5am, the Long Stay is cheaper but slower: allow for the wait and the 10-minute ride. If you are parking rather than being dropped off, none of this applies, and your confirmation email says exactly where to go. Our drop-off charges guide compares Luton with every other UK airport.
How early to arrive
Luton Airport's advice is to arrive when your airline tells you to, which is typically two to three hours before your flight, and no earlier. Check-in and bag-drop opening times vary by airline, so check your booking.
Then work back the time from your car park:
- Park & Ride: allow 25 to 35 minutes from the car park barrier to check-in. The Park & Ride car parks we sell are about 12 to 14 minutes from the terminal by shuttle, and the airport's own Long Stay about 10.
- Meet & Greet: be at the handover point 10 to 15 minutes before your booked time.
- The airport's terminal car parks are a four- to five-minute walk.
Which parking suits which trip
Before You Fly lists every Luton car park we sell in one table, cheapest first, including the airport's own Long Stay.
- Park & Ride is usually the cheapest for a week or more. When we compared prices for an eight-day trip booked about three months ahead, the cheapest Park & Ride was around £43, against about £69 for the airport's own Long Stay.
- Meet & Greet for families, early flights and heavy luggage. You hand the car over and walk into the terminal, with no shuttle either way. In the same comparison, the cheapest Meet & Greet cost around £67: about £24 more than Park & Ride, but slightly less than the airport's Long Stay. Photograph the car at handover.
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.
Lounges and hotels
Luton has two lounges, No1 Lounge and My Lounge, both airside in the departures area, and both can be pre-booked. Entry is subject to space on the day, so booking ahead is the safer choice in the school holidays. Compare them on our Luton lounges page.
For a dawn flight, a hotel the night before saves an early drive. There are several hotels close to the airport, including the Holiday Inn Express and Hampton by Hilton. Search Luton hotels.
Getting there by train and the DART
Useful if you are being collected or leaving the car at home. Trains run to Luton Airport Parkway station, and the Luton DART shuttle takes you from there to the front of the terminal.
- Luton Airport Express, run by East Midlands Railway, goes from London St Pancras every 30 minutes, reaching the terminal in as little as 32 minutes including the DART.
- Thameslink also runs to Luton Airport Parkway, through central London.
- The Luton DART takes four minutes, runs 24 hours a day, and comes every four minutes at peak times. An adult single on its own is £4.90, but a train ticket to "Luton Airport" already includes it, so buy that rather than a ticket to Luton Airport Parkway.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to drop off at Luton Airport?
£9 for up to 12 minutes in the Drop Off and Pick Up Zone, then £1 a minute, with a maximum stay of 30 minutes. Pay online by midnight the following day. Staying beyond 30 minutes brings a £95 charge, reduced to £55 if paid within 14 days.
Is there free drop-off at Luton?
Yes, in the Long Stay car park, where the first two hours are free. A free shuttle bus runs to the terminal around the clock, about every 20 minutes, taking around 10 minutes.
What postcode should I use for Luton Airport?
Luton Airport recommends LU2 9QT for the sat-nav, then following the signs to your car park or the drop-off zone. If you have booked parking, use the postcode in your confirmation instead.
How early should I get to Luton for a 6am flight?
Luton advises arriving when your airline says, typically two to three hours before departure, so between 3am and 4am. Add 25 to 35 minutes for Park & Ride, or arrive at the handover point 10 to 15 minutes before your booked time for Meet & Greet.
Do I need a separate ticket for the DART?
Not if you buy a train ticket to "Luton Airport": the DART is included. A ticket to Luton Airport Parkway does not include it, and the DART then costs £4.90 for an adult single.
Sorted before you fly.
