Picking someone up from Heathrow: where to park and wait
Heathrow doesn’t allow picking up or waiting on the terminal forecourts. Park in the terminal’s Terminal Parking car park (formerly Short Stay) and meet your passenger in arrivals, or use a Park & Ride car park, which is free for the first 29 minutes. At Terminal 4, use the Priority Pick-Up area outside arrivals or Zone A of the Park & Ride, free for up to 2 hours.
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No pickups on the forecourt
- The forecourts directly outside the terminals are for drop-offs only. Heathrow says picking up passengers there is prohibited, and unattended cars are removed by the police.
- Every visit to a forecourt drop-off area is charged £7, so circling round to wait costs £7 each time.
- Instead, park in a car park and meet your passenger inside the terminal.
Terminal Parking at Terminals 2, 3 and 5
The nearest place to wait is the terminal’s own Terminal Parking car park, formerly called Short Stay, a short walk from arrivals. Pay at the pay-on-foot machines before you leave; pickup parking isn’t booked online.
- Up to 29 minutes: £8.50
- 30 to 44 minutes: £12.50
- 45 to 59 minutes: £16.00
- Each hour or part hour after that: £8.50
The free option: Park & Ride
- Heathrow’s Park & Ride car parks are free for the first 29 minutes, then £10.00 up to 1 hour 59 minutes.
- Blue Badge holders get 2 hours free.
- Shuttle buses run every 15 minutes from the terminal doors, so allow time for your passenger to make the trip.
Terminal 4: Priority Pick-Up or Zone A
- Terminal 4’s multi-storey car park closed on 23 June 2026, so there’s no Terminal Parking there.
- Priority Pick-Up is outside the Terminal 4 arrivals hall: follow Salisbury Road and stay in the two right-hand lanes at the Terminal 4 roundabout. Up to 10 minutes costs £7.00, 11 to 29 minutes £14.00 and 30 to 60 minutes £25.00. Pay online, by phone or with AutoPay by midnight the next day.
- Blue Badge discounts don’t apply to Priority Pick-Up.
- Free option: Zone A of the Terminal 4 Park & Ride, free for up to 2 hours, with free shuttle buses to the terminal every five minutes.
Where to meet your passenger
- Terminal 2: opposite the international arrivals exit.
- Terminal 3: in the seating area on the ground floor of Arrivals.
- Terminal 4: next to WHSmith on the ground floor of Arrivals.
- Terminal 5: the north meeting point opposite Travelex, or the south meeting point near Costa Coffee.
Or let a driver do the waiting
If you’d rather not drive to Heathrow, book a pickup instead. We monitor the flight, your driver meets the passenger inside arrivals with a name board or at an agreed pickup point, and the pickup includes 15 minutes of free waiting from the agreed time. Any parking or pickup charge is shown in your quote before you book.
FAQs
Common questions
Can I pick someone up outside the terminal at Heathrow?
No. Heathrow doesn’t allow pickups or waiting on the terminal forecourts. Use the terminal’s Terminal Parking car park, a Park & Ride car park, or at Terminal 4 the Priority Pick-Up area.
Is there a free way to pick someone up from Heathrow?
Yes. Park & Ride car parks are free for the first 29 minutes, and at Terminal 4, Zone A of the Park & Ride is free for up to 2 hours. Your passenger takes the shuttle bus from the terminal.
How much does it cost to wait in Terminal Parking?
Heathrow lists £8.50 for up to 29 minutes, £12.50 for 30 to 44 minutes and £16.00 for 45 to 59 minutes at Terminals 2, 3 and 5, paid at the pay-on-foot machines. Prices can change.
Where do I pick someone up at Terminal 4?
At the Priority Pick-Up area outside the arrivals hall (from £7.00 for up to 10 minutes), or for free in Zone A of the Terminal 4 Park & Ride for up to 2 hours.