Anger as Newcastle Airport Pick-Up and Drop-Off Fee Rises Again

Motorists have reacted angrily to a fresh increase in the cost of picking up and dropping off passengers at Newcastle International Airport, just months after a £3 charge was introduced.

Drivers used to be able to use the Short Stay 2 area near the terminal for free, but in January a £3 fee was launched for a 15-minute stay. On 6 May this was increased to £4, and the cost of the express pick-up and drop-off zone outside the terminal rose from £5 to £6.

Airport users still have the option of a free waiting zone at Callerton Parkway, launched in January, with a complimentary electric shuttle bus running every 30 minutes to and from the terminal. Callerton Parkway is also the Metro park-and-ride stop next to the airport (see our Newcastle Airport guide).

News of the increase came as the airport reported a record May half-term of more than 200,000 passengers, up eight per cent on last year, and was named the fastest-growing of the UK's 15 largest airports in the first quarter of 2026. The airport is investing almost £60 million over two years in a three-storey terminal extension and an expanded international baggage-arrivals area.