Published 25 October 2026 | Updated 25 October 2026 by Kate Acaster
Your airline decides which of the Gatwick airport terminals you use. easyJet flies from the North Terminal. British Airways, Jet2, Ryanair and Wizz Air fly from the South. TUI uses both, split by flight number. The kerb is where it gets expensive: dropping off costs £10 for the first ten minutes.
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Which airlines use the North Terminal and which the South
The airport publishes a full list of airlines and terminals. The table shows the names most UK travellers will recognise. Check your booking, because airlines move terminals and the airport’s list is the final word.
| Terminal | Airlines | Train station |
|---|---|---|
| North Terminal | easyJet, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Icelandair, Eurowings, Condor, WestJet, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines and SWISS. TUI flights with numbers starting TOM | Free shuttle, about 2 minutes |
| South Terminal | British Airways, Jet2, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Vueling, Norwegian, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Air France, Aegean and Norse Atlantic. TUI flights with numbers starting BY | About 5 minutes’ walk |
TUI splits by flight number. TOM flights leave from the North Terminal and BY flights from the South, and the airport says to check with the airline if you’re unsure. Norse Atlantic flies from the South Terminal, and our Norse Gatwick to Phuket guide covers that route.
Changing between the two terminals
A free inter-terminal shuttle runs every few minutes, 24 hours a day. The journey takes two minutes. The shuttle station is close to the train station in the South Terminal, and you follow the signs for the other terminal. The airport advises at least 60 minutes if your next flight is in the same terminal and at least 90 if it’s in the other. Your airline may ask for more. If your bags aren’t through-checked, you collect them from reclaim and check in again.
Getting to Gatwick by train
The train station is at the South Terminal, about a five-minute walk from departures and arrivals. North Terminal passengers take the free shuttle, which takes two minutes. The airport says a train leaves on average every four minutes.
Gatwick Express runs non-stop to London Victoria twice an hour in 30 minutes.
Booking online direct saves 10 per cent on the express. Trains to London take 30 to 45 minutes. You can tap in with contactless or an Oyster card for London journeys, but not for stations south of Gatwick or outside London. Southern sells £2 child tickets with an adult, and groups of three or more can save 33 per cent with Groupsave.
Gatwick drop-off charges
Drop-off zones sit on the lower level outside both terminals. At the North Terminal the zone is between the Sofitel and the multi-storey car park. There are no barriers, so you drive in, pull over and drive out.
| What the airport charges | Price |
|---|---|
| First 10 minutes | £10 |
| Each additional minute | £1 |
| Maximum stay | 30 minutes |
| Maximum charge (a full 30-minute stay) | £30 |
You pay after you leave. Pay online or by phone, or set up an AutoPay account, by midnight the day after. If you forget, you can get a Parking Charge Notice. Blue Badge holders are exempt and register through Times24, which administers the scheme for the airport.
- The free option: Long Stay car parks are free for the first two hours, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals. The airport says you can drop off and pick up there too.
- The cheaper kerb alternative: Short Stay is £8 for up to 30 minutes, against £10 for the first ten minutes at the kerb. The trade-off is a walk from the car park.
Picking someone up at Gatwick
Gatwick’s pick-up options are in its car parks. Park in Short Stay and meet them in arrivals, or use an express pick-up bay and ask them to come to you. At the North Terminal that’s Car Park 6, Level 4. At the South Terminal it’s Car Park 3, ground floor. Both are charged at Short Stay roll-up rates, so half an hour costs £8. Stay with your vehicle, because unattended cars can get a charge notice. Express bays aren’t for drop-offs.
Gatwick parking prices if you turn up
Roll-up prices are what you pay with no booking, and they’re the same at both terminals. Our guide to how far in advance to book airport parking explains why booking ahead costs less. Mid Stay is a pre-book-only car park, and Valet needs a booking at least 24 hours ahead.
| Stay length | Short Stay | Premium Short Stay | Long Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 30 minutes | £8 | £12 | Free |
| Up to 1 hour | £14 | £19 | Free |
| Up to 2 hours | £18 | £22 | Free |
| 2 to 3 hours | £21.50 | £26 | £38 |
| 3 to 4 hours | £26 | £33 | £38 |
| 4 to 5 hours | £31.50 | £41 | £38 |
| 5 to 6 hours | £40.50 | £56 | £38 |
| 6 to 12 hours | £60 | £74.50 | £38 |
| 12 to 24 hours | £70 | £87.50 | £38 |
| Each extra day | £70 | £87.50 | £32 |
Premium Short Stay has a dedicated area with same-level access at each terminal.
“I’d rather pay £8 to park for half an hour than £10 to be hurried along at the kerb. Do the goodbye in Short Stay, or in Long Stay if the free two hours and a shuttle bus don’t put you off.”
Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe
What to check before you set off
- Confirm the terminal on your booking. easyJet is North, British Airways, Jet2 and Ryanair are South, and TUI depends on the flight number.
- Pay any drop-off charge online by midnight the next day.
- Pre-book parking. The airport says booking ahead is cheaper than roll-up prices.
- Allow 60 minutes for a same-terminal connection and 90 across terminals.
- Read how early to arrive at the airport for check-in timing.
- Weigh up whether airport fast track is worth it before you pay for security.
Terminal allocations and prices come from Gatwick Airport’s own pages, October 2026. They change, so check the airport’s page before you travel. Flying from Manchester instead? Our Manchester Airport Terminal 2 guide covers that airport.
More on getting to the airport
- Heading abroad by car? See whether you need to book an airport transfer in advance.
- Buying a lounge pass? Read the Priority Pass discount guide.
Gatwick Airport Terminals FAQs
Which terminal does easyJet use at Gatwick?
The North Terminal. The airport’s list also puts Emirates, Qatar Airways and Icelandair there.
Which terminal do British Airways, Jet2 and Ryanair use at Gatwick?
All three use the South Terminal, as do Wizz Air, Vueling and Norwegian.
Which terminal does TUI use at Gatwick?
Both. Flights with numbers beginning TOM leave from the North Terminal and numbers beginning BY from the South. Check with the airline if you’re unsure.
How much is drop-off at Gatwick Airport?
£10 for the first ten minutes and £1 for each additional minute. The maximum stay is 30 minutes, which costs £30. You pay online, by phone or through AutoPay by midnight the next day.
Is there free drop-off at Gatwick?
Blue Badge holders are exempt from the charge. Everyone else can use the Long Stay car parks, which are free for the first two hours, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals.
How do I get between Gatwick’s North and South Terminals?
Take the free inter-terminal shuttle. It runs every few minutes, 24 hours a day, and the journey takes two minutes.
How long do I need to change terminals at Gatwick?
The airport advises at least 60 minutes if your next flight is in the same terminal and at least 90 minutes if it’s in the other. Your airline may ask for more.
Kate Acaster is Chief Editor at Flight Tribe. She writes about practical travel planning, budget airlines, baggage rules, city breaks, beach holidays and good hotels that do not cost daft money.
Kate has travelled through Europe, South America and beyond, usually with a notebook, a half-formed plan and a strong opinion on airport snacks. At Flight Tribe, her work focuses on helping UK travellers understand what is included, what costs extra, and whether a trip is worth booking at the price shown.
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