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What time should I leave to collect someone from East Midlands?
Live arrival time + live traffic from your postcode.
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Collecting at East Midlands
Forget to pay and it is £100
Rapid Drop Off has no barriers, so you cannot pay on the way out. Pay online or by phone by midnight the following day. Miss it and the charge is £100, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days.
Drive straight through
The Rapid Drop Off lane sits directly outside the terminal and you do not stop at a barrier at all. There is no cash or cheque option — it is pay online, by phone, or set up AutoPay before you go.
Blue Badge holders get a free window
Thirty minutes free at Short Stay 1, or an hour at Long Stay 2, for collecting as well as dropping off. Short Stay 1 is reached on foot, and every car park has a help point.
Prices as published by East Midlands Airport, last checked 24 September 2026. Their own pick-up page is the only place they are current.
This is
A calculator for the person doing the collecting. Free, no account, no booking.
This isn’t
An airport taxi, Uber or meet-and-greet. We never take payment for a journey.
Frequently asked questions about collecting someone from East Midlands Airport
What time should I leave to collect someone from East Midlands?
It depends on the flight and on your traffic, which is what the planner above works out. As a rule, allow for the passenger to get off the aircraft, clear the border and collect bags before they reach the kerb — around 20 minutes for a domestic or Irish arrival, and longer after a long-haul flight — then add your own drive time on top.
Where do you pick someone up at East Midlands Airport?
Either the Rapid Drop Off lane directly outside the terminal, or the Short Stay 1 car park if you would rather walk in and meet them. East Midlands does not publish the price of either on its pick-up page, so check theirs before you travel rather than taking a figure from anywhere else.
How do I pay at East Midlands — there was no barrier?
That is the system working as intended. Rapid Drop Off is barrierless, so there is nothing to pay at on the way out. You pay online or on 03452 221517 by midnight the day after your visit, or set up AutoPay in advance. Cash and cheque are not accepted.
What happens if I forget to pay at East Midlands?
A parking charge of £100 is sent to the registered keeper, reduced to £60 if it is paid within 14 days. It is the harshest penalty of any airport here for what is really just an admin slip, so it is worth setting up AutoPay if you collect from East Midlands regularly.
Does FlightPickup arrange the car?
No. It is a free planning tool and nothing more. We do not operate vehicles, employ drivers or take payment for journeys — we tell you what time to set off, and you drive.