Free planning tool · Not a taxi
What time should I leave to collect someone from London Southend?
Live arrival time + live traffic from your postcode.
Example searches
Collecting at Southend
£8 for ten minutes, paid afterwards
Express Pick-up & Drop-off is directly opposite the terminal with no barrier. Ten minutes is the maximum, and you pay online after you leave — by midnight the following day.
Do not turn into the wrong car park
The Superior car park next to it is £25 for the first ten minutes and £80 after that, up to a full day. Budget, a couple of minutes' walk away, is £12 for half an hour — the sane place to sit out a delay.
The names changed in July
Short Stay became Superior, Mid Stay became Budget and Long Stay became Standard on 16 July 2026. Follow the new names on the signs. Double red lines on the approach mean no stopping.
Prices as published by London Southend 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 London Southend Airport
What time should I leave to collect someone from London Southend?
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 London Southend?
Express Pick-up & Drop-off, directly opposite the terminal inside the Superior car park. Stop for up to ten minutes, then pay £8 online by midnight the following day — there is no barrier. For a longer wait, use the Budget car park, £12 for up to 30 minutes and a couple of minutes' walk away.
Is there anywhere free to wait at Southend?
Not on the airport's current parking page. Every car park is priced from the first minute, and the cheapest wait is £12 for up to 30 minutes in Budget. Older guides mention a free period in the former Long Stay; the car parks were renamed in July 2026 and no free period is published now.
Why is Superior so expensive at Southend?
Because it is a pick-up car park priced to keep people moving: £25 for the first ten minutes and £80 for anything up to 24 hours. Use Express for a quick collection and Budget for a wait. Vehicles over 2.0 m tall or 5.0 m long must use Budget anyway.
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.