Time from landing to car park Gatwick

[ZeusandClio]

Has anyone flown into Gatwick recently? I have to pick up my daughter and her boyfriend, arriving from Spain with British passports and 1 checked in bag. How long after landing would you recommend getting to the short stay car park to get them? I'd appreciate any recent experiences as I don't want to be hanging around for hours! Thank you.

If landing at a busy time of the day, 30-40 minutes from landing. That’s actual touchdown, not scheduled landing time. You can track their plane on an app or ask them to text you the second their plane is on ground.

I’d count:
5-10 min taxi to gate and disembarking
5-10 min walk to passport control
If they’re on UK passports then they use the e-Gates where the queues are shorter. I’ve never waited more than 5 mins at an e-Gate, even before Covid.
Anything from 5 to 20 minutes waiting for bags. Expect more if landing at a gate further out.
5-10 min to get out of the terminal and find you?

I’ve exaggerated slightly but it gives you a rough idea. They might end up waiting 10 minutes if the above process goes faster, but it’s easier and cheaper for you this way.

Even for pick up now there is a charge at Gatwick

Depends on what other flights come in at the same time usually.

I always allow 45 minutes at least if I'm collecting any of mine. I'd rather they were waiting than my car in an expensive car park!

Thank you all. I normally allow 45 minutes but thought it might be longer looking at locator forms, covid tests and passports etc. I think I'll give them an hour - like brillopaddy said I'd rather they were waiting for me for free,not me paying to wait for them!

They do not look at anything. I’ve taken 12 flights in the last 7 weeks (granted, not all of them through Gatwick airport), and they’ve only checked docs on landing twice. And that was a QR code, in Spain.

All of my documents have always been checked before boarding. They will probably just walk through passport control like usual. So unless it’s very busy and bags take a long time I reckon 45 mins should be just about right.

I came back through Gatwick end July at around 10pm & we waited about 45 mins for our baggage

What I hadn't realised as been a long time since travelled but £5 fair for drop off at Gatwick now !

I'd track the flight once it's taken off and then find somewhere quite close to wait for free (supermarket etc) and then only move to the pick up place when you know they're ready.

After all, there's so many levels of unpredictability that the window in which they could be ready must be at least an hour and you won't know until they're moving through it how long they will take.

I'm not familiar with Gatwick, but at our local airport they have a car park that is a few minutes walk away where you can stay completely free for up to about an hour - this is the preferred option for dropping off and collecting passengers. Have a look at the Gatwick website to see if there is anything similar.

You have to pay to drive right up to the terminal and there's no spaces to wait for more than the time it takes to pick up/drop off. I think the charge rises steeply after about 10 minutes, because they don't want you hanging round there clogging the place up.

Travelled through Gatwick recently. Was about 45 minutes plane to car.

Definetly park up at a supermarket and track their flight. Where are you driving from?

On the Gatwick website it says you won't get charged in the North Terminal long stay car park as long as you leave within 2 hours of entry.

www.gatwickairport.com/to-and-from/picking-up-dropping-off/

You can either get the bus to the terminal and meet them there, or they get on the bus and meet you in the car park.