Electric Vehicle charging at airports and airport hotels
The electric car industry is booming. With a ban on new sales of petrol and diesel cars coming into force in 2030, and all new cars and vans to be fully zero emission by 2035, the British public are embracing electric vehicles.
In 2021, 17.5% of new car registrations were pure-electric vehicles (BEVs) or plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs); sales of BEVs increased by 88.9% and PHEV sales were up 83.1%. (Source)
The demand for electric vehicle charging points has also, inevitably gone up. From 2016 to 2021, public EV charging points increased by 335%. As of March 2022, there were 18,691 charging locations offering a total of 50,263 connectors, in car parks, shopping centres and garages. (Source)
So, can you charge your car up at the airport? In some, yes, but not all. In 2021, less than half of all UK airports offered EV charging points. (Source) However, although a little slow on the update, more airports are gradually installing EV charging stations. One recent addition was London City Airport, which launched three rapid and four fast charging points in February 2022, including one dedicated to black cabs. (Source)
Below we have listed the airports where we offer parking and the location of the nearest EV charging points, whether on-airport or off-airport.
We have also gathered a list of Airport car parks that offer EV charging, which can be accessed here.
Airport parking with electric vehicle charging
At which UK airports can you combine airport parking with electric vehicle (EV) charging?
With more and more electric and hybrid cars on the roads, there has been a steady rise in the number of EV charging facilities across the UK. And airport car parks are gradually coming to the party too, installing EV charging points and providing a charging service while you are away on your travels.
If you are driving your electric vehicle to the airport, it makes sense to be able to have your car charged up, while you are away. For some travellers, it could be a necessity, having completed a long road journey pre-flight and needing to embark on another one once they have returned to collect their car.
You may also be at the airport to pick up family or friends and need an EV top-up in the Short Stay car park while waiting in the Arrivals Hall.
Either way, we have compiled the latest information on which airport car parks in the UK currently offer EV charging points and charging services, including both on-airport car parks, which might be just a few minutes’ walk from the terminal entrance, and off-airport car parks, which usually require a short bus transfer to the terminal.
Here’s our handy guide to airport parking with EV charging. Let’s hope we will be adding even more airports and more airport parking facilities to the list soon!
Airport parking with EV charging
| Airport | Car Park | Information |
| Aberdeen Airport | Short Stay car park | 4x 7kW Pod Point |
| Priority car park | 2x 7kW Pod Point | |
| Birmingham Airport | Premium set down car park | £2 first hour, DC fast charge |
| Airparks Drop & Go | 5 chargers, 43kW or 50kW, 30p per kW | |
| Bristol Airport | Long Stay car park | 10 rapid chargers |
| Cardiff Airport | Meet & Greet car park | 7 chargers across both car parks |
| Short Stay car park | ||
| Edinburgh Airport | Airparks with EV charging | 10x 3kW chargers |
| Gatwick Airport | APH Park & Ride with EV Charging | 4x 7.4kW chargers, 30kW or 60 kW charges available |
| Short Stay North | 4x 22kW chargers | |
| Short Stay South | 4x 3kW chargers | |
| Glasgow Airport | Skyport Park & Ride | 6 chargers, fast & super-fast charging |
| Parksafe Electric Charging | 6 chargers | |
| Heathrow Airport | All Short Stay car parks | 7kW chargers |
| MBW Meet & Greet | £15-£35 per charge | |
| NCP car park | 2x 3kW chargers, Polar Network | |
| Purple Parking T2 & T3 | 3 chargers, 43kW or 50kW | |
| Leeds Bradford Airport | Viking Airport Parking | 3 chargers, WallPod Point |
| Park2Travel | 1 charger | |
| Sentinel car park | 10p per kW, £3.50 minimum charge | |
| Liverpool Airport | Long Stay car park | 2 rapid chargers |
| Luton Airport | Terminal car park | 5x Tesla superchargers, 5x other chargers |
| Airparks Drop & Go | Fee included with parking | |
| Manchester Airport | APH Park & Ride with EV Charging | 4x 7.4kW chargers, 30kW or 60kW charges available |
| Newcastle Airport | Short Stay car park 1 | 4x 7kW chargers, £1 connection fee |
| Southampton Airport | Short Stay car park | 4 Pod Point chargers |
| Priority car park | 2 Pod Point chargers |
UK airports offering EV charging stations
| Airport | On-Airport or Off-Airport? | Info |
| Aberdeen Airport | On-airport | Four Pod Point charging units in the Short Stay car park; two in the Priority car park. Pre-book at least two hours in advance, or just turn up – subject to availability. Bring your own cables |
| Birmingham Airport | On-airport | Charging points are available in the Premium Set Down car park. Visit the Customer Services cabin after charging to benefit from reduced parking tariff. Or exit for free if you hold a booking for any other Birmingham Airport car park. Bring your own cables. (Source) |
| Bournemouth Airport | Off-airport | Two-minute drive to Jets Bournemouth. One 22kW Type 2 socket-only point. Port and charges apply. |
| Bristol Airport | On-airport | In the Multi-Storey car park, ground floor, there are 10 Pod Points, which can be used while you are away. Download the Pod Point app and set up an account in advance. In the Long Stay car park there are two EV charging points in Zone D Row 7, with free parking for two hours to charge your car, if you have a booking confirmation for one of the other airport car parks. |
| Cardiff Airport | On-airport | Four connectors across two charging points, operated by the LiFe network. More information on access can be found in the public charging network area. |
| Doncaster Airport | Off-airport | Three-minute drive to the Best Western Mount Pleasant Hotel. One Type 2 socket-only point and one BS1363 3 Pin 13 Amp. Charging is free but parking fees may apply. |
| East Midland Airport | Off-airport | A few minutes’ drive to the Donnington Park Moto M1 service stations off Junction 23A. Tethered 43kW Type 2, 50kW CCS Type 2 or six 22kW CEE 5 Pin stations, depending which direction you are travelling in. Charges may apply. |
| Edinburgh Airport | Off-airport | Book your Edinburgh Airport parking at Secure Airparks and your car will be charged up for you while you are away. Free transfers on demand to and from the terminal doors take just two minutes. Bring your own cables. |
| Exeter Airport | Off-airport | 10-minute drive to Exeter Moto M5 Services. Three 50kW CHAdeMO ports, one tethered 43kW Type 2 port and one 50kW CCS Type 2. Cost is 30p/kWh unless you are registered with Ecotricity, when it is 15p/kWh. |
| London Gatwick Airport | On-airport | Eight 22kW charging points in the Short Stay car parks; Car Park 5, Level 3 in the North Terminal or Orange Car Park 3, Level 1 in the South Terminal. Download the Pod Point Open Charge app in advance and register for free. Use the app to find the correct charging point and check live availability. Pre-booking not required. |
| Glasgow Airport | On-airport | Six charging points in the Multi-Storey Car Park 1. Free of charge. More information on the GeniePoint app. |
| London Heathrow Airport | On-airport | There are multiple charging stations at Heathrow. Log on to Pod Point once you arrive at the airport to check locations. |
| Leeds Bradford Airport | Off-airport | Electric cars can be charged up at Sentinel Secure Parking, while you are away on your trip. Cost is 10p/kWh and here is a minimum charge of £3.50, which applies to all PHEVs. Book your parking in advance and enquire about EV charging on your day of travel. |
| Liverpool Airport | On-airport | Rapid charging point in the Long Stay car park, part of Ecotricity’s Electric Highway, which is now a part of Gridserve. |
| Luton Airport | Off-airport | The closest charging station to the APH Car Park is a bp pulse on London Road, Luton LU1 4BH. Within the airport there are six Tesla chargers and four Type 2 points located in the Terminal Car Park 1, Level 2 |
| Manchester Airport | Off-airport | Closest to the APH Car Park is the NewMotion Charging Station at 11 Styal Rd, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5WB or the ChargeYourCar Charging Station at 874 Wilmslow Rd, Manchester M20 5WP. There is also a charging point at the Clayton Hotel, close to the airport terminals, and at the BP garage on the airport perimeter road. |
| Newcastle Airport | On-airport | Four charging points in the Short Stay Car Park 1, operated by chargeyourcar.org.uk. |
| Prestwick Airport | Off-airport | The closest is the bp pulse charging station, at The Smithy, Sandyford Toll, KA9 2SP. One 50kW CCS Type 2, one 50kW CHAdeMO and one 43kW Type 2 tethered connector. |
| Southampton Port | Off-port | The closest is the Electric Highway charging station, at 9 W Quay Road, 0333 123 4333. One 60kW CHAdeMO, one 60kW CCS and one 22kW Type 2. |
| Stansted Airport | Off-airport | The closest are the Hubsta charging station at 2104 Pincey Road, 0800 954 0091, and the PitPoint charging station at 1 Bassingbourn Road. Both are open 24 hours. |
| Southend Airport | Off-airport | The closest is the Pod Point charging station at the Shell Sovereign garage, 96-118 Prince Avenue, SS2 6NN. |
UK airport hotels with EV charging points
| Gatwick: | EV Charging Info |
| Holiday Inn London Gatwick Airport | bp pulse 35p/kWh. 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO, 43kW Type 2. |
| Crowne Plaza London Gatwick Airport | bp pulse. 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO, 45kW Type 2. |
| Heathrow: | |
| Mercure, Heathrow Airport | NewMotion network. 3kW Type 2. Charges may apply. |
| Holiday Inn Terminal 5 Heathrow Airport | bp pulse. 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO, 43kW Type 2. Charges may apply. |
| Hilton Hotel Terminal 5 Heathrow Airport | Tesla supercharger 120kW Tesla Type 2. Charges may apply. |
| Radisson Blue Edwardian Heathrow Airport | ZeroNet network. 3kW 3-pin, 7kW Commando. Charges may apply. |
| Stansted: | |
| Radisson Blu Hotel Stanstead Airport | 3kW 3-square pin, 7kW Commando. |
| Luton: | |
| Holiday Inn Luton Airport | Hank-Tess. 7kW Type 2. |
| Ibis Luton Airport | bp pulse. 3kW Type 2. |
| Birmingham: | |
| Holiday Inn Express Birmingham NEC | bp pulse. 50kW Combo CCS, 50kW CHAdeMo, 43kW tethered Type 2. |
| Manchester: | |
| Marriott Manchester Airport | ZeroNet network. 3kW 3-pin, 7kW Type 2. Parking charges may apply. |
| Best Western Cresta Court Hotel Manchester Airport | ZeroNet network. 7kW Type 2, Charges may apply. |
Electric vehicle charging at airports – FAQs
Most airports that have installed EV charging points in their car parks do not charge extra for charging, once you have paid for the parking. Charging stations that are located near to airports usually charge around 10p-14p per kWh.
Charging times vary according to the size of the car’s battery and the type of charger, which could be Slow, Fast or Rapid. It also depends if you need to charge up a full battery or just need a top up. A typical EV with a 60kWh battery takes a little under eight hours to charge from empty to full, with a 7kW charging point.
No. You need to factor in charging time before you move your car to a parking bay. However, some airport car parks and parking services will charge your car for you, while you are away, such as Edinburgh’s Secure Airparks.
Yes, in those airports where the Short Stay car park has an available charging point.
Most charging points operate on a first-come-first-served basis. Some apps, such as Pod Point, will display live availability of their charging ports.