Aberdeen Airport Pickup & Drop-Off Charges: A Driver’s Guide
Practical airport guide · Checked 29 September 2026
Landing at Aberdeen Airport (ABZ)? The airport access charge and the price of your transfer are two different things. This guide explains the published parking tariffs, why the length of the driver’s stay matters and how to coordinate an APTS collection without confusing a booked ride with the public taxi rank.
£7 for up to 15 minutes in Express Drop Off. Short Stay has a separate tariff: £8 for up to 20 minutes.
Airport charges at a glance
| Facility | Time | Charge (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| Express Drop Off | Up to 15 minutes | £7 |
| Express Drop Off | Each minute after 15 minutes | £1 per minute |
| Express Drop Off | After 30 minutes | £50 flat charge |
| Short Stay | Up to 20 minutes | £8 |
| Short Stay | Up to 1 hour | £15 |
| Long Stay public pickup/drop-off option | Up to 1 hour | Free |
The airport’s Express Drop Off page publishes the short-visit charges above. Its Short Stay page lists the separate parking tariff. These are car-parking/access charges, not a fare into Aberdeen. The airport describes Express as a drop-off facility; do not assume every public forecourt lane is available for pickup.
Tariffs checked on 29 September 2026. Airport charges can change; confirm current signs and official guidance before travel. These figures are not an APTS transfer fare.
Aberdeen Airport — Bill Harrison (CC BY-SA 2.0).
Where does APTS collect passengers at Aberdeen?
APTS arranges collection in the ride-hailing area, rather than a standard inside-arrivals meet-and-greet. Follow the pickup instructions for your booking and confirm the meeting point with your driver. APTS has confirmed that its ride-hailing arrangement uses the short-visit charging basis discussed here; the public Short Stay tariff is shown separately so the two are not confused.
Do not join the official airport taxi queue if you already have an APTS booking. Equally, do not walk to a different car park simply because it appears cheaper. Agree any change with the driver first: access permissions and the place where your vehicle can stop matter as much as the price.
Why the 15-minute window matters
A flight landing is not the same as passengers being ready at the pickup point. You may still need to leave the aircraft, collect bags and walk through the terminal. Let your driver know when the whole party has its luggage and can follow the collection instructions.
For an Express visit lasting 20 minutes, £7 plus five additional minutes at £1 would be £12, based on the published tariff. That is an illustration of the airport charge only—not an APTS fare or an additional waiting-time quote. After 30 minutes, the airport lists a different flat-charge band.
Dropping off for a flight from Aberdeen
Have luggage and travel documents ready before reaching the terminal. If somebody needs more time or assistance, discuss that before travelling rather than expecting an extended stop in Express Drop Off. The airport recommends Short Stay for passengers who need extra assistance.
All airport car parks are cashless according to the official payment guidance. Paying the airport barrier charge and settling any agreed extra with your transfer driver are separate transactions.
Aberdeen Harbour — Julie Adams (Unsplash licence).
From the airport to Aberdeen and beyond
The airport’s driving guide places ABZ around seven miles northwest of central Aberdeen, near Dyce and the A96. Give the exact hotel, office or residential address when requesting a quote. A harbour-area hotel, a Dyce office and an address elsewhere in Aberdeenshire are not interchangeable destinations.
For an onward rail journey, state the actual station and departure time. Do not treat a flight’s scheduled arrival as the time your road journey can begin; baggage, walking and traffic all need room in the plan.
Can I use the free option instead?
The airport advertises up to one hour free in Long Stay, with a shuttle connection. That is a public parking option, not the default APTS meeting point or a promise of a free transfer. Ask before changing a booked collection.
Are parking fees included in my transfer price?
APTS quoted fares exclude tolls and parking; these extras are usually paid directly to the driver. Check the applicable charge for your booking. The airport’s short parking window is not a statement of your transfer’s included waiting allowance.
Plan your airport transfer
Check your journey details and available quote on our Aberdeen Airport transfers page. For an unusual pickup, extra stops or special luggage, contact APTS before confirming.
Photographs and updates
Real destination imagery from our licensed media library; no AI-generated photographs. Images illustrate the airport and area, not APTS staff or vehicles, and are not evidence of today’s signs or layout. Photos are resized and may be cropped for display. Any adaptations of CC BY-SA photographs retain the respective linked licence. No photographer or airport endorsement is implied.