Gatwick Airport Taxi Guide: North vs South Terminal, Fares and Meet-and-Greet
Everything you need for a Gatwick airport taxi: telling the North and South terminals apart, where cars pick up, the drop-off fee and how meet-and-greet works.
Gatwick is the UK's second-busiest airport and the two terminals are linked by a shuttle, so getting the terminal right saves you a stressful last-minute dash.
North Terminal or South Terminal?
They are about a mile apart, connected by a free automated shuttle that takes a few minutes.
- North Terminal — easyJet is the biggest operator, plus TUI, WestJet, Norse Atlantic and others.
- South Terminal — British Airways, Vueling, Wizz Air, Ryanair, most long-haul.
Your terminal is on the booking confirmation and on the departures board. Tell us your flight number and we confirm it, so the driver goes to the right place first time.
Where do taxis pick up at Gatwick?
Pre-booked cars collect from the short-stay car parks next to each terminal (Zone P at South, the multi-storey at North). For a meet-and-greet, the driver parks, comes into the arrivals hall with a name sign and helps with bags. For a standard pickup, they text you the parking zone and level.
Black cabs and the app-based ranks work differently and use the dedicated taxi feeder — that is not the same as a pre-booked transfer.
The Gatwick drop-off charge
Gatwick charges £6 for a 10-minute drop-off at the terminal forecourt (2026). There is a free drop-off option at the Long Stay car parks with a free shuttle bus into the terminal — fine if you are travelling light, less appealing with a family and suitcases. We quote the forecourt fee up front so the price you see is the price you pay.
Timing your pickup
- Short-haul from Gatwick: be at the terminal ~2 hours before departure.
- Long-haul: ~3 hours before.
Gatwick check-in and bag drop desks can have long queues at peak times (early morning, Friday evenings, school holidays), so the earlier end of those windows is safer.
Which vehicle for Gatwick?
Most couples and solo travellers are fine in a saloon. Families of four with full luggage, or groups of five to eight, should size up to an MPV or minibus. If you are heading to Gatwick for a cruise from Southampton or Dover afterwards, a long-distance transfer can do the whole journey in one booking.
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