Just as the holiday season begins, travellers will be focused on packing, passports and securing a good exchange rate. But while trying to get the best value for money, only a few anticipate that a quick drop-off at the terminal could cost almost as much as a short-haul flight. That’s now the reality at Aberdeen Airport, which has quietly ramped up its short-stay parking fees just weeks before peak holiday season.

Travellers dropping off friends or family will now pay £7 for just 20 minutes at Aberdeen’s terminal forecourt - a hike that brings it nearly in line with Glasgow Airport’s £8 charge and even London’s Heathrow, where parking up to 29 minutes costs £7.50.

Aberdeen has also caught up with its rival Edinburgh Airport, which charges £7 for only 15 minutes for people parking their vehicle in the short stay section of the car park. Elsewhere in Scotland, Inverness Airport is free for up to 15 minutes while Prestwick Airport charges £4.50 for up to 60 minutes.

The new charge makes drop-off charges and short-stay parking fees at Scottish airports nearly equal for the first time.

On Friday, Gatwick Airport also increased the price of its drop-off zones by £1, bringing the minimum charge to £7. In January 2024, the price spiked from £5 to £6. A Gatwick spokesperson said the charge helped limit the number of cars and reduce congestion at terminal entrances and funded sustainable transport initiatives.

A Gatwick spokesperson said the increase "plays a role in encouraging more passengers and staff to use public transport to reach the airport, to achieve our aim for 60% of journeys to and from the airport to be zero or ultra-low emissions, by 2030."

But public transport might not be a suitable option for many residents in Aberdeenshire, where a bus route to the airport can take longer than the flight itself.

Aberdeen Airport's decision has been criticised by Scottish Conservative MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Alexander Burnett, who thinks such charges are a hindrance especially if public transport is not working.

He said: "This increase will penalise passengers travelling from rural areas who rely on a car to get to the airport.

"The price rise now means Aberdeen’s charge is almost the same as Heathrow’s which is unacceptable. I’m concerned that people will now think twice about travelling from Aberdeen and instead go to Edinburgh or Glasgow."