Heathrow T4 Priority Pick-Up 2026: Charges & Location

Heathrow Terminal 4 Priority Pick-Up is the paid, kerbside collection area outside the arrivals hall on Level 1. It opened on 23 June 2026 after Terminal 4’s multi-storey car park closed for redevelopment. Drivers reach it via Salisbury Road: from the Terminal 4 Roundabout, keep to the two right-hand lanes and follow the Priority Pick-Up signs.

It is designed for a quick, attended collection rather than waiting for a passenger to clear immigration and baggage reclaim. The charge starts at £7 for up to 10 minutes, applies every time a vehicle enters, and must be paid by midnight on the day after the visit.

Terminal 4 Priority Pick-Up charges in 2026

Time in the Priority Pick-Up area	Charge per visit
Up to 10 minutes	£7.00
11 to 29 minutes	£14.00
30 to 60 minutes	£25.00
Over 60 minutes	£25.00 for each additional 60 minutes, or part of one
Maximum daily charge	£200.00

The tariff is based on the total time spent in the area; it is not built up from smaller bands. Heathrow’s terms also say that part-minutes count as full minutes. In practical terms, do not plan a ten-minute stay down to the second.

If the charge is not paid by the deadline, Heathrow states that an £80 Parking Charge may be issued, reduced to £40 when paid within 14 days. The charge applies 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Where exactly is the pick-up point?

The Priority Pick-Up area is on the Arrivals Level (Level 1), outside the Terminal 4 arrivals hall. It is not the Terminal 4 departures forecourt, which remains a drop-off-only area.

For drivers approaching by road, Heathrow’s current directions are:

• Follow signs for Terminal 4 and then Salisbury Road.
• At the Terminal 4 Roundabout, remain in the two right-hand lanes.
• Follow the clearly marked signs into Terminal 4 Priority Pick-Up.

Road layouts at airports can be busy, particularly around flight banks, so it is sensible for the driver and passenger to agree the collection plan before the driver enters the zone. A passenger who is still waiting for a suitcase can turn a short kerbside stop into a more expensive tariff band.

How and when to pay

There are no barriers, ticket machines or payment facilities in the Priority Pick-Up area. Entry is recorded and payment is due by midnight on the day after the visit. For example, a vehicle entering on Thursday 3 September 2026 must be paid for by 23:59 on Friday 4 September 2026.

Heathrow accepts card payment through its online payment service, its automated telephone payment line, or AutoPay through a personal or business account. Cash and cheques are not accepted. Drivers who already hold a Heathrow Terminal Drop-Off account can use the same account rather than opening another one.

Save the vehicle registration number and the date of the collection until payment is confirmed. This is particularly helpful where a relative, hire car driver or colleague made the pick-up.

How long should you allow for collection?

The paid area is for the final part of the pick-up, after the traveller is genuinely ready to leave the terminal. It is not a waiting area: vehicles must not be left unattended.

There is no single reliable allowance between an aircraft’s scheduled arrival and kerbside collection. The passenger may still need to disembark, pass through border control if applicable, collect checked luggage and walk through the arrivals hall. Delays at any of those stages can change the timing.

A lower-risk approach is to wait away from the Priority Pick-Up area until the passenger confirms they have their bags and are at, or walking towards, the arrivals exit. Keep mobile contact available and agree a simple message such as “bags collected” rather than relying only on the landing time.

Free alternative: Terminal 4 Park & Ride Zone A

If you want to go into the terminal to meet someone, or you cannot coordinate a quick kerbside handover, use Zone A of the Terminal 4 Park & Ride car park. It provides up to two hours’ free parking. Heathrow says this is the best Terminal 4 option for meeting an arriving traveller in the terminal.

After the free period, Heathrow’s current drive-up charges are £9.40 for two to four hours and £46.80 for the first 24 hours. Free, accessible shuttle buses run between Zone A and the terminal every five minutes, with journeys taking as little as six minutes. Allow extra time for waiting, loading luggage and the walk at either end.

Zone A is usually the more suitable choice when:

• the arriving passenger needs assistance with luggage or mobility;
• you are collecting children, an older relative or a first-time visitor;
• the flight is delayed or the traveller’s baggage timing is uncertain;
• you want to meet inside rather than arrange a kerbside call.

Blue Badge discounts or exemptions do not apply to Terminal 4 Priority Pick-Up. Heathrow does provide the two-hour free Zone A option, and drivers requiring accessible parking arrangements should check the airport’s current instructions before travelling.

What has changed at Terminal 4?

The key change for 2026 is that Terminal 4’s former multi-storey car park closed on 23 June 2026 as part of a redevelopment programme. Terminal and Meet & Greet parking are not available there during these works. Passenger parking has moved to the Terminal 4 Park & Ride site, with Zone A used for short, meet-in-terminal stays and Zones B to D for pre-booked parking.

That makes the distinction especially important: use the new paid Priority Pick-Up area for a prompt outside-arrivals collection, or use Park & Ride Zone A when the driver needs time to park and meet the traveller.

Private-transfer alternative for Terminal 4 arrivals

For passengers who would rather not coordinate a friend or family member’s airport drive, a pre-booked Heathrow airport transfer can provide a defined collection plan with the operator. This can be particularly useful after a long-haul arrival, when travelling with several cases, or where a larger vehicle is needed for a family or group.

With DM Airport Transfers, the benefit is door-to-door onward travel and a vehicle choice matched to the group and luggage requirements, rather than asking someone to time a short stay in the pick-up zone. Confirm the flight details, passenger contact number and destination when arranging the journey so the collection plan can be agreed in advance. Travellers comparing options can also use the airport transfers guide to plan their wider journey from Heathrow.

Terminal 4 pick-up checklist

• Confirm the arriving flight is using Terminal 4 before setting off.
• Choose Priority Pick-Up only when the passenger will be ready for a quick, attended collection.
• Use Zone A Park & Ride if you need to meet inside the terminal or need more flexibility.
• Do not pick up from the departures drop-off forecourt.
• Do not leave a vehicle unattended in Priority Pick-Up.
• Pay the Priority Pick-Up charge online, by phone or through AutoPay by midnight the following day.