Planning a family holiday can be a tricky task: flights, hotels, where to eat and what to do… that’s a lot on the list.
And one thing that can often be overlooked until the last minute is actually getting to the airport on time. It can be stressful to organise your travel to make sure you’re not dashing through security in a panic.
And if you own an electric car, that doesn’t just mean airport parking and shuttle buses but making sure you have somewhere to charge on your way to or from the airport.
Let’s take a look at all you need to know about airport EV charging, including where you can find electric vehicle charging points and what EV chargers are most common at airports.
Electric vehicle charging in airport car parks
Some airports offer EV charging points in their short stay car parks, which are used for those picking up friends or family, as well as private car hire firms.
Most commonly, you’ll find slower AC charging points or fast DC charging. They’re perfect for adding a handful of miles while you wait but for a full top up you’d need to stay for several hours.
Increasingly, off-site private airport car parks are offering electric vehicles charging packages for holidaymakers. This is either via charging points at its facility or the offer of the company plugging in at a EV charging station while you’re away so when you return your car is topped up to 100%.
The third option is to charge your electric car at one of the many EV charging points near airports across the UK. Let’s run down some of the UK’s most popular airports and the rapid charging points nearby on the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway.
Electric car charging stations near Gatwick Airport
Charging your electric vehicle at Gatwick Airport couldn’t be easier thanks to the London Gatwick Electric Forecourt, located on the road into the South Terminal and seconds from the entrance to the long stay car park.
With EV charging available 24/7 you can plug in no matter how early your budget airline flight is. And if it’s busy? Don’t worry, there are 22 ultra-rapid chargers plus a couple of AC charging points and Tesla Superchargers, too.
Going to the North Terminal and don’t want to take a detour? Our EV charging station at Pease Pottage is just a handful of miles down the road on the M23 where you’ll find another bank of High Power chargers.
Electric car charging stations near Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport is one of the best served airports for travelling by public transport if you live in London. It’s also the busiest airport in the UK, though, so it gets plenty of passengers driving in from further afield and using one of its many airport terminal car parks.
Fortunately, you’ll find two electric vehicle charging stations at Heston on the M4, at both east and westbound services, as well as plenty of other electric car charging points on the M4, such as Reading and Chieveley, and EV chargers at the nearby Slough Retail Park.
Electric car charging stations near Luton Airport
It might be called London Luton Airport but we all know it’s not really in London at all. That’s actually good news for EV charging, though, as Luton is on the M1 where there are plenty of EV charging stations to pick from.
Nearest to Luton and its airport car parks are the GRIDSERVE EV chargers at Toddington, with the Electric Super Hubs at both north and southbound services expanded in 2025 supporting drivers no matter the direction you’re coming from. The Stevenage Electric Forecourt – with over 30 EV chargers, Costa Coffee and Little Fresh convenience store – is also near Luton Airport if you’re coming cross country.
Electric car charging stations near Stansted Airport
On the M11 between London and Cambridge, London Stansted Airport has an EV charging station at Birchanger Green services, with a handful of Medium Power chargers. Around 30 minutes away into Essex (where a lot of passengers travel from), you’ll come across the Braintree Electric Forecourt, with over 30 EV chargers, Costa Coffee and Little Fresh convenience store.
Electric car charging stations near Liverpool Airport
At Liverpool John Lennon Airport, you’ll find a GRIDSERVE charger in the Long Stay Disabled airport car park close to the terminal building. To enjoy free parking in the airport car park, you can use the intercom system at the barrier to inform staff you are charging your electric vehicle and again when you leave.
If you’re parking offsite, then there is plenty of EV charging near Liverpool. Minutes from the airport, you’ll find an EV charging station at Dobbies Liverpool, although be advised it’s only available during store hours so you’ll need other arrangements if you’ve got a flight at an unsociable hour.
Not to worry, though, EV drivers will find rapid charging at Chester on the M56 and Medium Power charging at Lymm services at the junction of the M6 and M56.
Electric car charging stations near Birmingham Airport
Just like at Liverpool, GRIDSERVE has electric vehicle chargers in the airport car park at Birmingham Airport. Located in the Premium Set Down car park, EV drivers get a reduced parking tariff when you’re plugged in.
For EV owners travelling into Birmingham from the south, there’s an EV charging station at Frankley on the M5 while to the north on the M6, you’ll find EV chargers at Hilton Park, both north and southbound. Even nearer to the airport is The Fort Shopping Centre, where you’ll find an EV charging station in the car park.
Electric car charging stations near Manchester Airport
Passengers travelling to Manchester Airport from the north can visit the EV charging station Birch services on M62, while those to the south will find EV chargers at Knutsford and Sandbach on the M6.
Airport EV charging in Scotland
Both of Scotlands major airports have EV charging nearby. Edinburgh is served by charging options at Dobbies Edinburgh and just across the Forth Bridge at Dobbies Dunfermline.
Frequent travellers to Glasgow Airport can charge their EVs at Bothwell services on the M74.
