Directions to Stansted Airport (2026): Postcode, Routes & Drop-Off Guide

Typing the wrong postcode into your sat-nav is a surprisingly easy way to add twenty minutes to a journey you can’t afford to be late for. Stansted has a few postcodes floating around online, and not all of them take you to the same place.

So here’s the short version: this guide gives you the postcode Stansted Airport actually publishes, the quickest route in from the M11 and A120, what it now costs to drop someone off, and what to expect once you’re through the doors. Everything below is checked against Stansted’s own site, not copied from an old blog post.

Quick Answer: Getting to Stansted Airport

• Official postcode: CM24 1RW. Some sat-navs route more precisely to the terminal building itself using CM24 1QW (Bassingbourn Road) either should get you there.
• From the M11: Use Junction 8a if you’re coming from London, or Junction 8 if you’re coming from Cambridge, then follow the A120 signs for the airport.
• Drop-off cost: £10 for up to 15 minutes in the Express Set Down area (rising to £28 beyond that), or free for 60 minutes at the Mid Stay car park with a shuttle bus.
• Distance from London: Around 37–40 miles, roughly an hour by car outside rush hour.
• Security liquid limit: Still 100ml, Stansted has not moved to the 2-litre rule that Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham now use.

Stansted Airport Postcode and Address

The official postcode Stansted Airport publishes on its own site is CM24 1RW. That’s the one to trust first.

That said, if you’ve seen CM24 1QW used elsewhere, that’s not wrong either it’s the postcode for the terminal building on Bassingbourn Road, and many taxi and satnav providers use it because it drops you closer to the exact terminal entrance rather than a general airport area. Either will get you there without much difference in practice.

Full address: London Stansted Airport, Bassingbourn Road, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, CM24 1RW.

Driving Directions: The Fastest Route In

Stansted sits just off the M11, close to Bishop’s Stortford, roughly 40 miles northeast of central London. However you’re approaching, you’ll end up on the A120, which is signposted clearly the whole way in.

Coming from London or the south (via M25): Join the M11 northbound and leave at Junction 8a. Follow the A120 signs for Stansted Airport, then continue straight into the airport complex following signs for your terminal, car park, or drop-off zone.

Coming from Cambridge or the north: Take the M11 southbound and leave at Junction 8. From there, join the A120 and follow the airport signage in.

Coming from the east (Colchester direction): Take the A120 westbound, which runs directly toward the airport and connects onto Bishop’s Stortford beyond it.

A quick tip that saves confusion at the roundabouts: the A120 splits into signage for different car parks before it reaches the terminal itself, so keep an eye out for your specific destination (Mid Stay, Short Stay, or Express Set Down) rather than just following “Stansted Airport” blindly the wrong turn here means doubling back through the roundabout system.

Distance and Driving Time from Major Cities

Here’s how far you’re actually travelling, based on typical road conditions rather than rush-hour worst cases.

Worth knowing: these are dry-road, average-traffic estimates. The M25 and M11 both slow considerably during weekday peak hours (7–9am and 4–7pm), so if your flight departs early morning, build in an extra 20–30 minutes for the drive alone separate from the time you’ll need at the terminal.

Stansted Drop-Off Charges: What It Actually Costs in 2026

This is the bit most directions guides skip, and it genuinely affects how you plan your journey. Stansted no longer offers free kerbside drop-off. Since March 2026, the Express Set Down area the zone right outside the terminal runs a barrierless, camera-based (ANPR) charging system.

There are no barriers and no cash machines in the Express Set Down zone cameras log your registration automatically, and you pay online or by phone before midnight the following day. Miss that window and it becomes a £100 penalty charge, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days.

If you’d rather avoid the charge entirely: head for the Mid Stay car park instead. It’s free for the first hour and a free shuttle bus gets you to the terminal in around seven minutes, a sensible option if you’re not in a rush or you want to walk someone in to check-in.

If you’re being collected by a pre-booked driver, this charge is usually one less thing to think about most reputable transfer Stansted Airport taxi services build it into the fare and manage the payment themselves, rather than leaving you to remember a next-day deadline.

Security Restrictions at Stansted Airport

Security at Stansted is broadly the same as most UK airports, with a couple of specifics worth knowing before you pack.

Liquids: the limit is still 100ml per container, and that hasn’t changed for 2026, Stansted hasn’t yet rolled out the CT scanner upgrade that’s lifted the limit to 2 litres at Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham. The good news is you no longer need a separate clear plastic bag; liquids under 100ml can simply stay in your hand luggage.

One detail that trips people up: if you’re using your own travel-sized bottles, the capacity needs to be printed on the container by the manufacturer. A handwritten “100ml” label or a sticker won’t be accepted, no matter how accurate it is.

Electronics: laptops, tablets, and other devices can stay in your bag during screening, there’s no need to remove them separately.

Prohibited items include the usual list: blades and knives, replica or toy weapons, corrosive substances, flammable liquids and gases, fireworks, and any tool longer than roughly 6 inches. Full detail is on Stansted’s own security guidance page.

Medicines and baby food: prescription medication in liquid form is allowed above 100ml, but carry proof a prescription, doctor’s letter, or the medicine label. Baby milk and liquid baby food are also permitted in reasonable quantities for the journey; you may just be asked to taste-test it at the checkpoint, which is routine rather than personal.

Duty-free liquids bought at another airport can travel through Stansted security too, as long as they’re sealed in a tamper-proof bag with the receipt visible, and were bought within the last 24 hours.

How to Get to the Airport Without Driving Yourself

Driving isn’t the only option, and for some routes it isn’t even the fastest one.

• Stansted Express train runs from London Liverpool Street roughly every 15 minutes and takes about 45 minutes to the terminal handy if you’re coming from central London and want to skip the M11 traffic altogether.
• National Express coaches connect Stansted with London and several other major towns.
• Pre-booked airport transfers offer a fixed pickup time and a set price agreed before you travel, which removes the guesswork around both traffic and the drop-off charge above. It’s the option most people lean on for early flights, when timing matters most and you’d rather not be checking a parking app at 4am.

Common Mistakes People Make Getting to Stansted

• Assuming the drop-off zone is free, then getting a surprise penalty notice for forgetting to pay online the next day.
• Following an old sat-nav postcode saved from a previous trip. Roads and car park layouts around the airport have shifted more than once in recent years.
• Packing a 150ml bottle “because it’s not full.” Stansted checks container size, not how much is inside it.
• Underestimating M25/M11 traffic on weekday mornings, then arriving stressed rather than with time to spare.
• Not checking which car park a booking confirmation refers to Mid Stay, Short Stay, and Long Stay are in different locations, and the wrong one adds a real walk (or a wait for a shuttle) with bags in tow.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the correct postcode for Stansted Airport?

The official postcode is CM24 1RW. CM24 1QW is also commonly used and takes you to the terminal building on Bassingbourn Road.

Which motorway junction do I use for Stansted Airport?

Leave the M11 at Junction 8a if you’re travelling from London or the south, or Junction 8 if you’re coming from Cambridge or the north. Both lead onto the A120, which is signposted to the airport.

Is drop-off free at Stansted Airport?

No, not at the main Express Set Down area, it costs £10 for up to 15 minutes. The Mid Stay car park offers free drop-off for the first 60 minutes, with a short shuttle bus to the terminal.

Is the 100ml liquid rule still in place at Stansted?

Yes. Stansted hasn’t adopted the newer 2-litre liquid allowance that some UK airports now offer, so containers must still be 100ml or under.

How far is Stansted Airport from London?

Around 37–40 miles, which typically takes about an hour by car outside of rush hour.

What’s the best way to avoid the Stansted drop-off charge?

Use the Mid Stay car park’s free 60-minute drop-off with its shuttle service, or book a private transfer where the charge is usually included in the fare rather than something you need to remember to pay separately.

Sources

This guide is checked against London Stansted Airport’s official directions page, its pick-up and drop-off guidance, and its security page.