St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) is the largest and busiest airport in Missouri (USA) and parts of eastern Missouri and southern Illinois.
The airport is located 14 miles (23 km) northwest of downtown St. Louis, between the suburbs of Berkeley and Bridgeton. It is commonly called Lambert Field/Lambert Airport, often simply referred to as Lambert, named after the prominent 20th-century aviator Albert Lambert.
In 2024, STL handled nearly 16 million passengers, marking a 7% increase over the previous year and making it the highest annual traffic since 2003. This statistic puts Lambert Field among the 35 busiest airports in the USA.
Major Airlines - Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines is the dominant carrier at St. Louis Airport. The airline heavily utilizes Terminal 2 and is by far the largest operator of flights landing or departing at STL. Nearly ⅔ of all passengers at STL fly with Southwest.
The Big 3 of American commercial aviation, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, follow closely after with approximately 10.5%, 8.5%, and 4.5% market share, respectively. These, along with most other airlines at the airport, use Terminal 1.
The low-cost market is served by Frontier, Spirit, and Sun Country Airlines. Of these, Frontier offers the most flights, including some international routes to holiday destinations like Punta Cana and Cancún.
The two foreign airlines that offer direct flights to STL are Air Canada (flies to Montreal and Toronto) and Lufthansa (flies to Frankfurt).
See all airlines that have scheduled flights to and from Lambert Field.
Terminal Layout and Gates of STL
STL has two terminals:
Terminal 1 is the larger and older terminal. It includes Concourses A, B, and C. It handles most of the non-Southwest domestic airlines and many U.S. flights, including pre-cleared International flights.
Terminal 2 houses Concourse E, which has 18 gates (E4, E6, E8, E10, E12, etc., up to E40). This terminal is used by Southwest Airlines as well as for international arrivals (including Customs and Immigration) through Gate E29 (airlines like Frontier and Lufthansa, plus charter flights).
The distance between Terminals 1 and 2 is about 1 mile, so it is not feasible to walk between them. There is a free Terminal Shuttle which runs every 8-15 minutes, 24 hours a day between Exit 12 at Terminal 1 and Door 10 at Terminal 2, and takes around 10 minutes.
Connecting Flights and Transit
Since Lambert Airport is not a major hub airport and most flights are point-to-point, transfers are generally straightforward.
If both flights are in Terminal 1 (Concourses A/B/C), connections are easy after security. Just proceed to your next gate.
If connecting between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 (e.g., to/from Southwest or international via Gate E29), allow extra time for the shuttle. You will have to go through Security one more time.
Note that all international arrivals land at Terminal 2 (Gate E29 to be precise). If you’re proceeding elsewhere on a domestic flight, you will have to complete Immigration procedures at STL, re-check your luggage, and clear Security again (either T1 or T2, depending on the airline).
If you have a longer layover, you can hop over to the city and check out some of the best things to do in St. Louis.
Free Wi-Fi at STL
Free Wi-Fi provided by Boingo is available throughout both terminals, including gate areas, lounges, and public waiting areas.
To connect, select “STL_free_wifi” from the list of available networks and follow the on-screen instructions. You can remain connected for up to 4 hours, after which you will be prompted to buy a daily package for $7.95.
Dining Options at St. Louis Airport
Across both terminals, STL offers around 30 dining establishments with a moderate variety of options.
Nearly all are located after Security, as there are no places for food or drinks landside in T2, and Terminal 1 landside has only Starbucks, The Great American Bagel, and Missouri Vineyards.
Highlights after Security include:
Eighteen 76: A locals' favorite bar with an eclectic menu. Located in Concourse E, near Gate E10.
The Blue Note: Serves St. Louis Blues-inspired meals and drinks in Concourse E, near Gate E18.
Casa de Tres Reyes: A Latin American grab-and-go option near Gate E33.
NASCAR Drafthouse: Serves Southern comfort food and alcohol. Find it in Concourse C, near Gate C15.
Kingside Diner: A standard American diner near Gate C9.
Mike Shannon’s Grill: A semi-casual sit-down restaurant specializing in steaks and sandwiches with a full-service bar. Find near Gate A10.
Budweiser Brew House: Serves a casual menu and beer on demand. Near Gate A5.
Throughout the airport’s concourses, you can also find several fast food chains, including Great Wraps Grill (Gate C18), Shake Shack (Gate E16), Crushed Red (Gate E18), and others.
Lounges at STL
Four lounges are available at St. Louis Airport, of which only one is airline-specific.
The American Airlines Admirals Club in Terminal 1 (after security in Concourse C) serves American/OneWorld elite or business/first class passengers. A day pass costing $79 is possible for anyone else.
The Wingtips Lounge is a common-use lounge in Terminal 2 opposite Gate E31. The walk-up day pass costs $38 for 4 hours. Note that this lounge is closed on Sundays.
The James S. McDonnell USO Lounge is located in Terminal 1 (on the lower level in Arrivals, across from baggage carousel 6). It is accessible to active military personnel and their families. This is the only lounge open 24/7.
Lastly, the USO Satellite Lounge is another venue for those serving in the military to relax before a flight, located in Terminal 2, landside, near exit 11. It is open from Monday to Friday between 7 AM and 6 PM.
Transport to and from the airport
Getting to/from STL can be done using buses, light rail, or private transport.
The MetroLink (St. Louis’ light rail system) has stops at both terminals, connecting to downtown St. Louis. This is the most useful form of transport for those without cars. To take it at T1, use Exit Door 1. For T2, use Exit Door 12. Trains run every 20 minutes with a base fare of $2.50.
Bus service comes from MetroBus and Greyhound. The bus port, where you can board a bus, is south of Terminal 1 on Lambert International Boulevard. The Bus Port is also connected by a tunnel to the Terminal 1 Garage - use Exit 16 to access. The cash base fare for buses is $1.
You can also buy a combined bus+rail ticket valid for 2 hours for $3.00. This can only be purchased on the Transit app.
Both terminals have Taxi Zones right outside of Arrivals - Door 14 to Garage Yellow Level for T1 and across from Door 12 for T2. Taxi fares are metered and depend on distance and duration. There is an airport fee of $4. The trip downtown normally costs $40-50.
Similarly, ride-sharing is also available. Uber and Lyft have designated pick-up locations - Door 6 for T1 and Door 12 for T2.
Car rental companies are located off-site. You can use the courtesy shuttle bus from outside of exit 17 at T1 and outside of exit 12 at T2 to reach. Companies with offices there include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty.
Click here for information about private transfers.
Parking at Lambert Airport
Parking options include attached garage facilities at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, as well as surface lots within walking distance and long-term lots located a bit further away, which are served by a free shuttle.
All parking lots and garages are open 24/7.
Terminal 1 Garage: Costs $5.00 for the first 2 hours of parking, with additional charges every 2 hours, up to a maximum of $28.00 per day.
Terminal 2 Garage: Costs $5.00 for the first 2 hours of parking, with additional charges every 2 hours, up to a maximum of $29.00 per day.
Lot A: Costs $10 for the first 6 hours, $14 for up to 12 hours, or $18 per day.
Lot B: The best lot for long-term parking. Charges are $13 per day during the week and as low as $9 per day during the weekend.
Lot C: Costs $7 for the first 6 hours, $9 for up to 12 hours, or $13 per day for covered parking. Slightly cheaper rates for uncovered parking.
Lot D: The lot with the best value for money. Parking here costs only $10 per day.
Lot E: The newest lot and located directly east of Terminal 2. It costs $5.00 for the first 2 hours of parking, with additional charges every 2 hours, up to a maximum of $29.00 per day.
St. Louis Airport also has 2 cell phone waiting lots for those waiting to pick up arriving passengers:
Between the B and D parking lots, near Terminal 1, at 10985 Lambert International Blvd.
Near Terminal 2, at 9837 Air Cargo Rd.
Waiting at either of these is free as long as you remain inside the vehicle.
Hotels near STL
The airport does not have a hotel within its grounds.
However, nearby hotels exist in the St. Louis area with shuttle or taxi service. Many of them are less than 0.5 miles from the airport.
These include 3-star hotels like Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Airport, Hampton Inn St. Louis-Airport, and Marriott St. Louis Airport, and a more budget-friendly 2-star option such as the Pear Tree Inn St. Louis Airport.
Saint Louis, MO, USA
