← All airports

St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) TSA Wait Times

St. Louis, MO

Check live TSA wait times at STL

Get real-time and predicted wait times before you leave for the airport.

Check STL wait timesSign up free

About TSA wait times at STL

St. Louis Lambert International (STL) is the primary airport for the St. Louis metropolitan area and Missouri's busiest passenger airport. It served as TWA's main hub through the 1990s, and the iconic vaulted dome ceilings of Terminal 1 — designed by Minoru Yamasaki, who later designed the World Trade Center towers — are still the airport's visual signature.

STL operates from two terminals: Terminal 1 (the main building, with concourses A, B, and C) and Terminal 2 (East Terminal, used primarily by Southwest, with concourses D and E). Each terminal has its own TSA checkpoint, and you cannot walk airside between them — make sure you know which terminal your flight departs from before you leave for the airport.

Southwest is now the dominant carrier and runs the busiest checkpoint at Terminal 2. Terminal 1 traffic spreads across American, Delta, United, and several leisure carriers. Atlas tracks both checkpoints separately so you can see which one is moving faster on any given morning.

Frequently asked questions

What are peak hours for security at STL?

Mornings between 5:00 AM and 7:30 AM are the heaviest at both terminals — Southwest's bank at Terminal 2 hits especially hard. There's a secondary push around 4:00–6:00 PM. Saturday mornings tend to be lighter than Sundays. Atlas's prediction is sharper than these averages because it accounts for the specific day, season, and live throughput.

How early should I arrive at Lambert?

STL is a midsize airport, not a mega-hub, so 75 minutes is usually enough for a domestic flight in PreCheck and 90 minutes for a standard lane. Add buffer for early-morning Southwest departures from Terminal 2 — that's the airport's reliable bottleneck. Use Atlas's prediction for your exact departure time instead of a flat rule.

Does STL have TSA PreCheck?

Yes — both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 have PreCheck lanes, and CLEAR is available at Terminal 1. Atlas displays predicted wait times per lane type so you can see how much PreCheck actually saves on your day, not just on average.

Where should I park at STL?

Each terminal has its own attached garage (Hourly and Daily) plus an Economy Lot served by free shuttles. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 parking are separate — park at the wrong terminal and you'll need to take the shuttle or drive over. The Economy Lot is the cheapest on-site option but adds 10–15 minutes to your trip.

Which terminal does my airline use at St. Louis?

Terminal 2 (East) is essentially Southwest. Terminal 1 (Main) hosts American, Delta, United, Alaska, Air Canada, Frontier, and most other carriers. There is no airside connection between the two — confirm your terminal before heading to the airport, since switching means going landside and re-clearing security.

Related airports

View all airports →