How early should I get to STL?

STL shows a live estimated wait on its security page, based on MyTSA (which reports a historical maximum within a range). It publishes no typical peak times. In TSA's hourly screening counts for Sep 13-19, 2026, STL was busiest from 4am to 9am, peaking 7-8am. There was a smaller midday rise around 11am-2pm, and traffic was much lighter after 6pm. Sunday, Friday, Thursday and Monday were the busiest days that week; Tuesday and Saturday were the quietest.

Busiest times: 4:00-9:00am (peak 7:00-8:00am), 11:00am-2:00pm, Sundays, Thursdays, Fridays and Mondays (TSA counts, week of Sep 13, 2026).

Nationally, TSA checkpoints are busiest from 5 to 7 AM local time. See TSA's hourly numbers and the busiest days to fly.

TSA PreCheck: STL lists TSA PreCheck lanes at the Concourse A and Concourse C checkpoints in Terminal 1 and the Concourse E checkpoint in Terminal 2. The PreCheck enrollment center that was in Terminal 1 near Entry 1 has closed; CLEAR enrollment pods outside the checkpoints can help with PreCheck enrollment.

CLEAR: Available at this airport (see terminals below for which checkpoints).

Touchless ID: A Newsweek report from early 2026 listed STL among airports scheduled to get TSA PreCheck Touchless ID in spring 2026. This research could not confirm that it is live at STL or which airlines offer it there.

Between terminals: The two terminals are not connected and you cannot walk between them. A free Terminal Shuttle runs 24/7 between Terminal 1 Exit 12 and Terminal 2 Door 10, about 10 minutes, with pickups every 8-15 minutes. Connecting between terminals means going through TSA screening again.

Terminals are not connected after security. Go to the right terminal the first time.

Rideshare and taxi: Uber and Lyft pickup is at Terminal 1 Door 6 (Departure level) and Terminal 2 Door 12 (Arrivals level). STL does not list separate rideshare drop-off spots; follow signs to your terminal's Departures Drive. Vehicles may not wait in the Arrivals areas; use the free T1 or T2 cell phone lots.

Transit: MetroLink's Red Line stops at both terminals. The Terminal 1 station is closed from Oct 12, 2026 until about mid-December 2026. Until it reopens, ride to Terminal 2 and take the free shuttle from Exit 10 to Terminal 1; Metro says to allow a few extra minutes. Buy fares in advance at station machines or in the Transit app.

Driving and parking: From westbound I-70 or I-170, take Exit 238A (Lambert International Blvd). From eastbound I-70, take Exit 235C (Cypress Road). The terminals are about a mile apart, so follow signs for your terminal. Garage rates since July 1, 2026: Terminal 1 $31/day, Terminal 2 $33/day. Lot B is $14/day and Lot C $12-15/day, with shuttles every 8-15 minutes, 24/7. Lot E, east of Terminal 2, is reservation-only ($27/day plus a $10 reservation fee). STL suggests allowing 30 extra minutes when parking in a shuttle lot.

• The Terminal 1 MetroLink station is closed for airport construction from Oct 12, 2026 until about mid-December 2026; a free shuttle links it to the Terminal 2 station
• A new single terminal is still in design (30% done in early 2026; groundbreaking possibly in 2027). Reported plans close Concourse A in August 2027 and move its airlines to Concourses C and D, so nothing changes for departures in 2026.

Southwest: check bags at least 45 minutes before a domestic flight's scheduled departure (60 minutes for international), and check in at least 30 minutes before a domestic flight. Delta: bags 45 minutes before domestic departure, 30 minutes without bags. American and United: check in and check bags 45 minutes before domestic departure (AP, May 2025).

• Check which terminal your airline uses before you leave. The terminals are more than a mile apart, and you cannot walk between them.
• Flying Southwest? Go to Terminal 2. Delta, United and Air Canada use the A-gates checkpoint in Terminal 1; American, Alaska and Frontier use the C-gates checkpoint.
• The T1 A-gates checkpoint is listed as open only until 7pm, while the C-gates and Terminal 2 checkpoints are listed until 10pm. If you fly late from the A gates, check flystl.com for current hours.
• Taking MetroLink to Terminal 1 before mid-December 2026? Get off at Terminal 2 and take the free shuttle from Exit 10, and allow a few extra minutes.
• Lot E now takes reservations only. Without a booking, use another lot and allow 30 extra minutes for the shuttle.
• Southwest curbside check-in at Entry 1 closes at noon on most days (10am on Saturday), so later flyers check bags inside

• STL - Security (checkpoint hours, PreCheck, wait times)
• STL - FAQs (arrival advice, terminal shuttle, MetroLink)
• STL - Flights & Airlines (gates and check-in by airline)
• STL - Parking & Transportation (rideshare, MetroLink, cell phone lots, directions)
• STL - Terminal 1 Parking (rates effective July 1, 2026)
• STL - Terminal 2 Parking (rates effective July 1, 2026)
• STL - Lot E Parking (reservation only)
• STL - Lot B Parking
• STL - Lot C Parking
• CLEAR - St. Louis Lambert Airport CLEAR locations & hours
• Spectrum News - Terminal 1 MetroLink station closing through mid-December (Oct 9, 2026)
• First Alert 4 - New details on Lambert's single-terminal project and airline shifts (Apr 14, 2026)
• First Alert 4 - Lambert moves closer to new terminal as design work progresses (Mar 25, 2026)
• Chase - A guide to St. Louis Lambert International Airport
• Wikipedia - St. Louis Lambert International Airport
• Newsweek - TSA expanding PreCheck Touchless ID to 65 more airports (early 2026)
• TSA throughput data, September 13-19, 2026
• Southwest - When to arrive for your flight (check-in and bag deadlines)
• Delta - Check-In Times at U.S. Airports
• AP via MyNorthwest - United narrows check-in window; airline comparison (May 27, 2025)

Airport conditions change. Always follow your airline's check-in and bag-drop deadlines.

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