STL Lambert was my home airport for years, but I now live in SAN. I departed earlier today after visiting family for Thanksgiving, and I hate to say that it is very depressing, despite the terminal upgrades. The checkin area was virtually empty, the temporary AC is a very poor offering, and the terminal overall just feels bare.

On the plus side, this seems to be the only airport where I'm able to clear TSA precheck.

I don't suppose Lambert will ever be what it used to be, but I just wish the energy level were a bit higher there -- part of why I enjoy traveling is the airport hustle-and-bustle. ORD was jumping this evening -- while I'm sure those departing from Chicago didn't enjoy the somewhat longer security lines, at least it feels like a real airport.

Couldn't agree more. STL just seems to have no atmosphere to it. Couldn't wait to get out of that airport.

STL is the only airport I've had precheck and been thoroughly secondary searched because of my laptop's battery charger cord. They were the first that's ever perceived my power adapter for a WMD in thousands of tries.

Terminal upgrades . . . virtually empty check-in area . . . AC (albeit a poor one)?

Sounds like a pretty good airport experience to me. Personally I prefer small, empty terminals. For me a terminal is good based on 'car-to-lounge time' and 'lounge-to-gate time'.


Sounds better than the hustle and bustle, 'jumping' atmosphere and longer lines of ORD that you describe.


But I can see how preferences can vary.


(FWIW, I have not been through STL in years, in the few years after AA acquired TWA)

I wonder if the routes between LAS and PHX, and STL will see traffic pick up if there's a merger with US?

LAS is just a spoke in the US system now, a STL-LAS flight is highly unlikely.

You think STL is depressing fly out of SJC, San Jose International Airport... 10th largest city in America... no AC Club.

I agree with the OP. STL has a "ghost-town" feeling to it. I fly through it a couple of times a year for work and even schedule the occasional connecting flight when it makes a difference tot he price. I put STL in the same category as PIT. The difference is that last time I was in PIT they had walled off a couple of the concourses which weren't fully used so you couldn't really see how far the concourse went (and how empty it was). Perhaps STL should do something similar. The last time I was there the concourses were just a never ending stretch of nothing. if I remember correctly the last time I went through MEM it was a similar feeling as well. I wonder if CVG can be lumped into that category.

The WN concourse and terminal seems more alive at STL. I always like flying through STL and also SJC as well as CVG and PIT.
Has US Airways made major cuts at PHX, I know they cut alot at LAS.

The thing about airports is that generally speaking we go there to get on or off an airplane to go somewhere else. I don't need a shiny new terminal with a gazillion restaurants and shops selling me stuff I don't want or need. I want an airport close to my origin or destination and that's easy to navigate and relatively small. The only amenities I really want are Pre Check and an AC. My two principal airports, LGA and BOS, are great airports for these reasons.

+1. As much as I enjoyed ICN (in case you wanted to know if I've ever been to a "nice" airport), airports like BOS and STL are easy to navigate. If I want a place bumping and crazy, I'd go to a nightclub .

It is sad to see all of the unused gates that will likely never be used again.

On a positive note, Harlan is back in STL working at the STL AC. He's been with TWA/AA for many many years and it's good to see him back.

I find STL to be a good place to fly in and out. Minimal security lines, clean facility, pleasant people, good proximity of rental cars. Easy in and out. This frequent traveler does not appreciate crowded terminals, long lines and pushy people and STL has none of that.

Good riddance. Sorry if that sounds insensitive to the STL crowd. STL's demise began with the demise of TWA. I always found STL to be a dump of an airport. Admittedly, the old Ambassador's Club was pretty nice, but AA started pulling back quickly once the acquisition was finalized.

Probably going the way of SJU.