Flying out of STL on SW

[lgruender]

I have never flown out of STL before, muchless ever used SW either. We have a flight to leave @ 7:55 am on a Sunday. I will print my boarding passes at home before leaving but I'm wondering about the luggage. My friend said to do curbside checkin, to save on time. Just wondering if anyone has ever done this at STL? Any help about the STL aitport would be helpful.

 

[Willsmama]

I hope this info is still accurate, it's been a decade since I moved from St. Louis. But when I lived there the airport had two terminals, the older main one and a newer one further to the east. The Southwest gates were at the newer east terminal. There was a shuttle bus between the terminals because it is quite a hike even with the moving sidewalks. (This might have been replaced by the people mover since I've left). There was parking available at both terminals (more at the older one). If you use Park n Fly, they will drop you off at the correct terminal.

 

[jctwizzer]

SWA uses the East Terminal at Lambert. As far as checking your luggage, sometimes the outside check in is more crowded than the inside...you'll need to look and then decide. Since you will already have your boarding pass, the need to "save time" is pretty much negated. The other variable is the size of the security line, and that, too, varies. Most of the time it's about a five minute wait...good luck

 

[DonnaLeah]

lgruender--SW flies out of the East Terminal, that is where you will also be able to check in curbside. ET is a smaller terminal and easier to navigate.

 

[NotUrsula]

Do NOT stop to use the SWA curbside checkin at STL's East Terminal. That line is ALWAYS much longer than the indoor checkin if you already have a boarding pass. Sunday morning is normally not very crowded at East Terminal security.

There is a set of kiosks to the far left of the ticket counter (right next to security), that will print your luggage labels for you. Hardly anyone ever uses them. Just go up and use the kiosks to check the bags. There is an employee there who will verify the weight and put the tags on for you. Then you will be handed the bags back, and you need to take them yourself around to the TSA bag handling machine, which is on the other side of the SWA checkin counter area. Hand them over, and you are set to go into security. The agents who work security at the East Terminal are a hard-working bunch of folks who make it a point to get people through as efficiently as possible.

Which direction will you be coming from? I can recommend a couple of good airport parking garages if you need one.

 

[ShelbyR]

Whatever you do, it will work out fine. As others have said, the East terminal is small (though not as small as it was when you could park right outside the door) and easy to navigate, and early Sunday morning will be slow. We arrived at the terminal around 9:45 Sunday, 6/25 and got a skycap with no waiting. As you arrive, you'll have to walk right by the skycaps to enter the terminal. If they are busy, follow the other advice and go on in. If they aren't, stop! Nothing to worry about.

 

[LoveToDisney]

You can print your boarding pass 24 hours before your flight so print them out the day before you go to the airport, not on the morning of your flight. If you wait until the morning of your flight, you will probably be in the last group to load, C. If you are a solo flyer then it doesn't matter. But if you want to sit by someone, then it helps to be in at least the B group.