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St. Louis, Missouri, is served by several airports, including St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), St. Louis Regional Airport, MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV), and St. Louis Downtown Airport (KCPS). The St. Louis Lambert International Airport, located at 10701 Lambert International Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri 63145-0212, is the primary airport serving the city of St. Louis and the surrounding area. It is a major hub for aviation in the region, with a rich history dating back to World War II when it served as a manufacturing base for aircraft corporations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | St. Louis Lambert International Airport |
| Address | 10701 Lambert International Blvd. , PO Box 10212 St. Louis, Missouri 63145-0212 |
| History | During World War II, the airport served as a manufacturing base for the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation and Curtiss-Wright. In 1950, Ozark Air Lines began operations at the airport. In 1966, Ozark's network expanded to include jets, leading to a period of rapid growth. In 1992, Trans World Airlines (TWA) declared bankruptcy and moved its headquarters to St. Louis, making Lambert its main hub by 1999. |
| Airlines | Avelo Airlines, British Caledonian, Allegiant Airlines, TWA, Ozark, American Airlines |
| Destinations | Denver, Indianapolis, Louisville, Washington, D.C., New York City, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, London's Gatwick Airport, Southern Connecticut |
| Runways | 3, including Runway 11/29 which cost $1.1 billion |
| Nearby Landmarks | Gateway Arch |
| Other Airports in the Region | St. Louis Regional Airport, MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, St. Louis Downtown Airport |
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What You'll Learn
St. Louis Lambert International Airport
The airport has a long history, dating back to the early days of aviation. It was originally established as a balloon launching base by the Aero Club of St. Louis in 1909 and was called the "Permanent Aviation Field and Dirigible Harbor". In 1910, the airfield hosted the first International Air Meet, attracting famous guests such as the Wright brothers and President Theodore Roosevelt. Over the years, the airport has undergone various expansions and renovations to accommodate increasing passenger traffic. In 1953, a new terminal was constructed, and in the 1970s, the city of St. Louis proposed replacing Lambert with a new airport in Illinois. However, this proposal was rejected, and instead, Lambert received a $290 million expansion that lengthened runways and increased the number of gates.
Lambert has played a significant role in the operations of several major airlines. It served as the main hub for Trans World Airlines (TWA), which had a large presence at the airport despite being headquartered in New York City. TWA's presence at Lambert grew even further after the airline declared bankruptcy in 1992 and moved its headquarters to St. Louis. The number of passengers departing Lambert increased significantly, and the airport became the eighth-busiest in the US by flights, with over 30 million passengers in 2000.
In addition to TWA, other major airlines such as Ozark Air Lines and American Airlines have had a significant presence at Lambert. Ozark experienced rapid growth with the addition of jets to its fleet, and British Caledonian operated the airport's first transatlantic service to London's Gatwick Airport in 1980. However, the landscape changed after airline deregulation in 1978, leading to increased competition and a shift to a hub-and-spoke model of operations. Despite some challenges and fluctuations in traffic, Lambert remains a vital airport, serving nearly 16 million passengers in 2024 to over 80 nonstop domestic and international destinations.
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St. Louis Regional Airport
St. Louis Lambert International Airport is located in Missouri. During World War II, the airport served as a manufacturing base for the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation and Curtiss-Wright. After the war, most of its facilities were acquired by the Missouri Air National Guard and became the "Lambert Field Air National Guard Base". The airport has a rich history with airlines such as Ozark Air Lines, which began operations in 1950, and Trans World Airlines (TWA), which had large operations at the airport. TWA even moved its headquarters to St. Louis in 1993.
However, it appears that you may be referring to the St. Louis Regional Airport, a general aviation reliever airport located in East Alton, Illinois. This airport is approximately thirty minutes from downtown St. Louis and offers quick and convenient highway access to the business and tourism resources of St. Louis and Southwest Illinois. St. Louis Regional Airport averages over 80,000 operations a year, accommodating aircraft as large as a C-5A or Boeing 747. The airport caters to a diverse clientele, including Fortune 500 companies, general aviators, the U.S. military, and regional aircraft manufacturers.
For the 12-month period ending April 30, 2017, St. Louis Regional Airport recorded 39,828 aircraft operations, averaging 109 operations per day. The breakdown of these operations was 85% general aviation, 13% air taxi, 2% military, and less than 1% commercial service. As of March 2018, 79 aircraft were based at the airport, including 73 single-engine, 4 multi-engine, and 2 jet aircraft. West Star Aviation, the largest fixed-base operations company at the airport, provides various services such as engine repair, paint services, avionics installation, refurbishing, and aircraft part sales. The airport is also a popular stop for blimp crews on transcontinental flights across the United States.
In summary, while there is the St. Louis Lambert International Airport in Missouri with a significant aviation history, the St. Louis Regional Airport in Illinois is a busy and versatile general aviation hub that serves a wide range of clients and facilitates connections to the St. Louis area.
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MidAmerica St. Louis Airport
The airport has experienced an increase in passenger service since Allegiant Air resumed flights in 2012, offering connections to 12 destinations. In 2018, it recorded 152,278 passenger enplanements (302,000 total passengers), and it was recognised as "Airport of the Year" by the Illinois Department of Transportation for airports with more than 10,000 annual passengers. Additionally, a 2021 study by the Bureau of Transportation ranked it among the five least expensive airports in the nation.
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St. Louis Downtown Airport
The airport has a rich history, originally opening in 1929 as Curtiss-Steinberg Airport. It underwent several name changes over the years, including Curtiss-Parks Airport and Parks Metropolitan Airport in 1940, and Bi-State Parks Airport when it reopened in 1965 after a period of closure. In 1984, it was renamed St. Louis Downtown-Parks Airport, and it received its current name in 1999.
The airport is home to the Greater Saint Louis Air & Space Museum, housed in the historic Hangar #2, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Additionally, the nation's oldest flight school, Parks College of Engineering and Aviation's Center for Aerospace Sciences, is located at the airport.
In the 12 months ending December 31, 2021, St. Louis Downtown Airport recorded 103,000 aircraft operations, averaging 284 per day, with 111 aircraft based at the airport. This included general aviation, air taxi, and a small percentage of commercial and military flights.
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History of St. Louis airports
St. Louis Lambert International Airport, commonly referred to as Lambert Field or simply Lambert, is the largest and busiest airport in Missouri. It is located 14 miles (23 km) northwest of downtown St. Louis, between Berkeley and Bridgeton. The airport covers 3,793 acres (1,535 ha) of land and provides nonstop service to airports throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. In 2024, it served nearly 16 million passengers to over 80 nonstop domestic and international destinations. The airport is named after Albert Bond Lambert, an Olympic medalist and prominent St. Louis aviator.
The history of St. Louis Lambert International Airport dates back to the early 20th century. In 1942, voters passed a $4.5 million bond issue to expand the airport by 867 acres (351 ha) and build a new terminal. During World War II, the airport served as a manufacturing base for the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation and Curtiss-Wright. After the war, most of the facilities were acquired by the Missouri Air National Guard, and the airport became known as "Lambert Field Air National Guard Base." Ozark Air Lines began operations at the airport in 1950. To accommodate increasing passenger traffic, a new terminal designed by Minoru Yamasaki was constructed in 1953 and opened in 1956, becoming a forerunner of many modern airline terminals. In 1959, Lambert became one of the first U.S. airports with jet airline service.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the airport experienced significant growth and competition between airlines. By 1975, Ozark had achieved rapid growth, reaching 936 million revenue passenger miles. However, they faced heavy competition from Trans World Airlines (TWA), which had a strong presence at Lambert. In 1980, British Caledonian introduced the airport's first transatlantic service to London's Gatwick Airport, but the link was severed in 1984.
In the 1990s, TWA faced financial difficulties and declared bankruptcy in 1992. Despite this, Lambert continued to grow in importance for the airline, and it became TWA's main hub by 1999, serving 103 destinations with 515 daily flights. However, congestion and delays became an issue, leading to the decision to build a new 9,000-foot runway, Runway 11/29, despite declining traffic after the 9/11 attacks and TWA's collapse and absorption into American Airlines in 2001.
In 2009, Lambert Field Air National Guard Base officially shut down, ending an 86-year chapter of Lambert's history. In 2016, there were discussions about renaming the airport to emphasize "St. Louis" and freshen up its image, but the proposal was amended to include "Lambert" after opposition from descendants of Albert Bond Lambert. Today, St. Louis Lambert International Airport continues to serve millions of passengers annually and is recognized as one of the most historic airports in the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
St. Louis Lambert International Airport is located at 10701 Lambert International Blvd. PO Box 10212 St. Louis, Missouri 63145-0212.
During World War II, the airport served as a manufacturing base for the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation and Curtiss-Wright. It also became the eighth-busiest US airport by flights, with 515 daily flights serving 103 destinations by 1999.
There are a few other airports in the region, including St. Louis Regional Airport, MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, and St. Louis Downtown Airport (KCPS).
