--- type: Airport Family Guide title: "St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) with Kids: Every Family Facility, Mapped" description: "STL's three lactation suites, the Terminal 1 Play Port and why switching terminals means a shuttle and a second screening. Checked October 2026." resource: https://www.velivolotravel.com/family-airport-guide/st-louis-lambert-international-airport-stl tags: [airport, family, travel, STL, us-midwest] timestamp: 2026-10-28 --- # St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) with Kids: Every Family Facility, Mapped **Short answer:** St. Louis Lambert has three lactation suites past security, near gates A10, C9 and E33, and one children's play area, the Children's Play Port near C3 in Terminal 1. Companion care family restrooms are spread through the airport. STL publishes no sensory room, family security lane or stroller rental, and its two terminals aren't connected airside. **Velivolo family score:** 5.3/10 (Fair) Lambert splits into two terminals a mile apart: Terminal 1 (A and C Gates) and Terminal 2 (E Gates, mostly Southwest). Each concourse has a lactation suite past security, near A10, C9 and E33, with sinks, outlets and room for siblings. The only play area STL lists is the Children's Play Port near C3 in Terminal 1, so Southwest families in Terminal 2 have none. Changing terminals means the free 24-hour shuttle and a second TSA screening. ## Quick facts - St. Louis Lambert has three post-security lactation suites, one per concourse, near gates A10, C9 and E33. - Each STL lactation suite has a sink, power outlets, a counter, a club chair and extra seating for siblings. - The Children's Play Port is in Terminal 1 near gate C3; STL lists no play area in Terminal 2. - STL's two terminals are just over a mile apart, linked by a free 24-hour shuttle every 8 to 15 minutes, and switching means re-clearing TSA. - TSA checkpoints at STL open at 3:30am; the A Gates checkpoint closes at 7pm and the C and E Gates checkpoints at 10pm. ## Facility matrix | Facility | Status | Terminals | Security side | Hours | Age limit | Cost | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Children's play area | available | Terminal 1 (near C3) | unknown | Hours vary | Not published | free | | Lactation suite | available | A, C and E concourses | post-security | Not published | – | free | | Companion care / family restroom | available | Both terminals | unknown | Terminal hours | – | free | | Baby changing table | unconfirmed | – | unknown | – | – | unknown | | Sensory room | unconfirmed | – | unknown | – | – | unknown | | Family security lane | unconfirmed | – | unknown | – | – | unknown | | Stroller rental | unconfirmed | – | unknown | – | – | unknown | | Dedicated family lounge | unconfirmed | – | unknown | – | – | unknown | ## Play areas | Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source | |---|---|---|---|---| | Children's Play Port | Terminal 1 · C Gates · Near C3 | unknown | St. Louis Lambert publishes no description or equipment list for the Play Port. | https://www.flystl.com/destination/childrens-play-port/ | ## Nursing rooms | Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source | |---|---|---|---|---| | Lactation suite near A10 | Terminal 1 · A Gates · Near A10 | post-security | ADA-compliant suite with a sink, power outlets, a spacious counter, a full-back club chair with a movable arm table, and extra seating for children or companions. | https://www.flystl.com/faqs/ | | Lactation suite near C9 | Terminal 1 · C Gates · Near C9 | post-security | ADA-compliant suite with a sink, power outlets, a spacious counter, a full-back club chair with a movable arm table, and extra seating for children or companions. | https://www.flystl.com/faqs/ | | Lactation suite near E33 | Terminal 2 · E Gates · Near E33 | post-security | ADA-compliant suite with a sink, power outlets, a spacious counter, a full-back club chair with a movable arm table, and extra seating for children or companions. | https://www.flystl.com/faqs/ | ## Family restrooms | Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source | |---|---|---|---|---| | Companion care family restrooms, throughout the airport | Terminals 1 and 2 | unknown | | https://www.flystl.com/accessibility-accommodations/ | ## Security with children - **Family lane:** St. Louis Lambert publishes no family security lane. It notes that TSA runs lanes designed for passengers with disabilities, points families to TSA Cares (call 72 hours ahead) and says on-site TSA Passenger Support Specialists can help at the checkpoint. Checkpoints open at 3:30am; the A Gates checkpoint closes at 7pm and the C and E Gates checkpoints at 10pm. STL also invites anxious or autistic travellers to visit the public terminal areas before flying. - **Strollers and car seats:** Strollers, baby carriers and car seats go through the X-ray, and anything too large is inspected by hand. Take your child out and carry them through the walk-through metal detector. - **Formula, milk and baby food:** Formula, breast milk and baby food are allowed over 3.4 oz (100 ml) and do not need to fit in the quart bag. Tell the officer at the start of screening and take them out of your bag. - **Shoes:** Children 12 and under can leave their shoes, light jackets and headwear on during screening. - **PreCheck:** Children 12 and under can use the TSA PreCheck lane with an enrolled parent or guardian. Teens 13 to 17 on the same reservation can too, if the PreCheck indicator appears on their boarding pass. - Source: https://www.flystl.com/accessibility-accommodations/ ## Getting between terminals STL's free Terminal Shuttle runs 24 hours a day between Exit 12 at Terminal 1 and Door 10 at Terminal 2, picking up every 8 to 15 minutes. The ride takes about 10 minutes, and there is no walking route between the terminals. If the wait gets long, call (314) 890-2880 for a dispatch. Shuttles have wheelchair lifts but no infant or child seats, so keep little ones on your lap or in the stroller as the bus allows. - Source: https://www.flystl.com/faqs/ ## Layover plans ### 1–2 hours — Stay in your terminal 1. Don't plan on switching terminals for a play area: the shuttle and second screening eat most of an hour. 2. Use the lactation suite in your concourse: near A10, C9 or E33. 3. Grab Ted Drewes custard at A15 or C15 if you are in Terminal 1. ### 3–5 hours — C Gates families: use the Play Port 1. The Children's Play Port is in Terminal 1 near C3. 2. The C9 lactation suite is a few gates away. 3. Schlafly at C1 is the sit-down option nearby. ### Changing terminals — Budget for the shuttle and TSA again 1. The free shuttle runs 24 hours between Exit 12 (Terminal 1) and Door 10 (Terminal 2), every 8 to 15 minutes. 2. The ride is about 10 minutes, then you re-clear security. 3. The A Gates checkpoint closes at 7pm, earlier than C and E. ## Your rights - **Lactation:** As a medium hub, St. Louis Lambert falls under the FAM Act's requirement for a non-restroom lactation space past security in each terminal. STL goes further, with a suite in each of its three concourses. - **Changing tables:** STL confirms companion care family restrooms throughout the airport, but it doesn't publish where its baby changing tables are. - **Liquids:** TSA's national rule applies at St. Louis Lambert: formula, breast milk and baby food are allowed over 3.4 oz (100 ml) and do not need to fit in the quart bag. Declare them at the start of screening. - **Boarding:** Family boarding is set by your airline, not by St. Louis Lambert. Check your carrier before you fly. - **If it is missing:** Call or visit the Information and Paging Booth in Terminal 1 between baggage claims 4 and 5 (staffed 7am to 11pm, 314-890-1333). For screening help, contact TSA Cares 72 hours ahead. - Source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/302 ## FAQ ### Does St. Louis Lambert have a kids' play area? STL lists one: the Children's Play Port in Terminal 1, near gate C3. The airport's directory gives the location and says the hours vary, but publishes no description of what's inside, no age range and no confirmation of which side of security it's on. There is no play area listed in Terminal 2, which is where Southwest flies, and you can't walk between the terminals after security. If your child needs to burn off energy before a Terminal 2 flight, plan on walking the concourse instead. ### Where can I breastfeed or pump at St. Louis Lambert? STL has three lactation suites, one in each concourse, all past security: near gate A10 in Terminal 1's A Gates, near C9 in Terminal 1's C Gates, and near E33 in Terminal 2. Each one is ADA-compliant with a sink, power outlets, a large counter, a full-back club chair with a movable arm table, and extra seating so you can bring your other children in with you. STL publishes no opening hours or access method for them. ### Are there family restrooms at St. Louis Lambert? Yes. STL says companion care family restrooms are located throughout the airport, alongside accessible restrooms marked with the International Symbol of Accessibility. What it doesn't publish is a list of where they are or confirmation that each has a changing table, so look for the signage or ask at the information booth. If you need a private, clean space to feed a baby, the three lactation suites near A10, C9 and E33 are better documented. ### Can I walk between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at STL? No. STL says there is no walking route between the terminals, which are just over a mile apart. The free Terminal Shuttle runs 24 hours a day between Exit 12 at Terminal 1 and Door 10 at Terminal 2, every 8 to 15 minutes, and the ride takes about 10 minutes. Because the terminals aren't connected airside, a connection between them means leaving security, taking the shuttle and clearing TSA again. Shuttles have wheelchair lifts but no child seats. ### Does St. Louis Lambert have a sensory room? STL's website doesn't mention one. Instead, the airport invites travellers with anxiety, autism or a fear of flying to visit ahead of their trip and explore the public areas of the terminals, watching check-in, baggage claim and the security line. Visitors can't go past security without a ticket. At the checkpoint itself, you can ask for a TSA Passenger Support Specialist, or call TSA Cares at (855) 787-2227 at least 72 hours before you fly. ### Does STL have a family security lane? STL doesn't publish one. It notes that TSA runs lanes designed for passengers with disabilities and directs families to TSA Cares and on-site Passenger Support Specialists. Standard TSA rules for children apply: kids 12 and under keep their shoes on, strollers go through the X-ray, and formula and breast milk are allowed over 3.4 oz. Checkpoints open at 3:30am. The A Gates checkpoint closes at 7pm and the C and E Gates checkpoints at 10pm. ### Can I rent a stroller at St. Louis Lambert? STL doesn't say. Stroller rental doesn't appear in its services directory or FAQs, and the airport never states that none exists, so plan to bring your own and gate-check it under your airline's rules. STL's FAQs do confirm that the parking and terminal shuttles have no infant or child seats, which is worth knowing if you're parking off-site or switching terminals with a baby. ### Which terminal does Southwest use at St. Louis Lambert? Southwest flies from Terminal 2, the E Gates, along with Lufthansa and other inbound international flights. American, Alaska, Frontier and Southern Airways Express use the C Gates in Terminal 1, while Air Canada, Delta, United and charters use the A Gates. Southwest families should know that the only play area STL lists, the Children's Play Port, is in Terminal 1, but Terminal 2 does have its own lactation suite near E33. ### What are the rules for formula and breast milk at STL security? TSA's national rules apply at every STL checkpoint. Formula, breast milk and baby food are allowed in your carry-on above the 3.4 oz (100 ml) limit and don't need to fit in the quart bag. Tell the officer at the start of screening and take them out of your bag. Children 12 and under can keep their shoes, light jackets and headwear on, and you can carry your child through the walk-through metal detector. ## Related airports - [Kansas City (MCI)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/kansas-city-international-airport-mci.md) — Missouri's other big airport: one new terminal instead of Lambert's two, with no shuttle in between. - [Chicago (MDW)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/chicago-midway-international-airport-mdw.md) — Another Southwest stronghold, with everything in one secure area. - [Indianapolis (IND)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/indianapolis-international-airport-ind.md) — A single connected terminal a short drive east, so no terminal-change headaches. - [Memphis (MEM)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/memphis-international-airport-mem.md) — A smaller river-city airport that scores higher for families. ## Sources - [St. Louis Lambert: FAQs (2026)](https://www.flystl.com/faqs/) — Lactation suites, terminal shuttle, checkpoint hours and airline terminals - [St. Louis Lambert: Accessibility & Accommodations (2026)](https://www.flystl.com/accessibility-accommodations/) — Companion care family restrooms and TSA assistance - [St. Louis Lambert: Children's Play Port (2026)](https://www.flystl.com/destination/childrens-play-port/) — Location of the Children's Play Port - [St. Louis Lambert: Shop, Dine & Services (2026)](https://www.flystl.com/shop-and-dine/) — Restaurants, USO and other services by gate - [TSA: Traveling with Children (2026)](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children) — National liquids, shoes and screening rules for children - [FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (FAM Act), H.R. 302 (2018)](https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/302) — The legal basis for lactation space at medium and large hubs **Last checked:** 2026-10-28