Aire de Dépose-Minute sits directly in front of T1
This drop-off zone lines the main curb right outside Terminal 1 at Lomé–Tokoin International Airport, so drivers can pull up within a 1–2 minute walk of the departures entrance. It’s strictly for short stops: think a few minutes to unload bags, say goodbye, and move on. There are no barriers or tickets here, just curb space and posted signs.
You reach Aire de Dépose-Minute by following the “Départ / Departures” signs on the single terminal access road that circles toward T1. Cars stop along the marked curb in front of the main glass façade, with enough room for several vehicles at once in one lane. There is no covered pedestrian bridge, so plan for a 50–100 meter walk in open air from car door to terminal doors.
Pricing is typically treated as free for the first minutes because there is no gate, ticket, or automated payment machine directly at the drop-off lane. Longer parking runs the risk of being moved on by airport security staff, who patrol the front of T1 and ask drivers to clear the lane if they wait too long. For anything beyond a quick handoff of luggage or a short goodbye, switch to the regular car park behind the curb area.
Aire de Dépose-Minute only works well for passengers who are packed and ready to walk straight into the departures hall at T1, which opens check-in counters roughly 2–3 hours before many international departures. The lane sits on the departures side of the roadway; arriving passengers exit on the opposite side closer to the arrivals doors. There is no dedicated pedestrian crossing light between the lane and the terminal, just painted crosswalk markings.
Watch out for informal taxis that sometimes double-park in front of T1 and cut the usable curb space in half, especially around evening departures after 18:00. Traffic can back up 50–100 meters along the access road when several international flights check in at once. Build a 10–15 minute buffer into drop-off timing in case you end up stopping further down the curb and walking back toward the terminal doors.
Practical tip: agree on a specific door number or airline sign at T1 before you enter the airport road so the driver can aim for a precise spot and avoid having to circle the terminal a second time.