Terminal 1

36 gates, two concourses, and most of STL’s traffic live here

Terminal 1 at STL handles Air Canada, Alaska, American, Delta, Southern Airways Express, United, plus other domestic and charter flights across 36 working gates in Concourses A and C. All of this sits inside the main terminal building, so A and C connections stay under one roof without a shuttle. Build the buffer on peak mornings; T1 carries the heavier volume compared with Terminal 2.

Concourse A holds gates like A4, A5, A15, and A16, and that’s where most of the food shows up. A4 has Pizza Studio, good for a fast custom pie if you’ve got 15–20 minutes before boarding. A5 is Budweiser Brew House territory, with local beer and bar food if you want a sit-down option near the early A gates. By A15 you hit Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, a St. Louis classic stand-in, and Midtown Cafe at A16 for basic hot sandwiches and coffee.

Concourse C starts at C1 with Schlafly Beer Bar & Grill, another local draft beer stop that draws the STL regulars waiting on United and Delta flights. Vino Volo sits closer to the mid-C gates as the wine bar fallback with small plates and flights priced in the usual airport range. If you land on C and need caffeine before baggage claim, Starbucks and Midtown Specialty Coffee cover that, with lines heaviest between 6:00 and 9:00 a.m.

For sugar hits, Sweet Indulgences doubles up as both a snack counter and a small shop, and there’s a combined Baskin-Robbins Dunkin' Donuts in Terminal 1 for donuts plus ice cream in one stop. Grounded fills the role of quick coffee and grab-and-go pastries when the Starbucks queue looks like a 20-minute problem. Prices track standard airport levels: expect airport markup on coffee and frozen custard, but not outlier expensive.

USO Missouri sits on the lower level of Terminal 1 directly across from baggage carousel M6, away from the TSA lines and gate noise. Active-duty military, Guard, Reserve, and families use it as a quiet reset point before or after flights, especially when they’re waiting on delayed bags. Regulars mention heading straight down after landing rather than lingering at the crowded public seats by M6.

Shopping is mostly Hudson territory, with multiple Hudson and Hudson Booksellers locations spread along Concourses A and C for snacks, bottled drinks, and last-minute paperbacks. Tech On The Go and InMotion carry headphones, chargers, and travel adapters if your USB-C cable dies at A15 or C8. For STL-heavy souvenirs and team gear, St. Louis Sports, Discover St. Louis, Stars of St. Louis, and a Paradies Lagardère-run shop cluster the postcards, Cardinals gear, and Arch merch near the central concourse intersections.

Security for Terminal 1 feeds both Concourses A and C, and once you’re through, you can walk between them without re-clearing TSA, which helps when American moves you from A5 to a C gate at the last minute. The USO on the lower level near carousel M6 doubles as a meet-up point for arriving military families because it’s tied to a specific carousel number. One last tip: if your connection is under 40 minutes, grab something fast near your gate in A4–A5 or C1 instead of backtracking to the ticketing-level food court.