Terminal 1

British Airways now uses T1 for its Stuttgart flights

Terminal 1 sits in the main STR building and handles non‑Schengen plus several full‑service carriers, including British Airways. All three terminals here (T1, T3, T4) sit on one connected concourse, so walking between them takes only a few minutes, far less than crossing a single concourse in somewhere like ATL. Think compact regional airport rather than multi‑pier hub.

Layout and getting around the T1 concourse

A FlyerTalk regular summed it up: “all airport buildings are connected to each other and in total the airport is smaller than one terminal in ATL.” From the center of T1 you can walk to the adjoining buildings in roughly 3–5 minutes at a normal pace. Landside and airside corridors line up fairly logically, so once you know your gate letter, a quick look at the overhead signs usually does the trick.

Check‑in, security, and timing

Main security for Terminal 1 sits just past the check‑in islands on the departures level, and review sites peg typical wait times at around 10–15 minutes in normal conditions. Early morning waves for 06:00–08:00 departures can back up, and several Skytrax reviews call out longer lines at the T1 checkpoint during those peaks. Regulars flying out of T1 tend to add an extra 15–20 minutes to their usual arrival time for those morning banks.

Connections through T1 and the STR complex

One FlyerTalk user tried a 45‑minute intra‑EU connection through Stuttgart and later wrote that “your risk are big, I would book the arrival the eve and sleep at Stuttgart.” The physical walk from a T1 stand to another terminal takes only a few minutes, but immigration checks and delay ripple effects can eat a short layover very fast. If you do book a tight British Airways connection through STR, build at least 75–90 minutes if a passport stamp is involved.

Landside and airside links to the other terminals

Because T1 is part of the central building, both landside and airside hallways connect it directly to T3 and T4 in a single straight line. FlyerTalk posters comparing STR to mega‑hubs say they simply walk from one terminal section to the next instead of looking for shuttles, treating everything as one long pier. Last‑minute gate changes between buildings are usually a 3–8 minute walk, not a transport problem.

Food options in and around Terminal 1

DönAir appears in airport listings as one of the kebab and snack spots serving the main terminal area, with quick döner plates and wraps priced in the €7–€10 range. It works for a fast bite before short intra‑EU hops, especially if your British Airways flight boards from a nearby non‑Schengen gate in T1. Expect basic counter service and stand‑up tables rather than a long sit‑down meal.

Muskat for a more sit‑down style meal

Muskat operates in the STR terminal complex as a more full‑plate restaurant, with mains that typically sit in the €15–€25 bracket depending on how much you add on drinks and dessert. It draws some pre‑flight traffic from passengers checked in at T1 who want a slower meal before clearing security. If your flight leaves from T1 and you plan to eat at Muskat, be at the airport at least two hours pre‑departure so you are not clock‑watching over your main course.

Senator Comfort Area: quiet seats and runway view

The Senator Comfort Area in the main terminal complex has around 40 seats and tall desk‑style workstations facing the runway, according to lounge threads. Regulars say it stays calmer than the crowded public seating by the T1 gates, partly because it is a bit tucked away from the main flow. If your status or ticket gives access and you are flying British Airways out of T1, that space can be the best spot to open a laptop for 30–60 minutes before boarding.

Crowding and seating pressure near T1 gates

Yelp reviews of Stuttgart Airport mention that the main building can feel busy and cramped, and that grabbing an empty chair by the departure gates is sometimes hard during peak banks. That lines up with reports of the Senator area staying quieter than the public seats immediately around T1 boarding zones. If you land and see every gate seat taken, backtrack 50–100 meters along the concourse and you usually find a calmer stretch.

What regulars actually do at STR Terminal 1

FlyerTalk regulars often avoid ultra‑tight connections through Stuttgart, especially anything under 60 minutes through T1 with a passport control step. Several posters recommend arriving the night before and using an airport hotel if you have an important long‑haul or meeting following a British Airways flight. They also time their security run by watching the 06:00–08:00 push; outside that window, the reported 10–15 minute queues are more realistic.

One last tip for flying BA from Terminal 1

If you are on British Airways out of T1, aim to be landside at the airport 2 hours before departure, walk straight to check‑in, then security, and only then decide between DönAir, Muskat, or heading to the Senator Comfort Area. That order keeps you clear of the occasional T1 security surge and leaves you sitting with a boarding pass in hand instead of watching the queue while the clock runs.