Capture high-intent travelers at St Louis (STL). Plan and buy airport OOH across digital and static formats through AdQuick.
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (IATA: STL) — commonly known as Lambert Field — is the largest and busiest airport in Missouri and the third-largest medium-hub airport in the United States. In 2024, nearly 16 million passengers moved through STL, marking its highest annual total in over 20 years and a 7.1% increase over 2023.
With more than 270 daily departures to over 80 nonstop destinations across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe, Lambert Field delivers massive daily reach for advertisers targeting both business and leisure travelers in the Midwest.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| IATA Code | STL |
| Annual Passengers (2024) | 15,946,730 |
| Daily Departures | 270+ |
| Nonstop Destinations | 80+ |
| Terminals | 2 (Terminal 1: Concourses A & C · Terminal 2: Concourse E) |
| Dominant Carrier | Southwest Airlines (Terminal 2) |
| Metro Population | 2.8 million (20th-largest U.S. metro) |
| Fortune 500 HQs in Market | 7 (Centene, Emerson Electric, Edward Jones, Reinsurance Group of America, Bunge, Ameren, and Post Holdings) |
Passengers at STL spend an average of 60 to 90 minutes in the terminal before departure — extended dwell time during which they are relaxed, receptive, and actively scanning their environment. Research shows that 82% of travelers notice airport advertising and 76% take action afterward, such as visiting a website, downloading an app, or making a purchase. That combination of captive attention and high-income demographics makes STL airport advertising one of the most cost-effective channels for reaching decision-makers in the St. Louis region.
Lamar Advertising manages all advertising inventory at St. Louis Lambert International Airport under a 7-year exclusive contract awarded in November 2023. Lamar overhauled existing static displays and added new LED digital screens across all three concourses — and through AdQuick, you can search, compare, and book this inventory without the back-and-forth.
Digital screens are positioned at key passenger touchpoints throughout Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, including concourse corridors, gate hold areas, and high-traffic intersections. These LED displays rotate multiple advertisers on timed loops, support full-motion video and animation, and allow creative updates at any point during your campaign. STL's digital airport advertising inventory is also available for programmatic DOOH purchase through Vistar Media, giving performance-focused buyers the ability to trigger ads by daypart, audience segment, or flight schedule.
Baggage claim at STL is a prime high-dwell-time zone. Arriving passengers wait 10 to 20 minutes for luggage — time during which digital screens and backlit displays near the carousels deliver repeated, uninterrupted exposure. Baggage claim placements are available in both Terminal 1 (lower level) and Terminal 2, capturing arrivals from every carrier.
STL's 50+ static advertising positions across Concourses A, C, and E offer 100% share of voice — your brand, your message, no rotation. Backlit diorama units are illuminated panels placed in concourse walls, near security checkpoints, and along terminal corridors. They are ideal for brand-awareness campaigns that benefit from sustained visibility over a four-week flight or longer.
Large-format banners and vinyl column wraps in the terminal's main corridors and pre-security areas deliver high-impact visual branding to every departing and arriving passenger. These oversized formats are particularly effective for product launches, event promotions, and regional brand dominance plays.
Ad placements near Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening areas at the entrances to Concourses A, B, and C (Terminal 1) and Concourse E (Terminal 2) benefit from extremely high foot traffic and forced dwell time. Every departing passenger must pass through these zones, giving checkpoint-adjacent media near-universal reach within the terminal.
Understanding the terminal layout at Lambert Field is critical for targeting the right audience.
Terminal 1 is the larger of STL's two terminals and handles domestic flights for airlines including American, Delta, United, Alaska, Spirit, and Frontier. The terminal has two levels: departures and ticketing on the upper level, baggage claim and ground transportation on the lower level. Concourses A and C have separate security checkpoints, meaning passengers cannot walk between the two without leaving the secure area — which makes concourse-specific targeting especially precise.
Best for: Reaching business travelers on legacy carriers, corporate decision-makers, and multi-airline domestic audiences.
Terminal 2 is home to Southwest Airlines, the dominant carrier at STL by daily departures. Concourse E contains 18 gates and processes all international arrivals that lack border preclearance. The terminal is connected to Terminal 1 via a free shuttle bus (every 8–15 minutes) and the MetroLink light rail.
Best for: Reaching Southwest's high-volume leisure and business traveler mix, plus all international arriving passengers.
Airport advertising costs at St. Louis Lambert vary by format, location within the terminal, campaign duration, and seasonality. Here are general pricing benchmarks for a standard four-week campaign at a medium-hub airport like STL:
| Format | Typical 4-Week Cost Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Digital screen (concourse network) | $5,000 – $25,000 | Broad reach, video/animation, programmatic buys |
| Baggage claim digital display | $3,000 – $15,000 | Arriving passengers, extended dwell time |
| Backlit diorama (static) | $2,000 – $8,000 | Sustained brand presence, 100% share of voice |
| Large-format banner or spectacular | $10,000 – $40,000 | High-impact branding, product launches |
| Column wrap | $3,000 – $10,000 | Terminal-wide visual dominance |
Exact pricing depends on specific unit availability and placement. Use AdQuick's platform to get real-time rates for every available unit at STL.
Cost drivers to consider:
Use AdQuick's out-of-home advertising platform to browse every available advertising unit at STL. Filter by terminal, concourse, format (digital, static, experiential), budget, and audience demographics. Each listing includes a photo, exact placement, dimensions, estimated daily impressions, and real-time pricing.
Add units to your media plan and compare CPM estimates, reach, and audience composition across different placement combinations. Model scenarios — for example, a digital-only concourse blitz vs. a mixed static-and-digital terminal takeover — to find the right balance for your goals and budget.
Submit your campaign for review, upload creative assets, and confirm your booking directly in the platform. AdQuick coordinates with Lamar Advertising (STL's exclusive concessionaire) on your behalf, handling vendor communication, creative trafficking, and installation scheduling. You get a single point of contact and one consolidated invoice.
Track campaign performance with AdQuick's measurement stack: verified impression counting based on official airport passenger data, foot-traffic attribution via mobile-device-ID matching, and post-campaign brand-awareness surveys. Know exactly how many travelers saw your ad and what they did next.
The St. Louis metro area is served by two commercial airports. Most advertisers looking for scale and reach will focus on STL, but MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV) in Belleville, Illinois, offers a complementary — and often more affordable — option.
| Factor | STL — Lambert Field | BLV — MidAmerica |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Passengers | ~16 million | ~500,000 |
| Terminals | 2 | 1 |
| Daily Departures | 270+ | Limited (primarily Allegiant, Spirit seasonally) |
| Ad Concessionaire | Lamar Advertising (exclusive) | Airport-managed (direct buy via media kit) |
| Programmatic Available | Yes (Vistar Media) | No |
| Typical Advertiser | National brands, B2B, Fortune 500, tourism boards | Regional businesses, military-adjacent brands, local services |
| How to Buy on AdQuick | Full inventory available | Select inventory available |
When to use STL: You need high-volume passenger reach, national-caliber brand placement, or programmatic digital activation across multiple concourses.
When to use BLV: You are targeting the Metro East / Southern Illinois audience, marketing to military-connected travelers (Scott Air Force Base is adjacent), or want lower-cost placements to supplement a larger STL buy.
When to use both: A combined STL + BLV strategy captures the full St. Louis DMA, maximizes regional coverage, and eliminates gaps for travelers who use the secondary airport for budget carriers.
STL airport ads pair naturally with St. Louis billboards along I-70 and I-64, Metro Transit bus ads, and outdoor advertising for full-metro brand coverage.
St. Louis Lambert International Airport attracts advertisers from every sector. Common categories include:
When planning your STL airport advertising timeline, three scheduling approaches are common in out-of-home media:
Flight scheduling concentrates your ad spend into defined periods (e.g., four weeks on, four weeks off). This is ideal for event-driven campaigns, seasonal product launches, or budget-conscious advertisers who want periodic high-impact bursts at Lambert Field.
Pulse scheduling maintains a low baseline of airport ad presence year-round, with periodic intensity spikes around key dates — for example, increasing placements during major St. Louis conventions, Cardinals or Blues home schedules, or holiday travel peaks.
Continuous scheduling keeps your ads running without interruption for maximum long-term brand recall. This approach works well for healthcare systems, financial institutions, and universities that benefit from always-on visibility with STL's repeat-traveler audience.
AdQuick's planning tools make it easy to model all three approaches and compare cost, reach, and frequency estimates before you commit.
Common questions about St. Louis Lambert International Airport advertising.
Lamar Advertising Company holds an exclusive 7-year contract (awarded November 2023) to manage all static and digital advertising at STL. Lamar oversees 50+ static displays and the digital screen networks across Concourses A, C, and E. Through AdQuick, you can browse and book this Lamar-managed inventory without needing to contact multiple vendors.
The fastest way is through AdQuick's out-of-home advertising platform. Search for STL, browse available units with real-time pricing, build a media plan, and submit your campaign — all online. AdQuick handles vendor coordination with Lamar on your behalf. Alternatively, you can contact AdQuick's team directly for a free custom media plan.
Most STL airport advertising units are sold in four-week minimums. Some static placements and longer-term sponsorships may require 8- to 12-week commitments. Digital programmatic buys through Vistar Media offer more flexible scheduling, including shorter activations.
Yes. STL's digital inventory is available on Vistar Media for programmatic purchase. This allows buyers to activate campaigns by daypart, trigger ads based on audience data, and integrate airport media into broader omnichannel programmatic strategies — all bookable through AdQuick.
Creative specifications vary by unit type. Digital screens typically require 1920×1080 pixel files (JPEG for stills, MP4 for video) with no audio. Static diorama and backlit units require high-resolution print files sized to the specific frame dimensions. AdQuick provides exact specs, templates, and creative guidance for every unit you book.
Yes. All advertising content at STL must comply with St. Louis Airport Authority and Lamar Advertising review guidelines. Content depicting alcohol, tobacco, firearms, political messaging, or adult material may face additional restrictions or require prior approval. AdQuick's team can advise on compliance during the booking process.
AdQuick provides impression estimates based on verified airport passenger-traffic data, foot-traffic attribution using mobile-device-ID matching, and optional post-campaign brand-lift surveys. You receive proof-of-play documentation confirming your ads ran as scheduled.
STL (Lambert Field) serves approximately 16 million passengers annually and offers extensive digital and static inventory managed by Lamar Advertising. BLV (MidAmerica St. Louis Airport) serves roughly 500,000 passengers and is managed directly by the airport, with a smaller inventory selection. STL is the primary choice for scale; BLV complements with lower-cost regional reach. Both are available on AdQuick.
Ready to reach travelers at St. Louis Lambert International Airport? AdQuick makes it easy to plan, launch, and measure airport advertising campaigns.
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