Massive crowds overwhelmed St. Louis Lambert International Airport during the weekend, leading to long lines, missed flights, and hours-long waits as thousands of travelers departed following the conclusion of a major religious conference.
Travelers flying out of Lambert Airport on Sunday faced significant delays and frustration as long lines spilled out of Terminal 2 and onto the street, a result of an influx of passengers leaving a large Seventh-day Adventist conference that wrapped up the day before.
Airport spokesman Roger Lotz said the airport experienced one of its busiest days of the year Sunday, with hundreds of people waiting outside the terminal for hours. While lines returned on Monday, Lotz noted that conditions had improved.
"Sunday morning, St. Louis Lambert International Airport experienced a high volume of departing passengers. Much of this was due to the large number of delegates going home from the Seventh-day Adventists' General Conference," the airport said in a statement released Monday.
"We understand many of the delegates arrived at the airport early for flights scheduled later in the day."
"The situation was exacerbated by most passengers needing to check bags and few of these passengers being a member[s] of a program designed to expedite airport security, such as TSA Pre-check or CLEAR. This led to the airport ticket counters and TSA security lines being overwhelmed. St. Louis Lambert International Airport apologizes for any delay experienced on Sunday."
The Seventh-day Adventist General Conference took place in St. Louis from July 3 to July 12 and drew thousands of attendees. Many began traveling home early Sunday, leading to the surge in airport traffic.
Southwest Airlines spokesperson Laura Swift confirmed the airport's assessment:
"A large number of passengers leaving a convention arrived to check in for their flights this morning. We recommend that customers check our website for up-to-date recommended arrival times and average wait times at TSA."
By midday Monday, Swift said lines at Terminal 2 had improved, with wait times down to about an hour.
Travelers who weren't connected to the religious event were caught in the chaos as well. Monica Villarreal of Houston, who had attended a separate jewelry convention in the city, said she rushed to the airport after seeing social media posts showing massive crowds.
"It's the longest I've ever waited," Villarreal said. "And I'm from Houston."
Though Monday's traffic was still heavy, airport officials reported that security lines were moving steadily, and passengers are encouraged to check airline websites for real-time updates.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.