Lambert International Airport Cell Phone Lot Terminal 2

How much can you say about a parking lot? It’s concrete? Ok, seriously, it is very well lit at night and there is frequently an airport police car off to the side. Don’t put too much stock in the times on the big flight board (unless you’re betting which flights come in first), it’s frequently out of date.
The whole point of the lot, which some fail to grasp, is the ‘Cell Phone’ part. Until whomever you’re picking up calls you and says they have their bags and are walking out, don’t go. There is only room for about 6 cars in the pick-​up lane. You cannot sit there and wait. First, the security guard will yell at you, but more importantly, you’d be getting in the way of those who are actually ready to be picked up. (They also don’t like it if you go up top to the drop off area to pick someone up. I don’t think they’ll ticket you, but they will come right up to you and berate you and make you feel like a really bad person.)
And please, turn your headlights off while you’re sitting there. You wouldn’t want to sit for 20 minutes with someone else’s lights blaring into your car and blinding you.

This lot is PERFECT if you are picking up someone from a Terminal 2 (aka Southwest) flight. It is literally two minutes away from the departure/​arrival lanes. There is the flight arrival board, but I agree with other reviewers that it is a bit delayed. It was easier for me to wait for a call from the person I was picking up.
Basically, still 10000x better than circling and circling and/​or getting chased away if you try and park and wait at the terminal.

1990:
«My flight gets in at 8.»
«Okay, I’ll pick you up at 8.»
The end.
2013:
«My flight gets in at 8.»
«Okay. I’ll pick you up at 8.»
«Hey. What time do you want me to pick you up?»
«Oh, I said 8.»
«Oh okay. Cool.»
«Hey it’s me. I’m heading to the airport now.»
«Hey it’s me again. I’m at the airport. Man their coffee here sucks!»
«Hey it’s me again. I’m getting on the plane.»
«Hey it’s me again. We’re waiting to take off. I’ll text you when we land.»
«Hey it’s me again. We have to turn our phones off now.»
«Oh okay perfect. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way to the airport (even though your phone will be off).»
«Okay I’m on my way to the airport. Do you actually LAND at 8, or you want me to actually BE THERE at 8?»
«Okay, I’m at the cell phone waiting lot. Text me when you land.»
«Okay, just landed. Taxiing to the jetway.»
«Okay, getting my bags. Gotta pee.»
«Okay, leaving the cell phone lot.»
«Okay, heading down there. Are you here?»
«No, about two minutes away.»
«Okay, I’m here at Arrivals. Where are you?»
«Oh, I’m here, I see you. Here I come.»
«Yay! I see you too!»
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
I feel about this lot the same way you probably feel about your job. I’m glad it exists, but I don’t like it.
Every other airport the lot is closer and just easier. Here, it’s really hard to find (in my opinion). The signage sucks and its awkward. It also takes an awkward amount of time to get to the Arrivals curb. And once you are there, you will get SCREAMED at by airport cops on power trips. The last time I tried to pick someone up, I saw them, they were headed to my car, but a few doors down. The cop made me DRIVE AROUND AGAIN because nobody was ACTIVELY GETTING IN MY CAR. The most ridiculous shit ever. It’s impossible to perfectly choreograph timing at this airport, and I partly blame the cell phone lot. And before you go thinking I’m just airport-​picking-​up challenged, it’s never been a problem for me anywhere else.

As I sat in the Cell Phone Lot waiting for the BF to return from his NM vacation, I had a wicked thought. I wondered if I could check-​in on Unilocal.So I searched for Cell Phone Lot and to my surprise it was, so I checked– in and now here is my review.
What a lifesaver and $ saver this place is. Who would have imagined this concept years ago. In the past we all had to pay to park when picking someone up at the airport. Then again we use to be able to go all the way down to their arrival gate to meet them. Oh, my have times changed.
I felt as if I were at a drive-​in movie sitting there reading the huge arrival board. Be warned, that board is not accurate. The BF’s flight status remained blank. It never showed, «On Time» «Late» or «Arrived». Then all of a sudden my Bejeweled game was interrupted by a phone call telling me, the plane had arrived and he was at the luggage carousel. I guess that is why they call it «Cell Phone Lot», because the communication from cell to cell is more accurate then the «big sign».
Once I got the «call» and drove to the arriving flight area, he was curbside and ready to return home. Life is so much simpler now with our cell phones, or at least picking someone up at the airport is so much simpler.

There are enough elements here that you MIGHT contemplate:
A.) bringing along a car mate and calling your trip a «cheap date,» or
B.) throwing a cooler in the backseat, and having a «picnic,» or
C.) BOTH.
«What elements?» You ask.
*Easy Access from I-​70 and/​or I-​170,
*Free Parking (unattended vehicles not allowed),
*Big Screen (to watch for arrivals at BOTH terminals)
*Parklike Waste Cans
*Porta Potties!
I suppose TSA and/​or airport authorities might frown on my picnic idea. Still, Cell Phone Lot is a relaxing little oasis between highway driving and passenger pick up.

What’s so special about tho cell phone lot and why would anyone want to «Check In»? Three words that are not Transportation Security Administration. Flight arrival board! Although don’t get too excited. It’s update, as are the boards in the terminal, are usually behind what the web will tell you.
It beats the side of the road with some information better then none. Especially if you don’t have a robust wireless data plan.