The storm in the State of Missouri rip off a large portion of the terminal roof, shattering Windows and sending debris flying.
Several people were treated for minor injuries.
Later reopened for a handful of incoming flights and officials expect airport that most flights to start as planned by early Sunday.
However, the damaged concourse for up to two months closed remain.
"We are not the most beautiful airport morning have, but we have an operational airport," airport Director Rhonda Hamm Niebruegge said.
Pass through the storm, a number of Central and Eastern Europe (Missouri), also flattened houses in the area like trees and tore down power lines.
Lambert-St Louis Airport statement a say all flights have been cancelled pending safety assessments of full and clean-up was under way.
'Grown men cry'St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch, who was at the airport the storm approached, said to people-watching, that the tornado had to suddenly encrypt for security.
"Over time we came into the building blew doors," he said.
"Literally 10 seconds later, it was about." It is amazing, to me, more people were not injured. "
Dianna Merrill, who was waiting for a flight to New York, said that they had sought out the window in the hope that their flight is delayed would arrive.
"Glass was blowing everywhere." The ceiling was covered... the wind blew debris all over the place, "said she."
"It was like to be in a horror film." Grown men wept. "It was awful."
airport was used by private jets, was in the West Midlands in the framework of the rehabilitation of Coventry Airport before it was closed in 2009 more than 10,000 jobs are created, the new owner says.