I will be meeting someone in Munich. Both of us are flying out of U.S. but will arrive in separate terminals - one of us in Terminal 1 and one of us in Terminal 2.
Is the baggage claim area the same for both of these terminals? Can we arrange a meeting place in baggage claim before going through Customs?
"Is the baggage claim area the same for both of these terminals?"
No.
"Can we arrange a meeting place in baggage claim before going through Customs?"
No.
There are baggage claim areas in each terminal. From the terminals, proceed to the MAC (Munich airport center) between the two terminals. There is a meeting area in the MAC, near the entry from Terminal 1.
What level is the MAC on?
It's on the ground level between the two parallel terminals. There will be enclosed walkways for the people from Terminal 1. Those coming from Terminal 2 will walk across an open plaza to the MAC (look for the green 'S' sign for the S-Bahn, but don't go down the stair into the S-Bahn station).
AFAIK, flights coming directly from North America come into Terminal 2, as do all Lufthansa flights from Europe. They come into different levels - one for outside Schengen, requiring immigration control, one for inside Schengen. Only non-Lufthansa flights from Europe arrive at Terminal 1, so I assume those arriving in Terminal 1 are arriving in Munich on another airline from in another Schengen airport. People arriving at Terminal 1 should have already gone through Schengen immigration at their arrival airport.
There are 5 "modules" in Terminal 1. Each, I think, has their own baggage claim. Customs will be right outside the baggage claim area.
Both of you should be following signs to Concourse Z and "S-Bahn" station. It's in the middle of the compound and probably a 5 minutes walk for each of you after baggage reclaim.
A natural place to meet their is the "Airbräu" micro brewery which has an inside seating area and a huge outside beer garden.
