The influences of glutathione s-transferase P1, M1, and T1 variants on the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients were inconsistent in previous studies. Our meta-analysis enrolled 31 publications including 5712 patients and provided more convincing and reliable conclusions. Results showed that GSTP1 IIe105Val IIe/Val and Val/Val Asian patients were more likely to have better response rates compared to IIe/IIe patients (odds ratio (OR) = 1.592, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), 1.087-2.332, P = 0.017). The Asian patients bearing the favorable GSTM1 null genotype were more likely to have better response rates to platinum-based chemotherapy compared to those patients with the unfavorable GSTM1 present genotype (OR = 1.493 (1.192-1.870), P < 0.001). Caucasian lung cancer patients bearing GSTT1 null genotype might be more closely associated with shorter survival time and higher risks of death than the GSTT1 present patients (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.423, CI = 1.084-1.869, P = 0.011). Our meta-analysis suggested that the GSTP1 IIe105Val, GSTM1 and GSTT1 null variants might be predictive factors for the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy to NSCLC patients. The use of GSTP1 IIe105Val, GSTM1 and GSTT1 null polymorphisms as predictive factors of efficacy of personalized platinum-based chemotherapy to NSCLC patients requires further verification with multi-center, multi-ethnic and large-sample-size pharmacogenetic studies.