Keep that spring in your step as you head out for holiday travel to make your experience smoother at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Plan ahead if you haven’t been through the airport in a while, with opportunities for Reserved Parking, new dining options, know your checkpoint changes, and the latest on upcoming Real ID requirements.
Space is guaranteed with Reserved Parking on Floor 4 of the garage, but spots are expected to sell out. We recommend reserving at least two weeks before your trip for best availability. Customers should allow extra time (30–45 minutes) to find drive-up spaces in General Parking. Check Floor 8 or the green section in rows S–W if space is limited. You can also opt in to receive future Reserved Parking email offers. Not interested in driving? Avoid the congestion by using what works best for you, including Link light rail, app-based rideshares, taxis/limos, scheduled airporters, door-to-door van service, and shuttle service.
New eats and celebrations
With the recent opening of Lil Woody’s Burgers & Shakes, the N Concourse is fully open with all dining and retail spaces complete. SEA celebrated the final phase of the modernization project with eight recent openings. Also, join SEA to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the Ramadan fast from March 28 to April 4, in the Central Terminal.
Know your checkpoints and Bridge level Alaska check-in!
If you haven’t been here for a while, be aware that Phase One of the SEA Gateway project opened up new check-in spaces for Alaska Airlines travelers while closing a security checkpoint. There is more room to use new check-in technologies in light, bright spaces when you check in for your flight. In addition, Alaska offers easy check-in and bag drop on the Bridge level along the skybridges from the airport garage. Travelers are encouraged to use that check-in area, even if they are not coming from the garage, as an alternative. Checkpoint 5 is now closed as the SEA Gateway Project continues for another year. Ask any airport employee in green for directions and guidance through security checkpoints and the rest of the terminal.
Real ID deadline is coming
REAL ID is coming May 7, 2025 — be ready! The REAL ID Act requires anyone traveling by airplane to use a REAL ID-compliant document. This federal law takes effect on May 7, 2025. Discover the full list of accepted ID documents or look up information through the Washington State Department of Licensing.
Numbers to know
Passenger volumes are expected to be 5% above 2024. From Wednesday, April 2 to Monday, April 20, an estimated 2.8 million travelers will go through SEA. The busiest days of the holiday period are Thursdays and Fridays with the highest projections to be:
- Friday, April 4, 169,000 estimated overall travelers (arriving, departing, and connecting)
- Friday, April 11, 164,000 passengers
- Thursday, April 3, 161,000 passengers
- Friday, April 18, 161,000 passengers
- Thursday, April 10, 158,000 passengers
- Thursday, April 17, 156,000 passengers
Note: In comparison, the average-volume day in August 2024 saw 175,000 passengers.
Go-to tips and tricks
Arrive early. Avoid feeling rushed — get to the terminal at least two hours before your boarding time for a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. Factor in the time you need to travel from off-site parking or drop-offs to the terminal. More than one-third of SEA’s daily passenger volume arrives at the airport before 9:00 a.m., causing busy conditions at TSA security checkpoints and on the airport drives. Two more peak periods occur from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Reach out for help. Find one of the new screens to audio or video call us, located pre-security at the information desk near Checkpoint 4, near bag claim 15, and post-security between A5 and A6. We're here to support you before, during, and after your trip with real people providing real help. Chat, call, or video call with us on Customer Care Connect. Real-time closed caption translations are available in more than 60 languages! You can also email us at SEAcustomercare@portseattle.org.
Take advantage of SEA Spot Saver. Secure a spot in line to make the security checkpoint process easier. Checkpoint wait times are currently not available online or in the terminal, but staff in green will be there to guide you to the best queue for you. Use SEA’s interactive map for directions to the checkpoints, your gate, a favorite restaurant, or amenities.
Avoid traffic. Bypass the congested Arrival and Departure drives by using public transportation, airport parking, rideshare, taxi/limo, scheduled airporter, door-to-door van service, or a shuttle option. When picking someone up, briefly park in the SEA Airport parking garage, entering through the International Blvd entrance, to meet arriving travelers in the terminal, then exit together through the garage without ever using the drives. You can even pick up a coffee while you’re waiting!
Think opposite. If you choose to use the drives, use the lower Arrivals drive instead of the upper Departures drive during peak morning hours, and vice versa if you’re picking someone up in the evening. Or use whichever lane is moving faster – they all go to the same terminal.
Head straight to security. Check in for your flight ahead of time and download or print your boarding pass. Review your airline’s baggage policies, and if you don’t need to check a bag, head straight to the security checkpoints.
Try the SEA Social Story for help traveling. This social story and resource guide is designed for travelers with autism to repeatedly review with their family/caregivers prior to travel. It can be used by anyone who might find it helpful.
Contact
Perry Cooper | SEA Airport
Cooper.p@portseattle.org
