‘Be A Hero’ for Holiday Travel Season at SEA Airport to Fly by Traffic and Long Lines

There’s a easy solution to ‘Be A Hero’ in the case of vacation crowds at Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide (SEA) airport – keep away from the congestion and features! It doesn’t take a cape, just a few pre-planning and also you’ll ‘Be A Hero’ to your fellow vacationers or household whereas making it simpler on your self! How, you say?

• Keep away from the hassles of driving with Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail — the best choice out of a visitors jam.
• Airport parking shall be a problem. Think about different modes of transportation to/from the airport like a taxi or experience share choice.
• Switch it up to Speed it Up! – Early morning and late night drivers that is for you.  Use the arrivals/decrease stage to drop off within the morning and departures/higher stage to select up within the night!
• Use SEA Spot Saver to order your spot within the TSA line – with expanded hours to 10:00 p.m.
• Attempt Order SEA, a cell ordering service for gate supply for meals from everywhere in the airport or decide up so you’ll be able to seize and go to your gate, and
• Obtain (or replace!) the flySEA App for dwell checkpoint wait instances. As a bonus, it is also a one-stop useful resource for traveler alerts, parking spot tracker, maps, and extra data

What’s New?

• The Central Terminal is re-opening! It’s been an extended development run by way of the pandemic, however you’ll quickly be capable of once more go proper as much as our iconic window wall within the Central Terminal as the renovation project takes its subsequent massive step. More room, extra tech, extra seating, is all coming. Plus, new eating and retail area is coming quickly as effectively.
• SEA Spot Saver is successful and we’ve expanded the hours to 10:00 p.m. Beforehand, the superior check-in choice for safety checkpoint traces was solely obtainable throughout the busiest instances of the day, till 1:00 p.m. Now afternoon and night choices for the free service could make your journey extra predictable and environment friendly till 10:00 p.m. Reap the benefits of it!
• SEA Airport is encouraging vacationers to suppose forward, arrive early, be ready for congestion, and find ways to make your trip easier with advanced planning.
• Airport Parking Will probably be a Problem — The excellent news is that the brand new automated parking steerage system continues to improve your expertise within the storage with easy-to-use lighting marking obtainable/occupied stalls with inexperienced/purple lights. Proper now, 5 of the eight flooring are full with the remaining set to complete by early 2023 and is anticipated to chop down the time required to discover a stall by 50 p.c.  Parking availability stays low throughout the whole airport space. Plan as much as 45 minutes to discover a spot on the busiest days. Pre-Booked Parking is proscribed, and is already bought out for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. We advocate reserving your parking as early as attainable throughout peak durations. Your greatest guess is to seek out alternate methods to get to the airport akin to public transit, mild rail or experience share!

By The Numbers

Vacation interval passenger numbers are anticipated to get even nearer to pre-pandemic ranges – forecasted to be about 95% of 2019. That will be about 13% above final yr.

The busiest days are anticipated to be Wednesday, November 23, with a forecasted 155,000 passengers touring by way of the airport (departing, arriving, and connecting). The following busiest shall be Friday, November 18, projecting 146,000 general passengers by way of the airport, adopted by Saturday, November 26 with a projected 142,000 vacationers by way of the airport. Pre-pandemic passenger numbers reached as excessive as 185,000 per day throughout Labor Day weekend in 2019. General, the busiest days to journey are Thursdays and Fridays in addition to Sundays and Mondays, with TSA safety checkpoints busiest at SEA from 5:00 – 10:00 a.m., 2:00 – 5:00 p.m., and 9:00 –11:00 p.m.

SEA’s newest forecasts of passenger numbers for 2022 shall be about 11% beneath 2019 ranges with 2023 down 6% and returning to pre-pandemic ranges in 2024. Dig in additional on our Statistics page.

What’s the Greatest Recommendation for Vacationers?

Get right here early! Relying in your wants, it’s possible you’ll want extra time. Ensure you’re on the airport not less than two hours earlier than your boarding time for a home flight and three hours earlier than a global flight

Be prepped along with your airline forward of time! Ensure you test their baggage insurance policies, test in, and have all their apps downloaded for environment friendly journey. See our best baggage tips!

Masks are usually not required on the airport, however extremely really useful by the CDC to put on throughout journey. Test your vacation spot’s COVID-19 requirements for entry. If wanted XpresCheck has testing obtainable on the bags declare stage.

Security First; Keep away from Shoulder Parking — Automobiles are inspired to make use of the brand new reconfigured cellphone lot and keep away from harmful parking alongside the shoulder of the airport drives. Violators shall be cited because the Port of Seattle Police are working with the Washington State Patrol for emphasis patrols throughout the vacation.

Alternate methods to get to SEA Airport

• Catch a experience with taxis or app-based rideshares like Uber and Lyft, or different modes of  floor transportation
• Rent your own ride. All rental automobile firms function at an off-site rental automobile facility the place devoted shuttle buses transport passengers without cost 24-hours-a-day, three hundred and sixty five days a yr
• Pedal power! Sure, you’ll be able to even bicycle to the airport with bike racks and two methods to entry the airport on a motorbike
• In the event you nonetheless plan to park, count on 45-60 minutes to discover a stall. Off-site parking services are additionally anticipated to be very busy or already full
• In the event you’re selecting up or dropping off family members:

Give me the Traveler Fundamentals

1. The CDC guidance for travelers modifications relying in your COVID-19 vaccination standing.  Test along with your airline for the state or nation the place you intend to journey.
2. Be prepared for safety checkpoints. SEA and TSA wish to enable you transfer by way of security checkpoints as shortly as attainable. Vacationers are required to take away electronics bigger than a cellphone from carry-on baggage. Additionally, take away meals and liquids out of your carry-on baggage and put together to carry up your boarding go for evaluation. You can even see the latest Identification and Documentation Requirements.
3. Want extra journey hacks? Our Customer Care team has the most effective recommendation to navigate SEA like a frequent flier.
4. SEA continues so as to add new companies to make journey extra accessible and enhance the journey expertise past the Individuals with Disabilities Act necessities. Try our SEA Social Story developed for vacationers with sensory sensitivities akin to autism, but in addition nice general suggestions for teenagers. Study extra about accessibility at SEA. The interactive map on the flySEA App gives accessible route instructions.
5. Test with the Metropolis of SeaTac to see if there are any road construction projects that may hinder your entry to the airport.

Contact

Perry Cooper | Port of Seattle Senior Media Officer
(206) 787-4923 | cooper.p@portseattle.org