What's better than a little hug to welcome family and friends for the holidays? How about a looongggger cuddly with 90 minutes of free parking in the evening and the return of the SEA Visitor Pass. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is decorating its concourses this season with an assortment of activities, making your trip more festive. Plus, enjoy the new open and airy space at the north end of the ticket office while the construction walls have come down and look for more. travel tips on the recently relaunched SEA website.
Once again, SEA Airport is offering a break in the airport parking lot for those picking up or dropping off travelers during the evenings of the busiest week this holiday season. From December 20 to 27, from 8 p.m. to midnight, a 90-minute grace period will be in effect for general parking. You can spend this extra time welcoming travelers into the terminal or dropping them off without having to worry about traffic jams on the way. To make your trip even easier, try entering from the south end of the airport garage, off International Boulevard and 182nd Street.
Enjoy the Holiday Festivities
The end of year celebrations will be bright and festive at SEA! Interact with your favorite holiday characters roaming the concourses, listen to live music from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day, and explore interactive snow globes placed throughout the terminal, all while learning about holiday traditions from around the world. You might even come across Jett the sea otterthe recently announced SEA airport mascot (during selected events and times).
The SEA Visitor Pass is back!
In addition to that longer hug, you can take advantage of these opportunities while meeting arriving travelers. THE SEA Visitor Pass The program is finally back, so you can sign up to go through security even if you don't have a boarding pass. Meet someone, drop them off or just come and enjoy the entertainment, food and views of planes heading to fabulous locations!
Be ready for the great outdoors!
That’s right, some major building walls have fallen! At the north end of the main ticketing terminal, we have passed the first phase of the SEA Gateway project. This means more space to take advantage of new check-in technologies in clear, bright spaces when you check in for your flight. The SEA Gateway project continues for another year. With Checkpoint 5 closed, watch for scouts and volunteers in green for directions and guidance through the security checkpoints.
The numbers to know
During the two-week holiday period from December 19 to January 2, more than two million travelers are expected to pass through SEA Airport. That's 2% higher than in 2023, but about 5% lower than 2019's record numbers. The highest days don't reach levels near the summer travel period, which is busiest in SEA. The busiest days of the holiday period are currently expected to be:
- Friday December 20, 172,000 global travelers estimated (arrivals, departures and connections)
- Thursday December 19, 164,000 passengers
- Tuesday December 21, 160,000 passengers
- Sunday December 22, 151,000 passengers
- Monday December 23 and Thursday December 26, 146,000 passengers
Note: In comparison, the average daily volume for August 2024 recorded 175,000 passengers.
Essential tips and tricks
Arrive early. Avoid feeling rushed by arriving at the terminal at least two hours before your boarding time for a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. When planning, consider the time you need to get from the off-site parking lot or depot to the terminal. More than a third of SEA's daily passenger volume arrives at the airport before 9 a.m., leading to heavy crowds at TSA security checkpoints and on airport roads. Two other peak periods occur from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Enjoy SEA Spot Saver. Secure a place in line to facilitate the security screening process. Checkpoint wait times are currently not available online or in the terminal, but staff in green will be there to guide you. Once you have passed the checkpoint, use the SEA interactive map to find out how to get to your boarding gate, favorite restaurant or amenities.
Avoid traffic. Bypass crowded arrivals and departures commutes by using public transportation, airport parking, rideshare, taxi/limousine, scheduled airport, door-to-door van service, or a shuttle option . When picking someone up, park briefly in the SEA Airport parking lot, entering from the south, to greet travelers arriving in the terminal, then exit through the garage together without ever using the drives. You can even have a coffee while you wait!
Think on the contrary. If you choose to use routes, use the lower arrivals route instead of the upper departures route during morning rush hours, and vice versa if you are picking up someone in the evening. Or use the path that moves fastest: they both lead to the same building.
To try Reserved Parking SEA. Reserve a parking space on the 4th floor of the airport car park for a minimum stay of two days. From there, it will take you a few minutes to walk across the footbridge to the terminal. Reservations fill up quickly. We recommend booking at least two weeks in advance, so consider booking in advance for the December holidays.
Head straight to security. Check in for your flight in advance and download or print your boarding pass. Check your airline's baggage policies and if you don't need to check a bag, go straight to the security checkpoints.
Pack appropriately. Planning to transport gifts for the holidays? Follow TSA Guidelinesand know what goes in carry-on and checked baggage.
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Contact
Perry Cooper | MER Airport
(email protected)
