Seattle Airport

Seattle
Airport

Seattle Airport

The Seattle Tacoma International Airport, nicknamed SeaTac, was built in 1949 and is the primary airport in Western Washington and is located 14 miles south of downtown Seattle, and 20 miles north of Tacoma. SeaTac handles over 45 million passengers a year, making it the 11th busiest airport in the United States, and 21st in the world. Seattle Tacoma International Airport hosts thirty-one airlines with 91 non-stop domestic and 28 international destinations.

Concourses

Seattle has 6 different concourses, A, B, C, D, N and S, in three physically distinct locations. Which concourse you use will depend on the airline, and the port of Seattle maintains a directory that maps airlines to terminal. Plan on extra time if you need to get to N and S Concourses, as they require using the SEA Underground. Every concourse has dining, shopping and bathroom facilities, although the main concentration of restaurants is situated in the main terminal at the intersection of Concourses A, B, C & D.

Main Terminal - A, B, C and D Concourses

Main Terminal - A, B, C and D Concourses

 
The main terminal is where you will find the A, B, C and D Concourses and is also the entry and exit point to the airport - all trips either begin or end at the main terminal. The A and B Concourses are located in the southern half of the airport, while the C and D concourses are in the northern half, and are all connected and reachable via walking in the main terminal. The SEA Underground can be used to connect between different concourses in the main terminal, however not all concourses have direct connections, and if your gates are reasonably close, you may not save any time using the SEA Underground.

S Concourse

 
The S Concourse, also referred to as the South Satellite Concourse, is reachable via the SEA Underground from Concourse A and B (Concourse A is the quickest route from the entrance). It's a common concourse for international flights. Concourse S has limited dining options with Dungeness Bay Seafood House and Moe's Kitchen, and it also sports a Duty Free shop.

N Concourse

 
The N Concourse, also referred to as the North Satellite Concourse, is reachable via the SEA Underground from Concourse C and D (Concourse D is typically the quickest route from the entrance). It has a small number of restaurants, including Skillet, Tundra Taqueria, Bambuza and Wendys. There are also a couple of cafes located in the N Concourse.
International Arrivals Facility

International Arrivals Facility

 
While not technically a terminal or concourse, the newly constructed International Arrivals Facility is located on the eastern side of Concourse A. International travelers will disembark at either Concourse A or S depending on the flight; arrivals at the S Concourse will use a large elevated walkway to reach the International Arrivals Facility, which has facilities for baggage claims and customs before exiting into Concourse A.

Getting Around

Efficiently getting around an airport is an essential part of a trip, and while Seattle is not nearly as large as some other airports in the United States and the world, it's large enough to warrant an understanding of the layout before you arrive at the airport.

Ticketing

 
All check-in, including tickets and baggage, happens in the main terminal on level 5. If coming to the airport by taxi, you will typically be dropped off curbside on Departure Drive on level 5, and simply need to enter the airport and find your airline of choice. If arriving by shuttle or parking your car at the airport parking garage, you will need to take the elevator or stairs to level 4 of the parking garage, at which point you will use a skybridge to cross to the main terminal, and then take an escalator up to level 5.

If you arriving after dropping off a car at the renal facility, the rental car shuttle will drop you off at either the north or south end of Arrival Drive, right outside baggage claim. Enter the main terminal at level 3, and take an elevator or escalator up to level 5. For light rail, you will enter the parking garage on level 4 and follow signs to the nearest sky bridge to cross over to the main terminal and then take an escalator to level 5 for check-in.

Security Screening

 
Seattle International Airport has 5 security checkpoints, numbered 1 through 5. Checkpoint 1 is the farthest south, or on the left most side if heading towards the security checkpoints after passing by ticketing. Each checkpoint has different operating hours and screening types available, and operating hours can change due to staff shortages or traffic volumes.
CheckpointsScreening TypesOperating Hours
Checkpoint 1CLEAR & TSA PreCheck Screening4 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Checkpoint 2CLEAR, General and Premium Screening, and SEA Spot Saver4 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Checkpoint 3CLEAR, General and Premium Screening, SEA Spot Saver, and SEA Visitor PassGeneral: 24 hours
CLEAR: 6 a.m. - 4 p.m
TSA PreCheck : 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Checkpoint 4CLEAR, General, and TSA PreCheck Screening4 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Checkpoint 5CLEAR, General and Premium Screening, and SEA Spot Saver4 a.m. to 6 p.m.
SEA Underground

SEA Underground

 
The SEA Underground, formerly called the Satellite Transit System (STS), provides access between the various concourses in the Seattle Airport, and is the only way to access the N and S concourses. It runs underneath the airport, hence the name, and is accessed by descending stairs or escalators from the concourses. It's composed of three separate lines, the Blue Line, Green Line and Yellow line. The Blue Line connects concourses A, B and S, while the Green Line connects concourses C, D and N, and the Yellow line connects concourses A and D.
Parking

Parking

 
The aiport has a parking garage with capacity for 13,000 cars, which happens to be the largest single parking structure in the United States. The 4th floor of the parking garage is for Terminal Direct, which can be reserved and is a higher price than General Parking. Terminal Direct is on the same level as the sky bridges which provide access to the main concourse, meaning you do NOT need to take an elevator or stairs to reach ticketing after parking. General parking is found on all other levels, and is not reserveable. For those with an electric vehicle, in General Parking on the 7th floor of the SeaTac Airport parking garage in rows E & F are two banks of electric car chargers for a total of 34 Level 2 chargers. The spaces are reserved for electric cars, and while there is no cost to use the chargers, it is relativelty common for all non handicap spots (2) to be in use. There are numerous offsite parking options available as well.

Amenities

Lounges

Lounges

 
LoungeLocation
The Club at SEA
  • A Concourse near Gate A12
  • S Concourse on the Mezzanine level above Gate S10
United Club
  • A Concourse near Gate A9
The American Express Centurion Lounge
  • In the Central Terminal on the mezzanine level above Evergreens, Pallino, Pei Wei and Lucky Louie Fish Shack
Alaska Lounge
  • C Concourse near Gate C16A
  • N Concourse on the Mezzanine level above Gate N15
  • D Concourse near Gate D1
Delta Sky Club
  • A Concourse near Gate A1
British Airways Terraces Lounge
  • S Concourse near Gate S10
USO Center
  • The USO is open on the Mezzanine level above Checkpoint 3 and now open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. the next morning and on Thursdays from 8 a.m. to Midnight.
Kids Play Area

Kids Play Area

 
Located across from gate A1 in between security checkpoint 2 and 3, the children's play area contains a number of small play structures in a carpeted room, and is a popular place for youngsters to enjoy themselves prior to a flight. The children's play area has a family restroom and nursing room attached to it.
Water Bottle Refill Stations

Water Bottle Refill Stations

 
Seattle Airport has numerous water bottle refill stations after passing through the security checkpoints, which mandate that water bottles must be empty. You will find the stations near restrooms in all the concourses.