A couple of overall notes on traveler impacts at this time:
Aircraft departures and arrivals continue to operate normally with no impacts to FAA operations. Delays and cancellations are typical for a busy summer day. Airport issues related to the cyberattack are not affecting aircraft operations.
TSA security checkpoints continue to run normally and efficiently. Wait times are under 30 minutes or less, as they have been throughout the summer with kudos to TSA staffing and line management.
The majority of travelers will not notice any disruptions to their travel beyond the flight and baggage information displays that are still down. However, we do have additional SEA staff in green that are helping out travelers with information and directions throughout the terminal.
Common use system outages are still affecting smaller volume and international carriers. This includes the common use ticket and gate counters which may still be using handwritten boarding passes or bag tags. Some of these carriers are bringing in temporary equipment to deal with the outages. To note, 75 percent of SEA traffic is through Alaska and Delta, which are not common use carriers.
What is working of note for travelers
Reserved Parking remains available at ReserveSEA.org. About 30 percent of parking is still available for the holiday weekend in the airport parking garage. QR codes used as you enter or depart may be slow but are working. The Parking Guidance System is also operating to note numbers of spaces available on floors.
SEA Spot Saver for security checkpoint reservations is working through the CLEAR Reserve website at sea.clearme.com . Again, realize we are not having trouble with checkpoint wait times as they are typically under 30 minutes or less.
Labor Day weekend by the numbers (much of this is from our release last week)
Record numbers over the last few weeks set the stage for what will be a busy upcoming Labor Day weekend travel period at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The record for the largest passenger volume day ever at SEA was broken twice in August. Those numbers are not expected to be surpassed for the holiday, but it will still be busy.
New lanes pay off at checkpoints
The four new lanes added at two SEA security checkpoints (Checkpoints 2 and 3) beginning in June have paid off for travelers this summer. In July, 93 percent of all travelers went through checkpoints in less than 30 minutes, with 74 percent under 20 minutes. For the year, 91 percent of travelers have made it through checkpoints in under 30 minutes. Kudos also go to our partners with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and our line management team with VIP!
Be aware: Major construction is underway, especially with the SEA Gateway project near Alaska Airlines ticketing and Checkpoint 1 Relocation in Gina Marie Lindsey Arrivals Hall. Learn more about current construction projects at Upgrade SEA and track all of the latest construction impacts.
Summer breaks records
SEA had its busiest days in history twice this August — first on Sunday, August 11 (75,407), and again on Sunday, August 18 (75,410). The previous all-time record for most passengers ever at SEA in one day was held by what’s fondly called the “Swiftie Bump” of 2023, set after a weekend of Taylor Swift concerts in Seattle.
Numbers to know
New record: 75,410 passengers screened through security checkpoints, amounting to about 198,000 total airport passengers.
Record month: July was the largest single month in passenger volume ever at SEA with 5.48 million passengers, up 3.8% from July 2019.
Top 10: Nine of the top 10 all-time passenger volume days have happened in 2024.
Travel tips for the holiday
Arrive early. Be in the terminal at least two hours before your boarding time for a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight or check with your airline for additional recommended arrival times. Include travel times from off-site parking or drop-offs. 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 drives. Two more peak periods occur from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Check-ins may take longer due to technology impacts if you are using lower volume or international carriers.
Avoid a traffic jam. Try alternate ways to get to the airport, so you avoid the congested drives. Use public transportation, airport parking, a taxi/limo, a rideshare, a scheduled airporter, a door-to-door van service, or a shuttle option.
Think opposite. If driving to the curb is your only option, use the Lower Arrivals Drive to drop off during peak hours, or use the Upper Departures Drive to pick up. Or just use whichever lane is moving faster – they both go to the same building!
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