Sea-Tac Braces For 1 Million Travelers Over Thanksgiving Week

SEA-TAC AIRPORT, WA — With a busy Thanksgiving travel week nearly upon us, Sea-Tac Airport is sharing some updated tips to keep things running as smoothly as possible over the holiday. More than one million travelers are expected to pass through Sea-Tac between Monday, November 25 and Monday, December 2, according to airport estimates. Phase 2 of a 693,000 square-foot expansion project will not be ready for passengers until 2021.

Busiest Upcoming Holiday Travel Days at Sea-Tac
Wednesday, Nov. 27: 163,500 passengers
Sunday, Dec. 1: 150,000 passengers
Tuesday, Nov. 26: 143,500 passengers
Monday, Dec. 2: 142,500 passengers
Friday, Nov. 22: 140,000 passengers

Peak Congestion Times
Departures:
4:30 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Arrivals:
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
8:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.

Holiday Travel Tips from Sea-Tac

• To circumvent peak congestion times, drop off passengers on the Arrivals level during morning travel hours. During evenings, meet passengers on the Departures level.
• Download the airport's updated app to see the latest wait times and get a jump on planning using the interactive map.
• Check the City of SeaTac website for any planned road work that may require a detour or additional time.
• Arrive two hours early for domestic flights, and three hours earlier for international travel.
• Review TSA security protocol to prevent delays at checkpoints.

View more holiday travel hacks on the airport's Traveler Tips website.