US Airport · Washington

Seattle-Tacoma (SEA)

Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) is the principal airport for the Pacific Northwest and a major hub for Alaska Airlines and Delta. It sits about 15 miles south of downtown Seattle in the city of SeaTac. SEA has grown rapidly over the past decade, now handling more than 50 million passengers a year, and is the closest major US airport to Asia by great-circle distance. Its single passenger terminal connects to four concourses (A, B, C, D) and two satellite terminals (North and South), all linked by the underground Satellite Transit System. One quick factoid: SEA's North Satellite renovation, completed in 2021, doubled the number of gates available to Alaska Airlines.

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Terminals at SEA

Main Terminal (Concourses A, B, C, D)
All check-in for all carriers
Single landside terminal. Concourse A handles many Delta operations; Concourse C and D are heavy on Alaska.
North Satellite
Alaska Airlines mainline and Horizon
Reached via underground Satellite Transit System from Concourse C. Houses the Alaska Lounge flagship.
South Satellite
International long-haul (Delta, foreign-flag carriers)
Reached via underground Satellite Transit System from Concourse A. Federal Inspection Services facility for international arrivals.

Getting to Seattle-Tacoma

Mode Details Cost Frequency
Rail (Link Light Rail)Sound Transit's 1 Line runs from SeaTac/Airport Station (covered walkway from main terminal) directly to downtown Seattle in about 35 minutes.$3 one-wayEvery 8-15 min, less overnight
Rideshare / TaxiRideshare pickup on the third floor of the parking garage; taxis at Island 1 outside baggage claim.Taxi roughly $50-65 to downtown Seattle; rideshare $35-60On demand
Express busSound Transit Route 560 and KCM Route 124 connect SEA to surrounding Puget Sound communities.$3 one-wayEvery 30-60 min
Hotel shuttlesHotels in the SeaTac and Tukwila cluster run free shuttles from the third floor of the parking garage.Free with stayEvery 15-30 min

Parking at SEA

Tier Rate Shuttle Best for
Main Garage (Hourly/Daily)$45/day maxNone — covered walkway directly to terminalTrips under 24 hours
General Parking (in same Main Garage)$28/dayNoneTrips 1-7 days
Off-airport private lots$15-22/day typicalOperator-run shuttle every 10-15 minPre-booked budget parking
Valet (Main Garage)$60/day maxNonePremium drop-off and pickup

Lounges at SEA

Alaska Lounge
📍 Concourse C, Concourse D, North Satellite
Alaska MVP Gold, Alaska Lounge membership, paid day pass; First Class on long-haul
Delta Sky Club
📍 Concourse A and Concourse B
Delta One, Sky Club membership, Amex Platinum/Reserve with same-day Delta flight, paid day pass
Centurion Lounge
📍 Concourse B (mezzanine)
Amex Platinum, Centurion, Business Platinum cardholders
Capital One Lounge
📍 Concourse A
Capital One Venture X primary cardholders
British Airways Lounge
📍 South Satellite
BA Club World/First, Oneworld eligible status
The Club at SEA
📍 Concourse A and South Satellite
Priority Pass, paid day pass, eligible premium credit cards

Top destinations from SEA

Destination Country From
London (LHR)United Kingdom$449Open route guide →
Paris (CDG)France$699Open route guide →
Rome (FCO)Italy$699Open route guide →
Los Angeles (LAX)United States$119Open route guide →
New York (JFK)United States$249Open route guide →
Miami (MIA)United States$249Open route guide →

Airlines at SEA

Alaska Airlines Delta Air Lines British Airways Lufthansa Korean Air ANA Japan Airlines Emirates Southwest Airlines American Airlines United Airlines JetBlue Airways Spirit Airlines Hawaiian Airlines

5 things you didn't know about Seattle-Tacoma

Verified by the CompareFlights team
  1. 1SEA stands for Seattle, but the airport is officially 'Seattle-Tacoma International' — the 'Sea' + 'Tac' portmanteau dates to 1949 when both cities co-funded the original facility.
  2. 2The Central Terminal renovation (2022) added a 65-foot-tall Pacific Northwest forest mural — the largest indoor mural in any US airport, depicting old-growth Douglas fir and Western red cedar.
  3. 3Alaska Airlines was originally based here in 1944 as McGee Airways; the main terminal at SEA is named after the airline's late CEO Bill Ayer, who died in 2010.
  4. 4SEA's Sound Transit Link Light Rail to downtown Seattle costs $3.25 — the cheapest major-airport-to-downtown rail fare among all top-25 US airports.
  5. 5SEA has more direct flights to Asian destinations (Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Singapore) than any other Pacific Northwest airport, and is the only North American airport with daily nonstop service to all five.

Frequently asked about SEA

Which terminal does Alaska use at SEA?

Alaska Airlines operates from Concourses C and D in the main terminal and the North Satellite, reached via the underground Satellite Transit System. Alaska's flagship lounge is in the North Satellite. Most short-haul Alaska flights depart from C and D; longer routes and some Hawaii flights leave from the North Satellite.

How early should I arrive at SEA for an international flight?

Three hours before departure is recommended for international flights from the South Satellite. The underground transit ride from check-in adds about ten minutes. SEA's security checkpoints have been particularly busy on summer mornings — even with TSA PreCheck, two and a half hours is the safer minimum.

Can I take light rail from SEA to downtown Seattle?

Yes — the Link Light Rail 1 Line runs from SeaTac/Airport Station, a covered walkway from the main terminal's fourth floor, directly into downtown Seattle in about 35 minutes. Trains run every 8-15 minutes. The fare is $3 one-way, paid by ORCA card or contactless tap.

What's the cheapest way from SEA to downtown Seattle?

Link Light Rail at $3 one-way is by far the cheapest direct option, with no transfers needed to reach Westlake, University Street and Pioneer Square stations downtown. Rideshare averages $35-60 and taxis $50-65, both subject to traffic on I-5 northbound during weekday peaks.

Is there a hotel inside SEA?

There is no hotel inside the secure terminal. The closest properties are the SeaTac Hilton and Marriott, both a short walk or shuttle ride away. The Hilton has a connector skybridge from the airport's parking garage and is the closest practical option for short layovers.

Nearby airports

Boeing Field / King County International (BFI)
10 mi N
General aviation and Boeing test flights; no scheduled commercial service
Paine Field (Everett) (PAE)
35 mi N
Smaller commercial airport with Alaska and limited carriers
Bellingham International (BLI)
100 mi N
Allegiant focus; popular with travellers from southern British Columbia