Memorial Day weekend to kick off busy summer with 5 percent more travelers

Up to five percent more travelers than last year are expected to be heading through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as Memorial Day weekend begins the busiest time of the year for the airport. Nearly 14 million passengers went through Sea-Tac last summer (June – August). This year, with continued growth in our region, Sea-Tac Airport expects to serve 700,000 additional passengers while also managing major construction projects at the North Satellite, new International Arrivals Facility, and in the Central Terminal. To help travelers navigate so much change, the Port of Seattle launched new tools and is dispensing some old-fashioned advice to make your experience easier, tastier, and less stressful.

More than half of the travelers (54 percent) on a typical day at Sea-Tac Airport only fly one or two times during the year, which means many of our visitors haven’t experienced some of our most significant changes. To improve the travel experience for seasoned pros and newbies alike, the Port of Seattle is encouraging fliers to “hack your summer travel” with new tools and reliable tips, including:

A new mobile-friendly website with an interactive Sea-Tac map

Using #SeaTacHacks for tips throughout the summer season,

Facebook Live information sessions with subject matter experts where you can ask questions, from 12:30 – 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday before Memorial Day weekend,

And look for our a new family-friendly game you can print and play at home, coming soon, to help guide you through your trip,

To receive text updates about what’s happening at Sea-Tac Airport, text “Airport” to 206-347-8045 .

Plus keep checking our website

More Information on What’s New

Here’s more details to help you during this summer’s travel season broken down to Getting to the Airport, Ready for the Security Checkpoint, and In the Terminal.

Getting to the Airport

Plan Ahead — not only getting to the airport but also picking up, dropping off, and getting through checkpoints. The busiest travel days will be Thursdays and Fridays with 150 -155,000 passengers going through the airport each day.

Peak traffic congestion occurs on the Departure level from approximately 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. During the middle of the day, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., both Arrival and Departure drives experience backups. In the evenings, the Arrivals drive experiences heavy traffic from about 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Take Link Light Rail, a bus or shuttle to the airport . Public transportation is by far the best option if you want to stay out of a traffic jam. Use Link Light Rail to travel all the way to the airport or meet your party at one of the nearby stations. Tukwila and Angle Lake stations offer free parking one stop away to avoid airport traffic headaches.

Go Opposite — In the morning, drop off passengers on the Arrivals level. In the evenings, arrange to meet your passengers on the Departures level. Going opposite gets you out of the traffic crunch. Another example, many arriving passengers do not check bags so they are already on the Departures level when they exit, easy to pickup.

Come from the south end — Motorists coming from north of the airport can avoid the heaviest traffic by accessing the airport from alternate routes .

Park and walk — Park at the Sea-Tac Airport garage and walk into the terminal. For travelers, receive discounted parking rates by signing up for our parking coupons.

Arrive Early! Travelers are encouraged to leave plenty of time to get to the airport, check in for their flight, and clear security. Plan on arriving at the airport at least two hours in advance for a domestic flight, and three hours for international travel. To save time, it’s suggested that travelers check in for their flights and print boarding passes prior to arriving at the airport. Some airlines allow passengers to print luggage tags in advance. This saves time at the ticket counter.

Blind and low vision travelers can try new assistive technology with Aira , with the Port providing free connection service while at the airport.

Port of Seattle Police officers patrol the Airport Expressway to prevent motorists from parking on the shoulder, and additional Traffic Support Specialists will be deployed on the Arrivals and Departure drives to assist with traffic flow.

Are you there yet? If you’re picking up passengers, make sure they are there before going to the drive. It will take some time for them to walk from the plane or pickup bags.

Ready for Security Checkpoint

Be ready for security checkpoints . Once travelers get to the airport, Sea-Tac and its partners in the Transportation Security Administration want to help you move through security checkpoints as quickly as possible. Enhanced security measures now in effect at Sea-Tac and airports nationwide require travelers to remove electronics larger than a cell phone from their carryon luggage.

Be thoughtful with food. While it’s okay to bring food with you, sometimes food items can slow down the screening process. Sea-Tac recommends that unless you plan on eating it in the airport or on your flight, consider packing food in your checked luggage.

Sign up for Trusted Traveler Programs such as TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and CLEAR to get you through the lines faster.These expedited security programs help for both domestic and international travel, including a faster way through customs with Automated Passport Control and Mobile Passport Control .

What’s New in the Terminal

See additional travel tips.