Sea-Tac & Alaska Airlines Offer Practical Tips For Stress Free Holiday Travel

With tips applicable to any airport traveler this holiday season, the Port of Seattle, which manages Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and Alaska Airlines joined forces to let travelers know how to make this festive season’s expeditions a little bit smoother. For Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, a congested airport that expects high demand, preparedness is necessary.

Travel tips for time saving transit

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Alaska Airlines are teaming up to give passengers tips to help use the transit through US airports during Thanksgiving this Thursday, November 23, and other upcoming holidays. Some of the key elements included:

1. Use services such as SEA Spot Saver: SEA Spot Saver allows someone to reserve a spot in the security lines and use a faster line to get to security screening.
2. Download an official airport app, like FlySEA: Airport apps contain information on where gates and amenities are, plus most apps can help you track your specific flight. The FlySEA app is linked below.
3. Download your airline’s app: Your airline likely has a smartphone app, which is the fastest way to find the gate to your flight and check your flight status. Most airline apps, especially Alaska Airlines, whose app is linked below, allow you to check in 24 hours pre-flight and host the boarding pass on the app versus a paper boarding pass that can be lost.
4. Download the Mobile Passport Control app: The Mobile Passport Control app allows international travelers to breeze through US arrivals. Entire families can use one app to complete customs efficiently, and the app is linked below.
5. Use mass transportation: Using mass transportation, whether in the form of light rail, bus, or Airporter, does mean arriving at the airport without sitting in traffic, reducing stress, and helping address the climate impacts of travel. For SEA, the Sound Transit Link light rail is within minutes of the terminal. According to Sound Transit ridership statistics through September, the SEA Link station enjoys over 5,300 daily boardings, almost meeting the 2019 daily average.

Read more: How to navigate Sea-Tac while construction is ongoing

Addressing congestion at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

At SEA, the airport has multiple ongoing construction projects, such as a Terminal C expansion plus a SEA Gateway Project, which adds more space for bag tag stations, security checks, offices, and baggage claim within SEA’s documented constraints. As such, the airport and Alaska Airlines – the leading tenant – want passengers prepared for holiday season travel.

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

According to Lea Kautzman, Managing Director of Alaska Airlines’ SEA Guest Services, responsible for supporting guests throughout their journey, the airline recommends arriving three hours before boarding time if flying internationally and two hours before boarding time if flying domestically. As Kautzman happily explained to Simple Flying,

However, one part of that remodel is already partially operational. One may use an Alaska Airlines bag tag station, get a bag tag printed from the kiosk, and hand the bag to the customer service agent to reduce airport lobby time.

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

There are also priority lines at SEA for elite passengers to check in and those with TSA PreCheck and CLEAR to expedite security screening. These facilities will be expanded as part of renovations.

Finally, the Port of Seattle shared projections of US Thanksgiving visitors, estimating the following peak travel days:

• November 22, a Wednesday with 156,000 travelers departing, arriving, and connecting
• November 26, a Sunday with 158,000 travelers departing, arriving, and connecting
• November 27, a Monday with 148,000 travelers departing, arriving, and connecting

For SEA, more than one-third of SEA’s daily passenger volume arrives before 9:00 a.m., with two additional peak periods at 2:00-5:00 p.m. and 9:00-11:00 p.m.

Alaska Airlines flight attendants conducting informational picketing

As was seen on November 16, one can expect Alaska Airlines flight attendants to continue informational picketing for their union AFA Alaska while off-duty throughout the holiday season at the airports Alaska Airlines serves. Informational picketing is when off-duty employees go to the public to enlist public support for their contract requests.

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

In addition to the above effort to politely ask Alaska Airlines travelers to sign up for union updates about future AFA Alaska activities, on December 19, AFA Alaska will conduct an all-base picket using off-duty flight attendants to publicly and peacefully display the collective concern of AFA Alaska members and supporters. Mediated negotiations will continue through at least December, so Alaska Airlines holiday flights will not have labor disruptions.

Bottom line

US airports will be hectic throughout the holiday season, but SEA also has congestion from construction projects and informational picketing. Passengers should prepare to make their flight by planning and arriving early to guarantee a stress-free experience.

What tips will you try this holiday season? Please share with civility in the comments.

Sources: Alaska Airlines app, FlySEA app, Mobile Passport Control app, Sound Transit Ridership Tracker,