Summary
- Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) achieved a major milestone this summer, with over 15.3 million passengers passing through the airport.
- The airport set two distinct records during the summer travel period, including a single-day outbound passenger record of 73,651 and a record number of incoming international passengers.
- The airport’s success highlights its post-pandemic recovery phase and puts Seattle on the map as a popular travel destination, with plans underway for a $4.6 billion improvement project to cater to increasing passenger volumes. #SeattleAirport #RecordPassengerNumbers
The busiest airport in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA), welcomed 15.3 million passengers this summer. The airport achieved a new milestone during the busy travel season between June and August. The airport made two distinct records during the summer travel period.
A major milestone for SEA Airport
Summer 2023 marks a major milestone for the Sea-Tac airport. The airport saw passenger volumes skyrocketing both in domestic and international sectors. The airport saw, on average, over 166,000 (departing, connecting, and arriving) passengers pass through the airport. This is an outstanding feat for what is considered a post-pandemic recovery phase for the airport.
The airport made two distinct records during the summer travel period. On July 24, a record-breaking 198,000 passengers transited through the airport, including 73,651 passengers passing through the airport security for departing flights. The airport surpassed the previous single-day outbound passenger record of 72,154 recorded in August 2019.
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying
On July 29, the airport witnessed a record number of incoming international passengers. A total of 8,512 passengers passed through airport customs at the International Arrivals Facility. The passenger numbers surpassed a previous record of 8,472, recorded earlier in July. The managing director of SEA Airport, Lance Lyttle, expressed his gratitude towards everyone involved in achieving this milestone by stating,
The high demand for travel shows our guests soaked up every opportunity to travel this summer. We set records in both general passenger volume, but also international travel. Seattle is on the map for guests from around the world. We could do none of this without the hard work of our SEA Airport team, our airline partners, partners at the Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and our airport dining and retail operators. They all went above and beyond to make the guest experience five-star this summer.
The SEA airport, owned by the Port of Seattle, has been on the road to recovery. The airport authorities ensure that all partners, including the Transport Security Agency (TSA) and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), are in line with the airport’s goals for recovery and growth.
Photo: Port of Seattle
According to the Federal Security Director for TSA in Washington, Greg Hawko,
With the summer travel season in the books, we at TSA want to thank the Port of Seattle, the airlines, and all the airport stakeholders for their partnership and support. Our goal every day is to deliver the most effective security screening experience in the most efficient manner. We continue to stay focused on our security mission and are proud to serve the SEA community.
The staggering numbers from the summer bring the airport one step closer to closing the year with passenger volumes nearly equal to the pre-pandemic numbers. The airport statistics predict that the 2024 full-year passenger volumes are expected to surpass 2019 volumes by a small margin.
The $4.6 billion improvement plan for the SEA Airport is underway by the Port of Seattle. The five-year plan will enforce temporary closures to some parts of the airport but will cater to a greater number of passengers upon its completion.
What are your thoughts on the record-breaking passenger numbers at SEA Airport? Did you travel through the airport during the summer period? Share your experience in the comments section.
Source: Port of Seattle