Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the primary airport in the state of Wahington. Located approximately 14 miles (23 km) south of Downtown Seattle, it is the busiest airport in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. In 2023, the airport served over 50 million passengers, recording over 422K aircraft movements. These numbers reflect an almost 100% recovery from the pre-pandemic year 2019.
This article explores the longest domestic flights from SEA and the airlines that operate them. According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, four major US airlines operate these routes.
Seattle (SEA) to Miami (MIA)
Distance: 2,724 miles
- American Airlines: 1x daily flight
- Alaska Airlines: 1x daily flight
Seattle (SEA) to Miami International Airport (MIA) is the longest domestic route supported by the airport. With a distance of 2,724 miles, the typical flight time between the two airports is five hours and 50 minutes. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines each operate a single daily service using their respective narrowbody jets.
Photo: Don Mammoser | Shutterstock
American Airlines offers 31 flights in October using its Airbus A321neo product. The type is configured with 196 seats, offering a total of 6,076 seats in October. Alaska Airlines, on the other hand, operates its Boeing 737-900 aircraft, configured with 176 seats, offering 5,499 seats in October.
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Is The American Airlines Admirals Club Or Alaska Lounge+ Membership More Valuable?
The United States is one of the few countries that has two airlines in the same alliance. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are both part of the oneworld Alliance, which serves over 900 destinations. Elite status members in the American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan frequent flyer programs are offered access to lounges across the alliance, and both carriers offer a lounge plan for everyone else.
The American Airlines Admirals Club is arguably one of the most famous lounge networks in the world, and the membership comes at a hefty price. The annual membership for the program, which offers access to nearly 50 Admirals Club lounges and more than 60 partner lounges worldwide, begins at $850 for those without status. However, there are multiple ways to save on memberships, including a cobranded credit card that offers the membership as a perk.
The Alaska Airlines lounge network is much smaller, but the Lounge+ option, which starts at $750, includes access to Ad
Seattle (SEA) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
Distance: 2,717 miles
- Alaska Airlines: 1x daily flight
- Delta Air Lines: 1x daily flight
Fort Lauderdale (FAA) is another long route from SEA, with a distance of 2,717 miles. The route is operated by Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines, each operating a single daily service.
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying
Alaska operates its Boeing 737-900 aircraft, offering a total of 5,499 seats in October. The daily Alaska flight departs SEA at 13:59 hours and arrives in FLL nearly six hours later at 22:45 local time.
Photo: Kevin Hackert | Shutterstock
Delta operates its Airbus A321neo product on a daily morning flight that departs at 08:00 hours and arrives in FLL just before 17:00 hours. Delta’s A321’s are configured with 194 seats on average, offering 5,820 seats in October.
Seattle (SEA) to Lihue (LIH), Kauai, Hawaii
Distance: 2,701 miles
- Alaska Airlines: 2x daily flights
- Delta Air Lines: 1x daily flight
Both Alaska and Delta also operate the route between SEA and Lihea (LIH), connecting the port city to one of several Hawaiian islands. Alaska Airlines operates two daily flights onboard its Boeing 737-800 product. The 6-hour flight will be operated 62 times by Alaska in October, amounting to 9,858 seats.
Photo: Angel DiBilio | Shutterstock
Delta Air Lines operates a single daily flight from Seattle to the Hawaiian island using its A321neo product, offering 6,014 seats in October.
Seattle (SEA) to Kona (KOA), Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Distance: 2,688 miles
- Alaska Airlines: 3x daily flights
- Delta Air Lines: 1x daily flight
Alaska Airlines serves another popular Hawaiian island three times daily. The airline operates a morning flight, an early afternoon flight, and an evening flight to Kona. In October, 93 flights are scheduled, offering 16,516 seats.
For Delta, the 194-seater A321neo serves this route on once-daily flights. The Delta flight departs at 13:55 local time from SEA and arrives in KOA six hours and nine minutes later at 17:04 local time.
Seattle (SEA) to Honolulu (HNL)
Distance: 2,677 miles
- Alaska Airlines: 5x daily flights
- Delta Air Lines: 2x daily flights
- Hawaiian Airlines: 1x daily flight
The capital and the most popular destination in Hawaii is served with eight daily flights from the port city of Seattle. Alaska Airlines operates five daily flights on the route, using a combination of Boeing 737-900, 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9. The airline offers 155 flights in October, amounting to 26,830 seats. Delta Air Lines offers twice daily flights using its A321neo product, amounting to 62 flights and 12,028 seats in October.
Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock
Hawaiian Airlines operates a single daily service using its A330-200 aircraft. It is the only widebody aircraft on the route, offering 278 seats per departure. With 31 flights, the Hawaiian Airlines offers 8,618 seats in October.
Related
Are You Happy About The Alaska Air Group Acquiring Hawaiian Airlines?
As you know, Alaska Air Group has acquired Hawaiian Airlines. The two carriers will remain separate brands within the same Group, which seems sensible. They will aim for significant revenue increases along with savings from back-office efficiencies, maintenance, joint purchasing, fleet, etc., and rejig things where financial returns might be better.
But let’s get real. As with any merger or acquisition, what is proposed rarely matches what happens in practice, as cuts and other big changes take hold. Do not believe the hype and promises. Watching how things play out in the coming years will be good.
Currently, the combined fleet—as chalk-and-cheese as it is—totals 395 aircraft. It’ll be interesting to see if aircraft move between the units. Might Alaska Airlines use aircraft for long-haul flying from Seattle?
Alaska Airlines operates 326 aircraft: 79 737-900ERs, 71 MAX 9s, 61 737-800s, 14 737-700s, 10 737-900s, five MAX 8s, and 86 E175s (the latter operated by Horizon Air and SkyWes