Sea-Tac Airport on how to skip TSA lines during Thanksgiving travel rush
Nov 23, 2021, 5:21 AM
A TSA screening area at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
With Thanksgiving travel expected to surge to pre-pandemic levels, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has published a guide to help holiday travelers.
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In total, Sea-Tac Airport estimates that it will have seen roughly 1.5 million travelers between Thursday, Nov. 18, and Monday, Nov. 29.
First and foremost, Sea-Tac advises people to avoid long-term or overnight parking by taking public transit to the airport. If you do plan on parking, the airport recommends you carve out at least 30 minutes to find an available space. Offsite parking options will be similarly difficult, and are expected to be “very busy” as well.
Sea-Tac boasts a series of renovations in time for the holiday, including a reworked cell-phone parking lot with improved traffic flow, as a well as an expanded, remodeled North terminal.
Once you arrive, masks are required in all areas, unless you are actively eating or drinking. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all those eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine get their shot before gathering in multigenerational households to celebrate the holiday.
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With TSA security checkpoints also expected to be crowded, you can use SEA Spot Saver to book a place at the front of the screening line for any flight taking off between 5 a.m. and 1 p.m. You can book your spot up to 72 hours in advance.
For meal service, you can use mobile ordering through the Order SEA app. That will allow you to order your food ahead of time with the option for gate delivery.
