Hacks to get through Sea-Tac Airport during holiday weekend

It’s that time of year: People are packing up and heading to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac Airport) for holiday travel.

Perry Cooper, a spokesman for Sea-Tac Airport and Port of Seattle, joined “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio Tuesday and shared several tips that could save visitors from missing their flights.

Arrive early to Sea-Tac Airport

Number one, arrive early, Cooper said.

“We’d rather have you get here early, get through your lines, not have to be waiting at the last minute because you don’t have a lot of time,” he said.

One person KIRO Newsradio spoke with at Sea-Tac Airport Tuesday did just that.

“We are totally fine,” a traveler named Christa said. “We just make sure that we get here early and that we’re well packed and that we aren’t the problem.”

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) put together projected traffic charts on its website so drivers can plan ahead.

‘Think opposite,’ use alternate routes

The second tip is to use alternative routes, such as the light rail. Cooper said the drive to arrivals and departures can get backed up.

“Everybody wants to pick up or drop off grandma, grandpa or their relatives, so the drives tend to be really congested,” he shared.

For those who have to drive, Cooper recommends using one of the shuttles that go to the airport or a rideshare. He said another option is to use the garage off of International Boulevard on the south end by 182nd Street, go out, and then go straight into the terminal to pick up people. Once the party is picked up, the driver can then go out of the garage, avoiding the main drive.

Finally, those using the main drive should “think opposite,” Cooper said. Therefore, those dropping off can use arrivals and those picking up can use departures.

“Does that still work though?” asked “Gee and Ursula” co-host Ursula Reutin.

“Oh, it does,” Cooper responded. “It’s kind of crazy. I mean, you guys have heard it so many times from me, but you go walk and stand outside as you watch the traffic coming in and people just don’t think of it. It’s kind of crazy.”

One family used that hack, telling KIRO Newsradio it took them around 25 minutes because they used departures and not arrivals. But another said the dropoff scene is still quite hectic.

“It’s heavy,” one woman told KIRO Newsradio. “It’s bumper to bumper, people cutting you off and all kinds of messes on the traffic right now.”

Skip the lines at Sea-Tac Airport

Once in the airport, travelers are encouraged to use TSA PreCheck or SEA Spot Saver through the FlySEA App.

SEA Spot Saver is “a virtual cue where you get 15 minutes a spot, where you can just show up in that 15 minutes, and that’s where you get through the checkpoint, instead of waiting in what potentially could be a longer line,” Cooper explained.

The app normally also includes checkpoint wait times but due to a ransomware attack, wait times are not available.

More details: After hack, Sea-Tac Airport website back up in time for Thanksgiving travel

Cooper also mentioned NEXUS which helps people get to Canada faster. He said once signed up, NEXUS gives people Global Entry which allows free TSA PreCheck.

However, he said wait times on Tuesday morning were around 10 minutes, even with Checkpoint 5 closed.

“It’s not the busiest ever here,” he said. “It’s about the same as what we saw last year. As people recall, here in Seattle, our busiest time of the year is the summer, which is June through August.”

KIRO Newsradio spoke with one person who said getting to the airport was smooth but the Alaska line was pretty full.

“The line is like 50 people long, with kids, dogs and all kinds of stuff being checked,” John said. “We’ve been here for an hour and a half.”

When will construction be over?

Cooper also noted there is construction still being done as crews work on a $5 billion project.

To which “Gee and Ursula” co-host Gee Scott asked, “What’s going on? How long is this going to be?”

Cooper said the biggest challenge is that Sea-Tac Airport has one of the smaller footprints of any airport in the country that serves as many passengers as it does.

“We don’t have the ability to go out, or build a new section, or close a space for a while,” he explained. “We still have to run the airport as it is.”

Cooper referenced the SEA Gateway Project, saying Port of Seattle has opened up the space against the window wall, toward the drives, which has made a significant difference.

“Overall, we’ve got things that are starting to finish,” he said.

Cooper also noted the Port of Seattle is currently taking public comment, until Dec. 13, on its Sustainable Airport Master Plan which would add a second North Terminal.

OK to wear headphones at the airport? Jake Skorheim, Chris Sullivan weigh in

Jake Skorheim, one of the hosts of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, discussed an article from The Associated Press that recommends using noise-canceling headphones to block out “annoyances” during travel.

However, Jake pointed out this might not make you a better traveler.

KIRO Newsradio traffic reporter Chris Sullivan agreed saying, “I’d rather have situational awareness than having my ears plugged up. So that way you’re not walking in front of somebody at the airport or dragging, you’re veering through the aisle and you’re slowing up traffic. Situational awareness is probably better than that.”

The AP story also urged people to stay hydrated to counter the dry air on flights, which Jake and Sullivan agreed was a good idea.

Contributing: Luke Duecy and Sam Campbell, KIRO Newsradio; The Associated Press

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X here and email her here.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Listen to Jake and Spike weekdays from noon-3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.