MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Sea-Tac Airport brings back program to allow visitors past security

Dec 16, 2019, 7:50 AM | Updated: 2:00 pm

Sea-Tac airport...

Sea-Tac Airport gets visitor passes. (AP)

(AP)

During the 2018 holiday season, Sea-Tac Airport unveiled a pilot program for allowing visitors without boarding passes past security to the gates. Now, the program will return permanently, set to be announced Monday morning by the Port of Seattle.

Sea-Tac Airport adds to resumé, begins allowing visitors past security

The program is similar to the one Sea-Tac enacted last November that ran for six weeks.

This marks the return of the “SEA Visitor Pass,” allowing access to “events, amenities, restaurants, and boutiques,” as well as the ability to greet your loved ones as they land at the airport.

Visitors are able to apply for a pass online by 1:30 p.m. the day prior to using it. Applicants were then subject to approval by the TSA, and receive a notification on their status by midnight of the same day. The initial release of the program in 2018 was limited to just 50 visitors per day.

How to beat congestion at the Sea-Tac Airport cell phone lot

The Port of Seattle said during the trial period, 1,165 total visitors enrolled in the program. Sea-Tac was the first airport on the West Coast to create a pilot program for visitor passes last year.

Passengers will be allowed to enter through the airport’s secure area at Checkpoint 3. Up to a 100 visitors will be allowed per day, between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week.

You can apply online now here.

KIRO 7 TV staff contributed to this report

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Sea-Tac Airport brings back program to allow visitors past security