Seattle Airport

Flying from Seattle to Tampa the ticket counter workers were very respectful and clean. Going through security was good as well. But the TSA are very rude. My gate was B17 So it wasn't far to walk from security. There are plenty of restaurants stores and bathrooms available.

This airport is great. The atmosphere is really nice and getting through security is a breeze. My flight got cancelled once and my family was at the back of a line to get a new flight when a random worker came up and got us a flight closer to our destination. There are Starbucks in every food court and at every gate plus lots of magazine and book stores along with restaurants if you have extra time and would like to sit down. The gates are comfortable as well.

I experienced my worst security queuing experience at this airport. I was directed into a massive line which was moving very slowly. About 60 minutes later when I got close enough to see the actual checkpoints I found out why. "Elite" (high mileage first class etc.) passengers were being given priority at every checkpoint. Well there was a virtually continuous stream of such passengers so many of them got though in only seconds or minutes while us steerage passengers waited an hour to get to the same point. When I finally passed this bottleneck during my long walk to the gate I saw that there were many other much smaller security checkpoints with no lines further on down the hallway that I could have used instead. Despite arriving almost two hours before my departure time my flight was almost done boarding when I got to the gate! A miserable airport one that I hope to never visit again.

A big plus for this airport is the light rail. Two of us (adult and child) were able to take a commuter train from Everett (about 40 miles north of the airport) with an easy connection in downtown Seattle for a total of $12. There's an excellent food court with fair prices in the center of the airport but pickings can be slim in the concourses and especially in the satellite terminals. This might not be the best airport for people who don't mind walking a bit.

The airport has a relatively modern albeit somewhat chaotic feel. The proximity of the light rail station allowing quick and inexpensive access to downtown Seattle is a definite plus (it is located at the far end of the northern parking garage - best to ask for directions). Getting to the airport terminal to check-in can be confusing. Hotel and other courtesy vans let out passengers not next to the terminal but across the access road next to the parking garage. I saw no crosswalks across that road. To get to the main terminal you need to get to one of the elevators in the parking garages to take you to a skywalk (bridge) over the access road to the terminal then find a second elevator to go up to the departures level. We almost rented one of the baggage carts in the parking garage but were glad we used a skycap due to the confusing route to our check-in counter. There seemed to be a dearth of rest rooms in the check-in areas. As noted a bit of a walk to the security line (with special entrance for First Class passengers) then down 2 (more?) escalators to get to the train to the "S" terminal for our flight. We did get our exercise departing from this airport.

They have been remodeling this airport for the past 20 years but some things have not changed. The ticket counter check in is old style and cramps the terminal area if heavy flights are queuing. Alaska is the only airline there that I know of with kiosk check in. Security is bad TSA staff is rude compared to other airports. Security area is cramped and not efficient. Long walks to the gate areas except for Alaska who is the main tenant here. There are two satellite terminals connected by an underground tram. International runs out of the south satellite. After customs you have to put your bags on the conveyer then go to baggage claim in the main terminal to reclaim them. Parking is a mess. Rental cars are currently in the parking garage but plans are to move them away which will mean shuttles to and from. Food services are the only bright spot here. Plenty to choose from at the gates and the food is quite good.

I’ve been traveling to Seattle quite often. The best thing about the Seattle airport is the fact that they have a Link light rail station connected via walk-way to the airport. For $2.50 I can get from the airport to less than a block away from my corporate office. And for an additional $6.90 I can ride the ferry over to Bainbridge to meet up with my parents. (The ferry is free heading back into Seattle.) I generally fly Virgin America which seems to be assigned gates in Siberia. Rumor has it there are more dining choices at the food court which is good since pick’ins are pretty slim down by the low number gates. There is a Starbucks adjacent to the concourse so at least you can get something there while you are waiting on your flight. The airport itself seems to be clean and well maintained. Baggage handling is prompt and the security lines move quickly and are staffed by friendly people.

Connecting flights coming from overseas? Seattle airport is set up to receive only one type of connecting flight the kind where the airport of origin can tag your bags through to the final destination. However when coming from some developing countries where your final destination (in the US) cannot be on your international itinerary the airports will not tag your bags through to the final destination. As a result when exiting customs in Seattle and given the choice of leaving security or going the route of "connecting flights" one should choose to leave security and collect their bags at the baggage claim of their international airlines then recheck in with their domestic airline. If your domestic flight is not on the same itinerary as your international flight (eg. you booked it online but your international flight was bought overseas) then the connecting flight sky hops have no idea where to send your bag (it's not on the tag). The main reason for this is that they "assume" your bags are checked through to your final destination. They fail to ask this important question and do not realize that every customer does not have the background to distinguish that there are multiple kinds of "connecting flights." However if they do not ask you the airline and CITY where you want your bag to go it will be lost in the airport. The airport is not small and you will be walking back and forth between the international baggage claim and your domestic airlines trying to figure out where the bags went. This is a common problem at this airport as reported to me by the lost baggage clerk in San Diego. He said that military coming from Narita through Seattle have this issue all the time. If the Sky Hop does not ask you where you want your bag to go make sure you tell him. If he says "we'll take care of everything" make sure that you discuss the destination as part of the "everything." Most likely he will tell you to take your bag off of the conveyer belt that is headed to another airline and put it on the belt that will take it to the international baggage claim. (In Seattle after going through customs the passenger takes a tram to the other terminals but the bags go on special conveyer belts either to the next airplane or to the baggage claim). Please be careful. If you are not you may have a very difficult time finding your bag or anyone who knows where your bag went.

Seatac is one of the best laid-out US. airports. The main terminal is open and easy to navigate. There is food service on both sides of security. All security lanes go to the same gate areas so you can easily just walk to the shortest station not necessarily the one right by your airline. There are maybe 5 or 6 security stations - quick and efficient (or as efficient as the TSA can be). Parking is challenging with spaces full even on low-traffic days. But the ease of airport navigation makes up for the parking problems.

SeaTac airport didn't seem to have changed for the better from my very first visit in 2003. It's dark the baggage claim areas confusing ground staff impersonal and cold like the airport's impression itself. I could comment though that after claiming one's baggage the curbside pick-up is very convenient as one does not have to travel a long distance tugging one's luggage to the escalator then onto the parking area. Yes SeaTac's image of personal items being lost seems prevailing till now. I arrived in Guangzhou from Seattle via Incheon where I requested that my baggage be claimed in its final destination which is Guangzhou. When I claimed by luggage in Guangzhou I found out that the locks on one of my two luggages had disappeared and now I have to conduct an inventory of what I had packed inside to confirm if my stuff had been nicked. SeaTac's management should certainly look seriously on this issue as it will definitely be a negative factor in it's image of a city that is really a lovely one with friendly people and green surroundings. The airport just does not do justice to what the city has to offer.