Winter Travel Tips

Winter Holiday Travel Tips from SEA Airport

Last Updated: November 19, 2025

Get there easier and faster by preparing for your trip to or from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport this busy winter holiday season.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) anticipates this year could be one of the busiest Thanksgiving travel periods in the airport’s history, with total passengers through the airport expected to be at or slightly above 2019 and 11 percent above 2022 levels. Travelers will notice more construction as well. The airport's Upgrade SEA program is currently underway with improvement projects from curb to gate. Construction of a new ticketing area and a new security screening checkpoint has spillover impacts in ticketing and baggage claim across the airport.

Enjoy a lower-stress, more predictable trip by trying new technology like Spot Saver and being flexible if you see construction. SEA continues to add new services to make travel more accessible and improve the travel experience beyond Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Check out the SEA Social Story, developed for travelers with sensory sensitivities such as autism but also great for kids. The interactive map on the flySEA app offers accessible route directions. The top tip is always to arrive at the airport at least two hours before your boarding time for a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. Add extra time if you need to park or check luggage.

First 90 minutes free in General Parking

Make airport pick-up and drop-off easier this holiday season. Get your first 90 minutes free in General Parking November 24-30 and December 22-28, 7 p.m. to midnight only. This option allows you to avoid congestion on the drives and head straight out from the airport parking garage. Reserved Parking for Thanksgiving week is selling fast, and those planning ahead should reserve now for December holiday travel. In addition, be sure to use the parking guidance system with the red and green availability lights to find an open stall more quickly.

By the numbers

From Wednesday, November 26 to Monday, December 1, just over 900,000 travelers will travel through SEA. Passenger traffic is estimated to be up 1% from 2024 over the entire holiday period, which begins next Thursday, November 20 and ends Monday, December 1. The busiest days are projected to be:

  • Sunday, November 30 — 180,000 estimated overall travelers (arriving, departing, and connecting)
  • Wednesday, November 26 — 170,000 passengers
  • Monday, December 1 — 166,000 passengers

Heads up to early birds and night owls: More than one-third of SEA’s daily passenger volume arrives at the airport before 9:00 a.m., causing busy conditions at TSA security checkpoints and on the drives. Two more peak periods occur at 2:00-5:00 p.m. and 9:00-11:00 p.m.

Tips for less-stressful holiday travel

  • Arrive early. Avoid feeling rushed — get to the terminal at least two hours before your boarding time for a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. Factor in the time you need to travel from off-site parking or drop-offs to the terminal. More than one-third of SEA’s daily passenger volume arrives at the airport before 9:00 a.m., causing busy conditions on the airport drives and at TSA security checkpoints. Two more peak periods occur from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.
  • Take advantage of SEA Spot Saver. Secure a spot in line to make the security checkpoint process easier. Checkpoint wait times are currently not available online, on the flySEA App, or in the terminal, but staff in green can guide you to the best queue for you. Use SEA’s interactive map for directions to the checkpoints, your gate, a favorite restaurant, or amenities.
  • Avoid traffic. Bypass the congested Arrivals and Departures drives by using public transportation, airport parking, rideshare, taxi/limo, scheduled airporter, door-to-door van service, or a shuttle option. When picking someone up, briefly park in the SEA Airport parking garage, entering from the International Boulevard entrance to meet arriving travelers in the terminal, then exit together through the garage without ever using the drives. You can even pick up a coffee while you’re waiting!
  • Think opposite. If you choose to use the drives, use the lower Arrivals drive instead of the upper Departures drive during peak morning hours, and vice versa if you’re picking someone up in the evening. Or use whichever lane is moving faster — they all go to the same terminal.
  • Head straight to security. Check in for your flight ahead of time and download or print your boarding pass. Review your airline’s baggage policies, and if you don’t need to check a bag, head straight to the security checkpoints.
  • Try a social story for help traveling. The SEA Airport Social Story and Resource Guide is designed for travelers with autism or other invisible disabilities to repeatedly review with their family or caregivers prior to travel.

Avoid the most common holiday travel bummers

  • Stay safe on SEA escalators. An average of one person falls on an escalator each day at SEA, and one to two people per week need to seek medical assistance. SEA operates almost 100 escalators, the most of any facility in Washington. Watch a video from the SEA Safety Squad for tips on how to keep you and everyone traveling with you safe.
  • Lock your car and don’t leave valuables in sight. Keep your luggage and belongings close at all times. Go straight to baggage claim after your arrival and call 911 if you see any suspicious activity.
  • Do not park on the shoulder of the airport drives. Drivers waiting to pick up arriving airline passengers should park temporarily in SEA's reconfigured cell phone lot. Shoulder parking, even briefly, is dangerous and illegal; violators will be cited. Port of Seattle Police are working with the Washington State Patrol on emphasis patrols during holiday periods.
  • Properly check firearms or leave them at home. TSA regulations state that travelers may only transport ammunition and unloaded firearms in a locked, hard-sided container as checked baggage. Check your baggage before leaving home to ensure you are not traveling with firearms, firearm parts, and/or ammunition.

This story was originally posted on the Port of Seattle's blog.

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Port of Seattle