9 Thanksgiving Travel Tips From Sea-Tac

From Sea-Tac: With the family coming over for the traditional Thanksgiving meal, anxious cooks across the country call the Turkey Tips hotline to learn how best to prepare the bird. In the spirit of the season, the Port of Seattle offers its customers tips on the best way to travel by air.

More than 950,700 travelers are expected to pass through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport from November 19-26. The heaviest travel days are anticipated to be Sunday, Nov. 26 (145,800), Wednesday, Nov. 22 (140,200), and Tuesday, Nov. 21 (131,400). And while it may be at other airports around the country, Thanksgiving is NOT the busiest travel season at Sea-Tac. Passenger traffic is heavier during the summer, from June to August.

To help make the trip easier, Sea-Tac offers these travel tips.

Smooth as Gravy:

No one likes lumpy gravy, just like no one likes a bumpy ride to drop off or pick up loved ones at the airport for the holiday. Here are some ideas to make the trip smooth:

• Take Link Light Rail. You can park for free at the Tuckwila or Angle Lake Stations (the closest stops immediately north and south of the airport), and take the train to Sea-Tac.
• Consider parking in the garage, and walking into the terminal to say goodbye or welcome a traveler. One hour costs just $4; $5 if you choose our “Terminal Direct” parking, which is the closest to the ticketing level of the airport. We have 13,000 spaces in our garage.
• If you use the garage, try using the south entrance off of 182nd Avenue. You’ll get in and out quicker. Another pro tip: Once in the garage, follow the signs for International Airlines, and look for parking in the yellow or green sections on the south end of the garage. Parking is usually available in these areas.
• Sea-Tac Airport is offering a reduced weekly rate of $140 in General Parking. No extra taxes or fees. That’s like getting two days free when you park for seven days. Best of all, no coupon is needed. Click the link above for more information.
• Consider taking a shuttle, taxi, or ride-share car to the airport.
• Port of Seattle Police Commander Tom Bailey has other suggestions for how to get into and out of the airport. Click the link.
• Think Opposite: Pickup on the departure drive, drop-off on the arrivals drive. Kind of like eating your pumpkin pie before your turkey.

Plan Your Menu (Trip):

• Outbound travelers should arrive at least two hours prior to the departure of their domestic flight; three hours if you’re flying internationally.
• Leave the stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner; don’t overpack your suitcase.
• Speaking of stuffing: You can travel with food in your carryon luggage (except liquids over 3.4 ounces), but you may want to make sure your food is accessible in your bag in case TSA wants to take a closer look. For tips on flying with food click here.
• Please check with your airline for updated flight information, or you can monitor current departure or arrival times using the Sea-Tac website.
• If your holiday plans allow, consider flying on Thanksgiving Day. That will be the least traveled day of the Thanksgiving holiday week, with an estimated 90,500 passengers. The busiest days will be Sunday, Nov. 26 (145,800), Wednesday, Nov. 22 (140,900), and Tuesday Nov. 21 (130,900).

Comfy (and Powerful) Seating:

We often scramble for the folding chairs to accommodate extra guests at the Thanksgiving table. There’s no such problem at Sea-Tac. Travelers using Gates C2 and C3 will notice new seating. Most seats in those gate areas will feature power (outlets and USB), to let you charge up your devices before departure. New colorful couches will also be in place at both gates. The soft and inviting seating will also offer power outlets. The new seating and couches are previews of the new furniture that Sea-Tac will be installing throughout the airport in the future. (We even have a kids’ table – it’s in the play area!)

About Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Operated by the Port of Seattle, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA, KSEA) is ranked as the 9th busiest U.S. airport, serving nearly 45.7 million passengers and more than 366,000 metric tons of air cargo in 2016. With a regional economic impact of more than $16.3 billion in business revenue, Sea-Tac generates 171,796 jobs (109,924 direct jobs) representing over $2.8 billion in direct earnings and more than $565 million in state and local taxes. Twenty-eight airlines serve 90 non-stop domestic and 25 international destinations.

Photo courtesy of Sea-Tac