Cheap flights to
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

The airport code for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (often called SeaTac) is SEA.

Seattle’s high season is mainly June-August, though summers have been starting earlier and lasting longer in recent years, so you may be able to enjoy sunny days with little to no rain from May to September.

The Pacific Northwest is famous for its rainy weather, but summer in Seattle is generally glorious. June-August is also the high season, though, so plan accordingly. In the spring (March-May), you’ll probably be dealing with rain and clouds, but the crowds are light, and prices are lower. If summer prices are too high, try for September into early October—the weather should still be mostly lovely, and prices drop a bit after the summer officially ends.

While there isn’t a hotel inside the airport, there is one directly across the street. The Hilton Seattle Airport Hotel is connected to the terminal by a sky bridge, and it has a gym, an outdoor pool, and some pet-friendly rooms. Rooms start at $200.

Central Terminal

• There is an American Express Centurion Lounge on the mezzanine level. It has fresh food, healthy snacks, a full-service bar, and free WiFi. Centurion members, AmEx global Platinum cardholders, and Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholders get free entry.

A Concourse

• There is a Club at SEA near A 12. It has selected snacks, drinks, and free WiFi. Day passes are available for $50.

• There is a Delta Sky Club near A1. It has complimentary food and beverages, a full-service bar, shower facilities, some spa services, and free WiFi. Sky Club members, Delta’s and Air France’s first-class or business-class ticketholders, SkyMiles Reserve cardholders, and AmEx Platinum cardholders with a Delta boarding pass get free entry.

• There is also a United Club near A9. It has a buffet, full-service bar, business center, and free WiFi. United Club members, travelers flying first or business class on United or its Star Alliance partners, United Club Infinite cardholders, and some elite-status United or Star Alliance frequent flyers get free entry. Day Passes are also available for $59.

C and D Concourse, North Satellite Terminal

• There is an Alaska Airlines Lounge in each of the C and D Concourses (near C16A and D1). Each one offers both hot and cold food options, a full-service bar, and free WiFi. There is also an Alaska Airlines Flagship Lounge in the North Satellite Terminal on the mezzanine above N15. The food and beverage options here are more varied and plentiful, and there’s a comfortable seating area with a fireplace. Alaska Lounge members, Club 49 members flying Alaska first class to/from Alaska, and Alaska first class passengers on flights of at least 2,100 miles get free entry.

South Satellite Terminal

• There is a British Airways Terraces lounge near S10. It has a buffet, full-service bar, business center, shower facilities, and free WiFi. British Airways first and business class passengers, Silver and Gold members of the British Airways Executive Club with tickets on a BA or a oneworld partner airline flight, and Emerald and Sapphire members of any oneworld partner airline’s frequent flier programs with tickets on a BA or a oneworld partner airline flight get free entry.

• There is another Club at SEA on the mezzanine above S10 (see above for access information).

Travelers coming to the state of Washington with some small animals, including dogs and cats, must have proof that the pet is up-to-date with rabies vaccines, but a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) is not always required. For more details and the rules regarding bringing other animals into the state, check the Washington State Department of Agriculture website. And be sure to check with your airline, too, as there are rules around flying with pets that are set by individual airlines.

At the SeaTac airport, service animals must be kept on a leash at all times, and non-service animals must be kenneled. There are nine pet relief areas scattered throughout the airport buildings, both inside and outside security.

The SeaTac airport is about 14 miles from downtown Seattle by car and about 22 miles from downtown Tacoma.

• By taxi or rideshare: There are both metered and flat rate taxi options from SeaTac into Seattle. The flat rate to downtown starts at $40-45 (depending on the taxi company and the zip code you’re going to). Metered taxi trips start around $40-45, too, and climb depending on traffic. Rideshare trips into downtown Seattle average between $40-100, depending on traffic and demand.
• By public transportation: The easiest public transit option to get from SeaTac to Seattle is Link Light Rail, which connects directly to the airport. The trip downtown takes about 38 minutes, and a ticket is $2.25-3.25 one-way.

Although SeaTac is located between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma, the best public transit option from the airport (light rail) only goes into Seattle. Taxi fares to Tacoma are also higher than to Seattle. There are buses that run from the airport into Tacoma, but those can take up to 1.75 hours. In other words, if you’re headed to Tacoma, you may want to rent a car.

Seattle is tucked into the northwest corner of the continental US, so flight times from other parts of the country vary considerably. From the Northeast, you can expect a nonstop flight to be more than six hours. From the Southeast, it’s about 5.5 hours. From the Midwest, it’s about 4.5 hours. From the Southwest, it’s about three hours. And from West Coast cities further south, it can be two hours or less.