September 12, 2023
Meet Kim Tate, a travel writer, blogger, and podcaster based in Seattle. She’s the face behind Stuffed Suitcase and one of the newest travel partners for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). As a mother of two teen girls, she will share her tips for getting your family out on new adventures and discovering great destinations. And as a frequent traveler to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) Airport, she’ll tell you her travel secrets for having a great day at her home airport.
SEA: Introduce us to your family!
Kim: From a young newlywed to the mom of a college kid, I’ve traversed the terminals of SEA Airport through many phases of life. My husband and two daughters have followed along for over 20 years as I’ve led the way to adventures around the world originating at SEA Airport. Here’s a quick glimpse of my family’s travel styles:
Kim (me) — I’m the planner and leader; you’ll find me walking purposefully to my favorite lounge, with my family often lamenting why I’m walking so fast and wishing I’d just slow down.
Paul — He’s the laid-back traveler; he would love to arrive at the airport and walk straight onto the plane before takeoff to optimize that little bit of extra sleep the morning of the flight.
Lizzy — She’s the new college kid who has started planning her own travel adventures. Her favorite has been a Mediterranean cruise with her cousins. You’ll find her in the checked bag line for sure!
Mia — Is the baby of the family who loves mountain adventures and hates waiting in lines; she’ll be sharing the trip with her friends via text from the moment we depart.
SEA: Tell us about your travel style
Kim: I’m totally team carry-on unless the trip is longer than a week. I like to hit the ground running and waiting for 20-50 minutes for bags to arrive is tough for me to handle. I’m also team backpack, with my laptop and tablet packed away in case I want to work but I’ll inevitably binge-watch shows like "Criminal Minds" and "Beat Bobby Flay" instead.
SEA: How did you start traveling?
Kim: I did not grow up in a traveling family and discovered I loved it during college. After I got married, I started planning trips for my husband and I to go on — then when our daughters were born, we just didn’t stop. Friends and family started to ask my advice about travel planning, so I started a blog to share what I’ve learned.
I’m always eager to learn how to travel smarter and lately I’ve been learning how to use credit card points to fly for “free” and get great deals on hotel rooms. I’ve taught myself how to be a savvy traveler and love sharing my tips and tricks with my audience. I always love getting comments from readers about how something I’ve shared helped them. It’s fun to know you helped someone travel easier or enjoy their trip more.
SEA: What do you like about working with SEA?
Kim: SEA Airport is my home airport and I’ve always loved calling it my home base. One of my favorite things about SEA has always been how all our terminals are connected post-security. You can go grab Lady Yum macarons near Concourse A and then pop over to grab some Beecher's mac ‘n cheese in Concourse B before heading to one of the satellite terminals to enjoy a lounge. I also love that SEA Airport features locally-owned restaurants and shops — it’s a great way to discover local businesses.
What I love most about working as a content creator is the chance to share my knowledge and tips with others to help them enjoy traveling. I didn’t grow up as a traveler, so learning to do it, and do it well, has been a fun adventure. The fact that my job lets me make my hobby a career is empowering and fulfilling.
SEA: What’s your advice for SEA Travelers?
Kim: I’m all about getting to the airport early to start your trip off right. I typically pack my main suitcase the night before and then my carry-on the morning of, unless I have a super early flight then I pack both the night before. I like to arrive at the airport 2+ hours early – even earlier if I have an international flight and need to check a bag. Once I’ve breezed through security with my TSA Precheck and CLEAR or with the SEA Spot Saver (if I’m traveling with my family), I head to some of my favorite airport spots.
While I’m frequently in one of the airport lounges thanks to my credit card, I also have a few favorite spots that I recommend to friends.
- I love that I can mobile order for Starbucks and avoid the lines.
- And if I didn’t have time to get a pedicure before my trip, I can pop over to the Terminal Getaway Spa to get my nails done before my flight. Experienced traveler tip — get a gel manicure/pedicure as it will dry instantly with the lamp so no stress about drying time and catching your flight.
- Lastly, if I’m heading to visit friends, I’ll often grab some Lady Yum macarons; some might be enjoyed by me, but some do occasionally arrive to my destination ;).
Find these spots with the interactive map on the FlySEA app.
SEA: What do you never leave home without?
Kim: I always tell myself that the most important thing I need to pack is my ID and credit card. Anything else can typically be purchased if forgotten. But I’m also great at always packing my tablet and laptop as I often travel for work. One of the biggest things I forget … headphones! I’ve purchased three pairs of Bluetooth headphones at the airport because I plug mine in at home and forget to grab them from the charger!
You’ll always find me packing a small bag of airplane necessities that include things like hand sanitizer and wipes, ear plugs, lip balm, pain reliever, throat lozenges, and eye drops.
SEA: What do you like about travel?
Kim: I love that travel offers you the chance to break up the monotony of your life. It gives you a chance to see other parts of the world and experience cultures that aren’t your own. As someone who grew up in Kansas, travel gave me the chance to see mountains and oceans, hear different languages, and try different foods. As Mark Twain said, “Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
SEA: How do you keep your kids entertained while traveling?
Kim: I’m not joking when I say that my kids have been traveling their whole lives, which means I’ve experienced every level of travel parenting from babies to teens.
When my girls were really young, I always relied on having a new toy packed for the trip as well as favorite snacks. I planned the plane ride in 30-minute increments and knew I needed to have a new activity or snack for every 30 minutes of the flight.
Technology has certainly made traveling with kids easier than it was for my parents’ generation. Making sure kids have a favorite toy and device with games and movies or shows goes a long way towards keeping the travel peace. I fully admit that we relied on technology a lot during travel days; just make sure you pack some great headphones made for kids and that you’ve discussed rules of use before the trip.
Another big part of keeping kids entertained is teaching them early to pack for themselves. Talk to your kids about
how long the flight is and equate it with things they know from daily life. For example, the flight is as long as being in school all day, or the flight is like driving to grandma/grandpa’s house. Then talk to your kids about what they need to stay entertained on the flight during that time. If they want to just watch shows, ask them to choose something else, too. Being the mom of two girls, we had a lot of coloring books, sticker books, and new reading books that we always shopped for before the trip so they could be excited about bringing it on the trip.
SEA: Favorite accessibility resources at SEA
Kim: Some traveling families might not know that SEA has invested in programs to help make traveling easier for families. Families with members who have sensory sensitivities or are neurodiverse can request a special sunflower lanyard before going through security. Employees seeing this lanyard will know that the individual is dealing with invisible disabilities and might need additional care or assistance.
I also love that SEA has a sensory room for families who might need to avoid loud sounds and environments. It’s found near the A gates and is extremely useful for helping calm individuals who have become overstimulated.
Follow Kim Tate on Stuffed Suitcase
Find out about accessibility resources at SEA Airport
