January 20, 2026
By Aly Lande, Capital Project Marketing Specialist
It’s been three years since Upgrade SEA was launched as Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s (SEA) customer-facing capital program campaign. And since its inception in 2023, Upgrade SEA has taken the airport from now to WOW!
If it feels like the past couple of years have been all construction at the airport, you aren't wrong! Capital project construction has been very visible and takes up a lot of space, but it’s been thoroughly and thoughtfully planned out. As the dust settles and the barricades come down, you can start to see the vision; an improved airport experience from curb to gate, and a safer, more welcoming and accessible airport.
This portfolio of capital projects has been a huge undertaking. Projects like Checkpoint 1 Relocation, Restroom Renovation, and Curbside Safety and Accessibility have been completed since the launch under the Upgrade SEA banner. Even more projects continue with the SEA Gateway Project, C Concourse Expansion, Roadway Improvements, Baggage Optimization leading the way and many more coming up.
The future is bright and the year ahead holds a lot of milestone moments and celebrations as many of the major projects begin to close out. Take a look at Upgrade SEA’s accomplishments thus far, and what there is to look forward to this year.
2025 in review
In 2025, construction wrapped up on the final phase of the Restroom Renovation project, updating or adding about a dozen restrooms on the B, C, and D concourses. Each of these new or renovated restrooms incorporated new art, transforming each restroom into a unique art gallery.
The year also brought some checkpoint changes with the opening of the new Checkpoint 1 on the Baggage Claim Level as part of the Checkpoint 1 Relocation project, and a re-opened, re-designed Checkpoint 6, as part of the SEA Gateway Project. The A Concourse Building Expansion for Lounges completed of a two-story Delta Air Lines lounge: Delta Sky Club and Delta One.
No project had a bigger year than the SEA Gateway Project! Not only did Checkpoint 6 re-open after a year-long closure, but the Baggage Claim Level is also looking fresh and open with the removal of barricades from a very congested area. Other upgrades include a Bridge Level check-in, renovated Bag Claims 15 and 16, a 7-Eleven, and tons of art. You can read more about the numerous new art installations that went into this project and others and see what’s still to come in 2026.
2026 look ahead
With major milestones completed and even more underway, Upgrade SEA has been working hard to get ready to welcome the world. SEA’s prediction for 2026 (drumroll) …Welcome to the year of WOW!
Airport access upgrades
Construction on the roadways has been happening for the past couple of years while major improvements are being made to the southbound lanes of the Airport Expressway. The Roadway Improvements project is getting ready to open up two additional lanes to help with roadway congestion and safety.
These two additional lanes will help sort traffic earlier. The far left lane of the lower Arrivals Drive will be dedicated access for the parking garage while the lane next to it will be for shuttles and courtesy vehicles entering the garage. The load and unload area for the Rental Car Facility shuttles will move to the north, away from the terminal drive. This will allow for more space and easier access for private vehicles to pick up passengers quickly and easily.
Make it functional … and pretty
This project adds some colorful flair to your drive in. A collaborative mosaic glass piece between artists Ed Marquand and Angelina Villalobos will be installed early this year on the new retaining wall right next to the upper Departures Drive. This giant moving mosaic will come into sight as you round the corner into the terminal and add a pop of Pacific Northwest color. By summer, the curbside along the entry to the lower Arrivals Drive will also get a Public Art Program installation by Dutch artist, Sabine Marcelis. The bus canopy for the Rental Car Facility shuttles will get a glass color gradient work of art overhead for protection from the elements and give a magnificent reflection of color, day or night.
Ticketing and checkpoint upgrades
If you enter the airport on the north end, you will definitely notice the difference in the Alaska Ticketing Lobby. The SEA Gateway Project, in partnership with Alaska Airlines, is putting the finishing touches this year on the Lobby redesign. The Baggage Claim Level was already completed in 2025 with newly installed Bag Claim 15 and 16 devices, brightened spaces and finishes, updated ADA ramps in the door portals, and new art throughout. New digital signage has also been added overhead and directional display monitors on the floor, making it easier to find where you’re going.
This project is in the homestretch with minor construction left, including finish work, new terrazzo floor polishing, and a couple more major art installations. Set to complete this summer, the project is making your gateway to the Pacific Northwest lighter, brighter, more efficient, and less “construction-y!”
Post-security upgrades
These projects, post-security, might not be visible to the average traveler, but they are just as important as upgrades to the check-in or gate experience. The SEA Underground Controls Replacement project has been underway since 2023 and is still several years from completion. Work continues to update software systems for the trains while trying to keep impacts minimal and the SEA Underground operational. These are key connection points between the main terminal to the N and S concourses, which are only accessible by train. The maintenance team manages daily operations to keep the trains running, but the operating system update is essential for the long-term health of the entire system.
The Baggage Optimization project entered Phase 3 last year and continues to upgrade more than 12 miles of conveyor systems underneath traveler’s feet. The first two phases transformed the central and north terminal areas and now has shifted to the south end of the airport. This upgrade helps improve airport-wide public safety and security, as well as customer service for both airlines and travelers by providing flexibility, reliability, and efficiency. Follow the journey of your bags in this behind-the-scenes video. This project will not be fully completed until approximately 2029; however the first two phases already provide improvements to reunite you with your luggage as quickly as possible.
Concourse upgrades
All eyes are set on the grand opening of the new building as part of the C Concourse Expansion, coming this summer. Construction kicked off in 2023, topped out at the end of 2024, and enclosed the space during 2025. Now it’s time to build out the inside, get the new tenants ready, and open it up, just in time to welcome the world for the largest soccer tournament on the planet.
The project is adding four floors and over 200,000 square feet of additional space for seating, services, amenities, dining, and retail. This new space will have everything from a giant seating area around the Tree at C, a public viewing platform at the Lookout at C, and the most important of all, ABC … A Big Chili’s! Yes, SEA is getting a Chili's® Grill & Bar!
Not only will the multitude of dining options be a draw for this new building, but it’s also getting a Sensory Room, Nursing Room, Pet Relief Area, and Interfaith Prayer and Meditation Room. In addition, there will be a performance area and plenty of space for relaxing and recharging (phones and yourself). The C Concourse is also on track to be the airport’s most sustainable building yet.
To say the excitement is high to complete the C Concourse Expansion project would be an understatement. See what’s been going on behind the construction walls for the last couple of years as the project gets closer to opening.
Up next for major upgrades, SEA will shift its focus to the S Concourse and giving it a makeover with the S Concourse Evolution project.
Future of Upgrade SEA
This year will bring a close to some major chapters of Upgrade SEA, with completions of the SEA Gateway Project, Roadway Improvements, and the C Concourse Expansion project. The goal is to complete all these milestone projects before Seattle takes center stage for the international soccer extravaganza, and SEA starts welcoming the world.
With even more capital projects underway and a $4.4 billion five-year, future-forward capital improvement plan, there is no slowing down. But for 2026 — Progress, Made.
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