Traffic volumes are jumping back up for the Presidents Day holiday while a new customer convenience option is coming soon! Bookings for Reserved Parking in the airport garage begin March 5, 2024, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Reserved Parking will offer travelers guaranteed parking on a dedicated floor — a convenient premium location with a direct connection to the terminal. Floor 4 will be all Reserved Parking, replacing the existing Pre-Booked Parking program and Terminal Direct parking. Drive-up parking will continue to be available in General Parking (Floors 1-3, 5-8).
Users of Reserved Parking will have peace of mind knowing that they can use a quick scan of a QR code to enter the dedicated area on Floor 4. Reservations can be made up to 120 days in advance and can be modified without penalty up to 6 hours before the reserved entry time. Rates are $47 per day with a minimum 2-day reservation. Variable rate pricing may be implemented in the future. Travelers will still be able to drive up and enter General Parking in the garage.
Reservations for Reserved Parking begin March 5 at ReserveSEA.com. For direct questions, call Parking Customer Service at (206) 787-4888.
Find details and answers to frequently asked questions on the Reserved Parking page.
Presidents Day travel numbers
Travel volumes will rise rapidly from the early year slowdown with the coming of Presidents Day weekend. Thursday begins the busy holiday with a forecasted 150,000 travelers going through SEA (that’s departing, arriving, and connecting passengers). The busiest day will be Friday, February 16, with 161,000 passengers, followed by Monday, February 19 (148,000), and Sunday, February 18 (140,000) following close behind.
Remember, the busiest times are early and late. 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 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Travel tips for the holiday
- Start here with all of our Travel Tips for SEA Airport.
- Arrive early. Be in the terminal at least two hours before your boarding time for a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. Include travel times from off-site parking or drop-offs.
- Avoid a traffic jam. Try alternate ways to get to the airport, so you avoid the congested drives. Use public transportation, airport parking, a taxi/limo, a rideshare, a scheduled airporter, door-to-door van service, or a shuttle option.
- Think opposite. If driving to the curb is your only option, use the Lower Arrivals Drive to drop off during peak hours, or use the Upper Departures Drive to pick up. Or just use whichever lane is moving faster — they both go to the same building!
- If you’re parking at the airport garage, look for the green and red lights to note open and filled spaces with the Automated Parking Guidance System to find a spot faster!
Ready for check-in
- No bags to check and boarding pass in hand? Go straight to the security checkpoint and avoid the check-in desks.
- Be prepped with your airline ahead of time. Check their baggage policies, check yourself in, and have all their apps downloaded for efficient travel. See our best baggage tips.
- Don’t forget your boarding passes or your bag tags or whatever you can do ahead of time.
- Travelers will notice more construction as the airport’s Upgrade SEA program is currently underway with improvement projects from curb to gate. Construction for a major new ticketing area renovation project has spillover impacts in ticketing and baggage claim on the north end of the main terminal.
Security Checkpoint Options
- Speed through TSA Screening. Now expanded to start daily at 4 a.m.! Sign up for FREE SEA Spot Saver service to reserve your time at TSA Screening as early as 5 days before you travel (or when you arrive at the airport).
- Be ready for security checkpoints. SEA and TSA want to help you move through as quickly as possible. Travelers are required to remove any electronic device larger than a cell phone from their carry-on luggage. Also remove foods and liquids from your carry-on luggage, and prepare to hold up your boarding pass for review. Review the latest Identification and Documentation Requirements.
- Going to Mexico or another international destination for your holiday? Download the Mobile Passport Control app before you leave home. Add your travel details as you land back at SEA. Collect your bags and go straight to a dedicated line in the International Arrivals Facility. Your entire family can complete the customs process from a single mobile device, available for U.S. and Canadian citizens and those with a green card.
Check out more at SEA Airport travel tips.
Contact:
Perry Cooper | SEA Airport
(206) 787-4923 | cooper.p@portseattle.org
