Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Operated by the Port of Seattle, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is a top-10 U.S. airport, serving 51.8 million passengers and 453,549 metric tons of air cargo in 2019. As the region’s gateway to the globe, 30 airlines connect to 91 non-stop domestic and 27 international destinations. At SEA, we promise to create, through a passionate service culture, an elevated travel experience that’s inspired by the original nature of the Pacific Northwest. 2020 is a monumental year at SEA, ushering in a new era of customer-centered travel with better services, facilities, and amenities. For more information, visit www.flysea.org and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Every day. Elevate.
Air Passengers at SEA
- 51.8 million in 2019 (almost 4% increase over 2018)
- Domestic passengers: 46,101,340 in 2019
- International passengers: 5,727,899 in 2019
- U.S. rank by passenger numbers: #8 (2019 rank)
- World ranking by passenger numbers: #31
- Gates: 80
- Approximately 70% of the airport’s passengers originate and/or terminate their itinerary at SEA
Air Cargo at SEA
- 453,549 metric tons in 2019 (4.9% increase over 2018)
- U.S. rank by air cargo volume: #19 in 2018
- North American air cargo volume: #20 in 2018
Aircraft Operations at SEA
- 438,391 takeoffs and landings 2018
- Aircraft operations increased 5.3 percent from 2017
- Air carrier, 97% of total operations
- Air taxi, 2% of total operations
- 15th busiest U.S. commercial service airport (2016 rank)
Runways
SEA operates with three category IIIb certified runways using ASR-9 and ASDE-X radars which reduce congestion and delays:
- 16L/34R - 11,901 feet, concrete/grooved
- 16C/34C - 9,426 feet, concrete/grooved
- 16R/34L - 8,500 feet, concrete/grooved
Detailed information on SEA Airport is available on http://www.airnav.com/airport/KSEA.
Air Carriers at SEA
Top carriers by passengers (percent of total):
- Alaska 50.6%
- Delta 23.3%
- United 6.2%
- Southwest, 6.2%
Top carriers by domestic passengers:
- Alaska 50.1%
- Delta 20%
- Southwest 7.4%
- United 6.3%
Top carriers by international passengers:
- Delta 29.8%
- Alaska 21.9%
- Air Canada 4.9%
- EVA Air 4.8%
- Emirates 4.8%
Destinations
- 30 airlines
- 91 non-stop domestic destinations
- 27 international destinations
- Roughly 70 percent of the airport’s passengers originate and/or terminate their itinerary at SEA
Top U.S. destinations ranked by scheduled flights:
- Bay Area, California 11 percent (San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose)
- Los Angeles 9.5 percent (LAX, Orange County, Burbank, Long Beach, Ontario)
- Portland 6.8 percent
- Anchorage 4.2 percent
- Denver 4 percent
Top international destinations ranked by scheduled flights:
- 66.63 percent Canada (Vancouver 29.3 percent, Calgary 12.3 percent, Victoria 8.91, Edmonton 5.28 percent, Kelowna 4.28 percent)
- 13.8 Asia (Seoul 4.7 percent, Tokyo 3.71 percent, Beijing 3.3 percent)
- 11.1 percent Europe (London 4.56 percent, Amsterdam 2.65 percent)
- 2.76 percent Middle East (Dubai)
History
SEA was developed as a direct response to the World War II Pearl Harbor attack in 1941 when military needs limited civilian access to existing airports. The federal Civilian Aviation Authority sought a local government to develop new regional airport. The Port of Seattle accepted the challenge and selected Bow Lake in southwest King County for the new airfield. Runway construction was completed in 1944, civilian operation began in 1946, and a modern terminal building was dedicated on July 9, 1949.
