Navigating SEA Airport during Construction

By Chris Guizlo, Aly Lande, and Cathy Swift

If you’ve visited Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) Airport this year you might have seen construction barricades at several points around the airport. We get that construction can be frustrating and may shake up your routine so we’re committed to providing regular progress updates that will help you navigate more efficiently during the peak spring and summer travel periods. 

Construction across the airport is tied to Upgrade SEA, the new suite of capital projects that will improve your SEA Airport experience from the second you hit the Expressway to the moment you board your plane. 

Upgrade SEA will make the airport an enjoyable part of your journey, get you from curb to gate efficiently, give you more room to roam, and provide cool things to do while you’re waiting. Essentially, Upgrade SEA will add more of what you love and need to SEA Airport. 

So, what’s the latest on Upgrade SEA projects and how will they impact your journey through the airport?  

Active project impacts through the summer 

Automated Parking Guidance System

This new system is already making parking so much easier and more efficient. Currently, indicator lights are installed and working on Levels 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7.

• Lights will display red when a stall is taken and green when it is open
• Also, great news for those driving electric vehicles — there are nearly twice as many EV charging stalls as in the past and they are all currently operating on Levels 4 (30 stalls) and 7 (64 stalls)

Timeline: Completed by the end of 2023. 

Curbside Accessibility and Safety

Crews continue to install bollards on the Arrivals and Departures Drives to ensure travelers’ safety and install accessible loading areas. You maybe see both drives temporarily blocked during construction with barriers blocking some access to the curb. 

Pro tip: Don’t park in front of the barricades; pull in before or after to help protect airport work crews and other vehicles.  

Timeline: Completed Q4 2023.

You can learn more about the bollards and new accessible options for travelers who are dropped off or picked up across the airport drives in the Checking In at SEA video. 

SEA Gateway Project

If you’re flying Alaska Airlines, this may be one of the most noticeable construction impacts at the airport. SEA, in partnership with Alaska Airlines, is upgrading the Alaska Ticketing Lobby, as well as building out 24,000 square feet of unused space at the mezzanine level. This project will add more space  and help modernize the facility and its front door.  

 You may feel the following impacts this spring and summer: 

1. Skybridge Closures and changes in access to the terminal 

• Skybridge 6 is currently closed until mid-summer

• When Skybridge 6 is compete, Skybridge 5 will close 

• Don’t worry — you can still use any open skybridge to get to the Main Terminal 

2. Barricades on the departure drive near Door 29

If you’re dropping off at Alaska, keep moving forward to Skybridges 4 and 5 near the curve in the drives. Your traveler will still have quick access to the Alaska Ticketing Lobby and your car won’t clog up the first drop off zone.

3. Barricades in the lobby near Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is reconfiguring the check in area and updating technology to make your check in process more efficient.

• Be sure to check in to your flight on the Alaska App before arriving at the airport
   
• You only need to come to the Alaska Airlines area if you are checking a bag; if not, go through any checkpoint and proceed to your gate
   
• All Skybridge closures are marked on the SEA interactive map

4. Limited space around Baggage Claim carousels

• Barricades will be set up in the baggage claim area, which means there will be less space
   
• Stand back from the carousel until you see your bag. Then get in and get out of the pickup zone to allow others access and eliminate congestion
   
• After collecting your bags, look for signs with directions to Light Rail, Ground Transportation, Rideshare services, Rental car shuttle, or hotel courtesy shuttles. Or use the turn-by-turn directions in the FlySEA App
   
• Check the number above the door as you depart; tell your friends and family that number to make your pickup more efficient

Checkpoint 1 Relocation 

As you can tell from the name, Checkpoint 1 will move to provide more space for security checkpoint lines. Right now, Security Checkpoint 1 is located on the Ticketing Level and is available only to TSA PreCheck and CLEAR. 

This project will bring the checkpoint down to the Baggage Claim Level to create a bigger queueing area and accommodate TSA PreCheck, CLEAR, and General Screening.  
 
Starting this summer, barricades will be installed around Bag Carousel #1 to make room for the new screening area

• After demolishing Bag Carousel 1, construction will move to the window wall in Gina Marie Lindsey Hall to remove the boulders
   
• This will make space for a pickup area for travelers arriving from the International Arrivals Facility
   
• Then, construction of the new space in the former location of Bag Carousel 1 will begin
   
• This summer, it will be a tighter squeeze in Gina Marie Lindsey Hall. But after it’s completed, you will have more room and a more efficient security screening process 

SEA Underground Control Replacement

The SEA Underground System needs an upgrade of its systems and controls. To do that, there will be a few overnight closures of the train system in 2023. The impacts are expected to be minimal this year and should be completed overnight.

To accommodate people traveling to the N or S Concourses on the evenings that the trains are closed, a bus will take you on the airfield to your departure gate.  
 
While impacts are minimal this year, there will be many more closures coming in the next few years. 

Watch FlySEA social channels for updates on the few closures this year. 

Restroom Renovations

The Restroom Renovation Project is making steady progress. 

• This spring and summer, Phase 4 of 5 will wrap up. The new restroom by Gate B8 just opened up this April and there are two more openings expected this summer
   
• The C Concourse is getting a renovated Men’s and Women’s restroom
   
• After that, the D Concourse (by D2) will be getting a brand new All-Gender restroom 
   
• The final phase, Phase 5, is kicking off restroom renovations on the B, C, and D Concourses this summer

C Concourse Expansion

While you likely won’t see or feel any impacts from this project this summer, we couldn’t leave this project out because we are so excited for what’s to come. Currently most of the work is happening outside and underneath you if you’re out at the C Concourse. Micropiles are being inserted to get ready for the additional four floors going up at the C Concourse. You can see work happening outside the windows at Gate C3.  
 
While no impacts are happening this summer, later this year barricades are expected to begin going up to start the process of expanding the current C1 building to four total floors. The barricades are intended to go up this fall. Stay tuned for more information on this. 

Travel tactics 

Surprises are exciting on your birthday, but not while you’re traveling. There’s so much happening this summer that it’s essential to be prepared before you arrive at the airport. How can you stay on track with all these changes?

Before you go

1. Plan ahead and arrive earlier than usual

The most important thing you can do to squelch stress is to plan ahead. Make sure you are in the airport at least two hours before boarding time, more if you can do it. This summer will be the time to give yourself extra time and a lot less stress. Getting here earlier than usual gives you time to deal with change. 

2. Research before you leave home

Check the following resources the night before and update your departure from home based on this information:

• Look at checkpoint wait times and the map on the FlySEA app 
• Check the Drive cams 
• Read the SEA Travel Tips page  
• Watch @FlySEA on Facebook for advisories and updates 
• Subscribe to FlySEA newsletter for monthly news on your airport experience  
• View the interactive map — updates and closures are marked on the map
• Opt in to SEA Airport text messages for notification of important changes

At SEA Airport

1. Fly through SEA

No checked bags? Skip the counter and go straight to the security checkpoint with your boarding pass on your smartphone.  

2. Pick the best line for you

• Security Screening 101 
  • All Security Checkpoints get you to your gate! 
    • General Screening at Checkpoints 2, 3, and 5
    •  TSA PreCheck at Checkpoints 1 and 4
       
  • SEA Spot Saver (Reserve your spot in the security line for free!) 
    • Operating at Checkpoints 2 and 5 from 5:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. for your entire party 
    • Operating at Checkpoint 3 from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.