Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) has announced expanded parking options and a series of service changes ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday travel period. From 13 November 2026, passengers can use additional spaces in the Reserved Parking area, as well as benefit from a free 90-minute stay on General Parking levels on selected dates.
In response to rising demand, a further 641 spaces have been opened in the Reserved Parking area on level 5 of the garage, an increase of around 50% for this closest-to-the-terminal parking option. Level 4 remains fully dedicated to reserved spaces, bringing the total to 1,871 reserved parking bays across the two levels. Reserved Parking has a separate entrance, and both entry and exit are managed via QR code. The airport recommends booking these spaces in advance, as they can sell out completely on peak travel days. Those arriving without a reservation are advised to allow extra time to find a space on the General Parking levels.
To make drop-offs and pick-ups easier during the busiest period, a 90-minute grace period is being introduced in the General Parking area. From Monday 23 November to Sunday 29 November, every day from 19:00 until midnight, all drivers who enter the garage during that window will receive up to 90 minutes of free parking on the General Parking levels. Drivers are encouraged to use the new Airport Expressway lane, which leads directly to the garage and helps them avoid congestion on the terminal forecourt.
Forecasts suggest that around 875,000 passengers will pass through SEA during the Thanksgiving travel period from 25 to 30 November, about 1% more than last year. The busiest days are expected to be Wednesday 25 November and Sunday 29 November, with 164,000 passengers each, as well as Tuesday 24 November, when 156,000 passengers are projected. At the same time, the airport notes that SEA’s heaviest passenger period is actually summer: six of the ten record days for throughput have fallen between June and August. In 2026, the highest single-day figure was recorded on 3 August at 202,000 passengers, only slightly below the all-time record of 10 August 2025 (207,000 passengers).
The airport has also announced the conclusion of the SEA Spot Saver programme. The last bookings for this service run until 29 November, after which the programme will end on 30 November. SEA explains that demand has fallen thanks to the new Checkpoint 1 security screening area and the expanded capacity at Checkpoint 6, which together have significantly reduced queuing times.
According to airport figures, 99% of SEA passengers clear security in 30 minutes or less, and 94% in 20 minutes or less. Passengers are encouraged to refer to online live-queue information for security checkpoints, available in the flySEA app, on the website, or on digital displays in the terminal. Recommended arrival times at the airport remain in force: at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international departures.
An important factor in speeding up security has been the opening of Checkpoint 1 at the south end of the baggage claim area and the upgrade of Checkpoint 6, which now offers twice the queuing space and three times the area for collecting belongings after screening. Passengers are also urged to consider Trusted Traveler programmes, including TSA PreCheck, and, if unsure, to ask SEA staff in green uniforms, who direct passengers to the least congested queues, including family and military lanes.
Other services at the airport have been refreshed as well. A number of construction projects have been completed: new food and retail outlets, rest areas and runway-viewing spaces have opened as part of the C Concourse expansion; new approach lanes have been added on roads leading to the terminal; the new SEA Gateway complex is now in operation, allowing passengers to check in even on the skybridge level, and offering upgraded toilet facilities.
Large, colour information screens showing live public transport data have been installed on the baggage claim level as part of the SEA Gateway project. They display real-time services for shuttles, private coaches and public transport, including Link light rail and King County Metro buses. Lighting has also been improved, new temporary art installations have appeared in display cases, and baggage carousels 15 and 16 near the 7-Eleven store have been refurbished.
To avoid traffic jams, drivers are advised to continue further along the approach roads to less busy entry points, and to make greater use of alternatives to private cars: Link light rail, buses, app-based rideshares, taxis and limousines, shuttles, door-to-door vans and organised coach services. There is also a reminder about the launch of Sound Transit services via the Crosslake Connection.
The airport garage is undergoing a lift (elevator) upgrade programme. Four out of five lift banks have already been modernised, while the yellow lift bank and part of the purple sector are currently out of service. Passengers are asked to follow wayfinding signs and, if needed, use neighbouring lift banks.
SEA’s management also reiterates basic tips for travellers. Passengers are urged to arrive at the terminal well in advance — at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international one, taking into account travel time from remote parking or drop-off locations. More than a third of passengers arrive at the airport before 9:00, creating peak demand on access roads and at security; other peak windows run from 14:00 to 17:00 and from 21:00 to 23:00.
To help ease congestion, travellers are encouraged to rely more on public transport and the SEA parking garage, rather than the Arrivals and Departures kerbside lanes. For picking up passengers, drivers can briefly park in the garage via the entrance from International Boulevard, meet arriving passengers in the terminal and then walk back together to the car, avoiding the approach roads altogether.
Another tip is to “think in reverse”: in the morning, drivers are better off using the lower Arrivals Drive instead of the upper Departures Drive, and in the evening, when meeting passengers, doing the opposite, depending on which has lighter traffic. All lanes serve the same terminal, so it makes sense to choose the one that is moving more quickly.
Passengers are encouraged to check in for flights online in advance, download or print boarding passes, and, where possible, proceed to security checkpoints without checked baggage — all checkpoints provide access to all departure gates. Additional assistance is available from SEA Customer Care by phone, email, social media or online chat. Inside the airport, the team in green uniforms is on duty from 7:00 to 21:00 at three information desks: near Checkpoint 1, next to Checkpoint 4 and by Gate A6.
For travellers with autism and other “hidden” disabilities, the airport offers a dedicated SEA Airport Social Story and Resource Guide, which families or carers are encouraged to review several times before travelling, to help them better prepare for each stage of their journey through SEA.