Seattle-Tacoma International Airport 101: The best way to get to Sea-Tac
If you're flying out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, there are plenty of ways to avoid traffic getting to the airport and make that flight from the eighth-busiest airport in the U.S.
The airport, known as Sea-Tac, is located about 15 miles south of Seattle and 20 miles north of Tacoma. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) serves about 50 million passengers a year. As of early 2020, 32 airlines operate at SEA, serving 91 nonstop domestic destinations and 29 international destinations, including seasonal operations. Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines are the top carriers for both domestic and international passengers.
To get to the airport, you can use light rail, bus, car, ride-hailing and ride-sharing services, taxi, shuttle van, limo and town car. If you bike there, there are spots to lock up as well.
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Here’s a rundown:
Public transportation
In 2018, Seattle ranked in the Top 10 for worst-traffic cities in North America, so if you’re headed to or from downtown Seattle during many parts of the day, the Link Light Rail will be your fastest and least-expensive option.
Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail currently runs from the City of SeaTac to downtown Seattle to the University of Washington -- with expansion plans in the future. The service operates from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., Monday through Saturday; from 6 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.
Depending on the time of day, trains arrive and depart about every 6 to 15 minutes.
The SeaTac/Airport Station light rail is connected to the airport parking garage via a covered (but not totally enclosed) walkway (0.3 miles). A free Train-to-Plane shuttle cart for those with mobility issues or excess luggage operates daily from 5 a.m. to midnight.
Transit time on the Link Light Rail from the airport to downtown Seattle is about 35 minutes.
Buy tickets ($3) at the machine in the station or download and use the Transit GO Ticket mobile app to purchase a ticket on your phone. Day passes are available. You won’t need to show your ticket to get on the light rail, but fare checkers often board trains to check tickets.
King County Metro and Sound Transit offers bus service to many other Puget Sound destinations. The King County Metro bus stop is by the Light Rail Station; Sound Transit buses pick up at the south end of the main terminal on the lower level. Details on the routes/cities served, fares and pick-up/drop-off locations are on the SEA airport website.
Ride-hailing and shared shuttle service
Uber, Lyft and Wingz are the three app-based ride-hailing services currently authorized to serve SEA airport.
These services may drop passengers off at the terminal on the upper (departure) or lower (arrival) roads but Lyft, Uber/UberX and Wingz may only pickup in the designated area on the third floor of the parking garage (by rows G through J in the orange and purple sections). Attendants are on duty to help passengers connect with rides.
Transit time between the airport and downtown Seattle can be anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic.
Ride-hailing fares between SEA and downtown Seattle range from $35 to over $50, depending on time of day and type of service.
Scheduled Airporters and shared shuttle vans, including Shuttle Express, also serve SEA airport. Fares for the Shuttle Express Downtown Airporter start at around $25 per person, with scheduled stops at a variety of downtown hotels, including Crown Plaza, Fairmont Olympic, Grand Hyatt, Hilton, Renaissance, Sheraton, Warwick and Westin. This is a good option if you have luggage and are going to one of these hotels or a destination nearby.
Taxis
There are two taxi options at SEA airport: flat rate and metered.
Both flat rate and metered taxis wait for passengers on the third floor of the parking garage, on the north and south curbs.
Flat-rate taxis are bi-color vehicles with four-digit vehicle numbers and offer a flat price based on your destination's ZIP code.
Single-color taxi cabs have three-digit vehicle numbers and operate like traditional metered cabs with a drop price and per-mile charge.
Seattle Yellow Cab, Orange Cab and others offer a $40 flat rate from the Seattle's downtown hotel district to SEA airport. (At certain times a $1 gas surcharge may be applied). There is, however, no flat rate from the airport to downtown Seattle, but rates generally start a $40, depending on time of day.
Car service
Limos and town cars, pre-booked and booked-on-demand, are a more expensive option, of course, but also a convenient option.
STILA limos and town cars are available on the north and south curbs on the third floor of the parking garage, in an area designated as the Ground Transportation Plaza. STILA offers flat-rate fares to downtown Seattle for $45 and drivers may pick up passengers curbside if requested.
Many other limo services, including Blacklane, serve SEA airport as well, but only STILA has cars officially stationed in the transportation plaza.
Other options
If you’re renting a car, board a shuttle outside the bag-claim level at either the north end of the terminal (by Alaska Airlines) or the south end (by the international airlines) for a short ride to the off-site rental car facility. Shuttles operate 24 hours a day.
If family or friends offer to pick you up at the airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has a cellphone lot with 200 parking spaces, free Wi-Fi, free parking for up to 20 minutes and electric charging stations.
Bottom line
There are a variety of options for getting to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), including public transportation, taxis, limos, shared shuttle vans, rental cars and, of course, friends and family willing to make the drive.
You best option may be determined by budget, traffic, time of day and the amount of luggage or number of kids you’ve got in tow.
Not sure what to choose or need more information? Call the Ground Transportation Booth for help: (206) 787-5906.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.