Busy Thanksgiving travel week begins at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

SEATTLE — A busy week of holiday travel is beginning at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where officials expect 90 percent of the passenger numbers they saw during the Thanksgiving travel period of 2019.

The rebound from the pandemic means passengers will want to plan ahead and arrive two hours before the departure time for a domestic flight.

Around 155,000 passengers are expected to travel through Sea-Tac on Wednesday, and next Sunday will be busy, too.

Airport officials tell us the TSA is staffing up for the holiday week, and on Monday many wait times were around 15 minutes.

SEA is urging travelers without pre-check to use the airport’s spot saver system, which helps passengers get through the TSA line a little quicker.

Using the SEA app, you can reserve a 15-minute window in line.

“It gives you the opportunity to show up closer to your departure time and not wait the 30-45 minutes where a long line might be,” said Perry Cooper of the Port of Seattle.

Airport officials say people need to plan ahead for parking.

The airport garage fills up quickly, and some off-site parking vendors closed during the pandemic.

Passengers will see an improvement in the airport’s central terminal, where the big window on the airfield is visible again after four years of construction.

The popular rocking chairs to sit and look out the window are back, and a new lounge and restaurant are expected to open in the coming weeks.

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