SEATAC, Wash. — Thursday marks the busiest travel day for the July 4th holiday at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. If you’re heading to the airport, you’re going to want to get there early to get through on time.
It’s busy season in Seattle: this week includes World Cup fans, cruise passengers, the July 4th holiday, and general tourist traffic.
All this adds up to 204,000 people expected to move through SEA today, according to airport officials.
Friday is also busy, but less chaotic, with 175,000 people heading out.
Sunday is the big return day with 191,000 people heading home.
LA-bound passenger Farhiya Ahmed tells us she was surprised at how quickly the TSA lines were moving, even with the crowds.
“It’s actually not as busy as we thought it would be, so that is cool,” Ahmed said.
Airport officials say in June, international travel is up 4.3% from last year because of the World Cup. They say that only includes people who go through customs here, not every single passenger.
Travelers say as long as you are prepared, security is usually a breeze.
“I guess the biggest thing is: be prepared,” Russell said. “Know your exits; don’t be afraid to ask for what you need; everyone’s so helpful, and there’s great food, so plan to come ahead of time.”
If you need help deciding what to bring for proper TSA identification, check out https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification