SEA Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is connected to Seattle and the surrounding region by a layered network of ground transportation. The right choice depends on how many people are traveling, how much luggage you have, what time of day it is, and whether your destination is downtown or the suburbs.

Rideshare (Uber and Lyft) at SEA

Uber and Lyft pick up on the third floor of the parking garage at column-marked rideshare zones. Drop-offs are unrestricted at the departures curb.

Surge pricing is common during weather delays and immediately after large arrival banks. If your phone shows surge pricing of 1.8x or higher, the rental-car shuttle for a same-day return is often a faster total-cost path than waiting for surge to drop.

Rental cars

The SEA Rental Car Facility is a 5-minute shuttle ride from the terminal. Free Hertz/Avis/Budget/Enterprise/National/Alamo/Dollar/Thrifty/Sixt/Fox/Payless shuttles run every 5 minutes. Loyalty members of National (Emerald Club), Hertz (Gold Plus Rewards), Avis (Preferred), and Enterprise (Plus) usually skip the counter entirely. National's choose-any-car-on-the-aisle model is the fastest path through the facility for travelers who do not need a specific vehicle class.

Public transit to and from SEA

Sound Transit Link Light Rail Line 1 stops at the SeaTac/Airport Station, connected to the terminal by a 5-minute walk through the parking garage. Downtown Seattle is 35 minutes for $3.00. For more on US airport transit options, see the ground transport overview.

Hotel and parking shuttles

Quick Shuttle to Vancouver, BoltBus to Portland, and several hotel shuttles stage at Door 00 of the South End baggage claim. Free shuttles run on each operator's own loop, typically every 10 to 20 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes overnight. If you do not see your hotel's shuttle, call the front desk before assuming you have missed it — schedules vary on weekends and holidays.

Cell phone waiting area

If somebody is picking you up in a private vehicle, ask them to wait at the cell phone waiting lot until you have your luggage and are at the curb. Pulling to the arrivals curb early at SEA forces the driver into the recirculation loop, which can add 15 to 25 minutes on a busy day.

Accessibility

All ground transportation options at SEA are required to provide equivalent service for travelers with disabilities. Accessible taxis are dispatched on request from the taxi stand. Public transit is wheelchair accessible. Hotel shuttles are required to provide wheelchair accommodation — call the hotel ahead to confirm a lift-equipped vehicle is on your departure-window schedule.

Parking is the alternative

If you are driving yourself, see the SEA parking guide for on-site garages, off-site lots, and a comparison of every published rate.