How early should we arrive for a domestic flight from SeaTac?
We have an early (for me) domestic flight out of SeaTac on a Saturday morning. Departure time 7:30am. We'll be at a hotel near the airport.
Officially SeaTac suggests arriving at least 2 hours early for a domestic flight, so that's our target for now, but I'm wondering anyone who has experience flying out of SeaTac is 2 hours about right to get checked in and through security, or is it way too long? I'm not too keen on having to get there before 5:30am but will if we have to. But if typical is to get there an hour early then that suits me better!
How early should we arrive for a domestic flight out of Seattle?
Best Answer
Depends on your details. Absolutely minimum for me would be 30 minutes (assuming you have PreCheck, PreCheck is open, you have checked in online and no checked bags).
Add more time as needed
- Safety margin for mental comfort
- Average wait time at TSA (if you don't have PreCheck or Clear): https://www.tsawaittimes.com/security-wait-times/SEA/Seattle-Tacoma-International
- Unusual items in your carry on
- Checked baggage, visit to check in counter (depending on status)
Personally I shoot for 1 hour on domestic flights and that has always worked.
Officially SeaTac suggests arriving at least 2 hours early
IMO these recommendations are not worth the paper they're written on. On a recent international departure I arrived early (I had lounge access and wanted to get some work done). Recommended arrival time was 3 hours before departure but the check in counter only opened 2 hours before, so there was a huge line of people standing in front of the closed counter.
Pictures about "How early should we arrive for a domestic flight from SeaTac?"
What time should I show up for a domestic flight?
For domestic flights, a safe range to ensure you make your flight is 45 minutes to two hours. Note that 45 minutes is the absolute latest you can arrive prior to departure if you're checking a bag. This is the average cutoff time for airlines accepting checked bags.How long does it take to get through security at Seattle airport?
One unique thing about Seattle Airport security is you can go through ANY checkpoint and get to ANY gate. According to Seatac, as a general rule it is recommended to arrive at least 2 hours before your scheduled domestic departure, and 3 hours before your international departure.Do you really need to arrive 2 hours before a flight?
While the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recommends that you get to the airport 2 hours prior to the departure time for a domestic flight and 3 hours before for an international flight, several factors must be taken into account when deciding your arrival time at the airport before a flight.What is the busiest time at Seatac airport?
The busiest days to travel are Thursdays and Fridays as well as Sundays and Mondays. The busiest times at the TSA security checkpoints at SEA are 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.These tips for navigating Sea-Tac Airport will get your travel plans off to a smooth start - New Day
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Alex Green, Monstera, Eren Li, Eren Li