West - Extra Long Security Lines at SEA (Warning on Boarding Pass)?

Just got my boarding pass and this is printed on it

Due to security screening delays at Seattle-Tacoma, WA (SEA), it is recommended that you arrive at least 3 hours before departure if you are checking bags, and at least 2 hours before departure if you are not checking bags.

What's up with that? Has something changed recently?

They're just begging us to drive to PDX, aren't they?

My departure is at 6am. I'm not arriving at 3am to check a bag.

There were local news stories this week about unusually bad security lines at SEA. End of summer travel and a lot of cruise ship passengers made it bad..but I went through there this morning and while the regular line was a bit long it wasn't crazy.. the priority lane was better than normal for the morning. 3 hours probably isn't necessary unless you're really unlucky.

My departure is at 6am. I'm not arriving at 3am to check a bag.I wouldn't either as you'll have to wait for the ticket counter to open at 04:30 ;)

From .sux

Seattle, WA
SEA-TAC International Airport (SEA)
Main Terminal
17801 International Blvd.
Seattle, WA 98158
4:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. Daily

They also need to move the Pre line somewhere else - combining it with an existing elite line that can be 30-40 minutes from one end to the bp check is not exactly a quick experience. I believe there is another security entrance for staff to the right and behind the AC check-in counter - Pre should be moved there and kept away from the regular crowds.

Either that, or the often-absent line matron should be given a Pre-check-scanner-thingie to validate Pre eligible pax and move them to the front of the line.

They also need to move the Pre line somewhere else - combining it with an existing elite line that can be 30-40 minutes from one end to the bp check is not exactly a quick experience. I believe there is another security entrance for staff to the right and behind the AC check-in counter - Pre should be moved there and kept away from the regular crowds.

Either that, or the often-absent line matron should be given a Pre-check-scanner-thingie to validate Pre eligible pax and move them to the front of the line.

Interestingly today they had a guy at spot where the precheck lane splits from the regular priority lane.. he asked everyone if they were priority or precheck..i went precheck and there were 2 people ahead of me vs about 20 people in the priority lane.

Interestingly today they had a guy at spot where the precheck lane splits from the regular priority lane.. he asked everyone if they were priority or precheck..i went precheck and there were 2 people ahead of me vs about 20 people in the priority lane.

Did they change the design? When I was there the week before last, there was one priority/pre line until the doc check - if you got 3 beeps, they opened the paddle door and sent you down to the Pre WTMD...but everyone was in the same line until the doc check.

This seems to be a SEA Airport issue and not specific to United travel so I will move this to the West Forum (with a slightly modified thread title to make the topic clearer to others).

FlyinHawaiian, Co-Moderator
United MileagePlus Forum

Did they change the design? When I was there the week before last, there was one priority/pre line until the doc check - if you got 3 beeps, they opened the paddle door and sent you down to the Pre WTMD...but everyone was in the same line until the doc check.

awhile ago (month maybe?) they put in a divider,so pre-check can just skip past everyone to the doc checker.

Did they change the design? When I was there the week before last, there was one priority/pre line until the doc check - if you got 3 beeps, they opened the paddle door and sent you down to the Pre WTMD...but everyone was in the same line until the doc check.

Most times I've been recently, there is a divider running along most of the length of that narrow hallway with a couple of signs indicating priority to the left/Pre to the right. Occasionally, it's just been a single line. In my experience, the signed divider is generally ineffective anyway.

Interestingly today they had a guy at spot where the precheck lane splits from the regular priority lane.. he asked everyone if they were priority or precheck..i went precheck and there were 2 people ahead of me vs about 20 people in the priority lane.

I hope that becomes the norm.

I am a frequent PDX-SEA-PDX daytripper, and I can unequivocally say that the security lines at SEA for both the N gates and C gates - i.e., UA and AS for me - are among the worst I experience in terms of efficiency. I have no idea why, but it takes TSA forever and a day to get PAX through the process. It's VERY noticeable compared to most other airports I frequent.

I am a frequent PDX-SEA-PDX daytripper, and I can unequivocally say that the security lines at SEA for both the N gates and C gates - i.e., UA and AS for me - are among the worst I experience in terms of efficiency. I have no idea why, but it takes TSA forever and a day to get PAX through the process. It's VERY noticeable compared to most other airports I frequent.

Isn't it almost faster to take the train?

Isn't it almost faster to take the train?

When the train has an issue or delay, it's usually a big one. With the AS shuttle leaving nearly every half an hour, and buying full flex tickets, I can be assured that if something happens or if client meetings go late or end early, I have a good shot of getting on whatever flight makes the most sense. For personal trips or weekends in Seattle, the train - or the new Bolt bus service - is definitely the way to go.

Isn't it almost faster to take the train?


The drive from downtown Seattle to downtown Portland is around 180 miles. From the airports its about 155-160.

Depending on time you are traveling the traffic can make it even longer...especially the evening commuting time out of Seattle. The distance that may take you about an hr out of Seattle on I-5 could easily take 2+ hrs.

The flight is around 30 minutes and Horizon runs then Alaska/Horizon runs then every hour if not more frequently. United also has a connection that runs between Seattle and Portland operated by skywest.

The amtrak is known for delays and in the rainy season there are mudslides that block the tracks and various places all along the run between Seattle and Portland and on tracks for Seattle to Vancouver.

There are buses but they run into the same problem as cars and shuttle express offers a shuttle service between Seattle and Portland.

North Terminal-bound security lines at SEA yesterday @5:30 am were totally full, winding back & forth thru the the rope-line maze unless you were in the Premium/PreClear diversion the right. That went about as usual, but possibly would have missed a flight if we didn't happen to have "over-entitled" status.

Sounds similar to what used to happen at YVR at this time of year - Then we lost our cruise ship business to Seattle ;)

Ships full of Kettles all hitting security does not a seamless experience make.

Just went through at the North checkpoint. Regular line was probably 100 long with one ID checker. Premium line had a half dozen or so in it, also with one checker. It looked like two or three scanner lines were open.

8 AM Tuesday after Labor Day, car rental facility to N gates, including check two bags, print 3 BPs (once 2x as the chicken died), Gold but not Pre for security, took 36 minutes. Now I have two hours to kill before the flight:(
I padded the transit time because of the warning from UA, first time returning to the new car rental facility, and expectation of delay by TSA due to medical device and a bunch of liquid IV meds, but just zipped through

Went through North security at 8:30am today and the lineup was almost non existent.
Even got thru pre check which was sweet

I went through security on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend around 6AM and the general queue was long. The priority line was long too and it took around fifteen minutes to get through. There were some FAs who decided to cut right in front of me as well...

ex-SEA last Sunday afternoon on UA (5pm, I think). The security line was like 20 minutes wait for general member and less than 5 for premier access. Seems reasonable time.

Just went through security near C gates in under 10 minutes; oddly quiet for a Friday afternoon.

Not complaining. :)

Obviously, I think you have come at airport earliest. Because the lines will be very extremely long. You have be there at airport is 3.5 hours in advance. You don't want missed the flight. Try to show up at airport earliest. It's getting more extremely overcrowded. Because TSA checkpoint doesnt have enough to install more metal detector or extra security lane. They doesn't have enough space. You don't want stuck at TSA checkpoint.

I just waited about 20 minutes in the priority/precheck line a the north end, longest I've seen in a while. The line stretched past the entrance and the one ID checker was the bottleneck. The regular line was comparatively shorter. Thursday around noon.

No line at pre-check at 8:30 this morning. Looked like maybe 5 minutes for Premier Access

Note that the SEA pre-check line has moved from the North Security Checkpoint to Checkpoint #3 (the central checkpoint). That's where it's staying according to the TSA agent I spoke with a couple weeks ago.