SEA is a mess
Jul 27, 2018, 9:09 pm
#46
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
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Posts: 7,263
James
Jul 27, 2018, 10:15 pm
#47
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
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Location: FAI
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Forgot I'm going to need to do this again in Sept...
Jul 27, 2018, 10:18 pm
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,369
We've got a Sunday morning flight at 7:35 in two weeks on Alaskan. We were just going to stay downtown the night before and get up early to Uber/taxi to SEATAC. Should we be rethinking that?
Jul 28, 2018, 7:21 am
#50
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,837
Early Sunday morning, you'll save about 20 minutes taking an airport hotel shuttle versus an Uber from downtown.
Jul 28, 2018, 7:34 am
#51
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,316
Play downtown and then stay at the airport. Take a look at what's offered on Hotwire.
Jul 28, 2018, 12:39 pm
#52
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AS MVPG, 1MM
Posts: 377
A 7:35 AM flight on a Sunday morning? So you will plan to be at the airport at 6 AM? When I travel SEA to PDX by car on Sunday mornings at 7 AM I can get from downtown to SEATAC in minutes (well 10-20 minutes) unless they have closed I-5 southbound for construction which I do not think they are doing. Heck, I can be on cruise control all the way to Tacoma at that time in the morning, even during the summer.....afternoons, not so much. I do not think you need to worry about traffic or even TSA at that time on Sunday. If you are worried, yeah sure, get a hotel near the airport, but you will be fine being downtown.
Jul 29, 2018, 11:36 am
#53
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
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Flew into SEA this morning. Originally assigned C11, pulled into D3. I experienced my first gate hold 25+ minutes... I fell asleep, but others were annoyed.
Jul 29, 2018, 12:28 pm
#54
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
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for me, getting up early is no issue, i'm up before 6 every day...for others, i know it's a struggle and they prefer to avoid morning flights. if you're not a morning person, have fun downtown the night before and then book a room at the Crowne Plaza SEATAC which is an easy 10 minute walk to the terminal.
Jul 29, 2018, 3:29 pm
#55
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 1,357
depending on your situation with PRE and checked bags you should be planning to leave downtown no later than 5:30am to get to the airport and through in a timely manner. earlier if you plan to check bags and don't have PRE.
for me, getting up early is no issue, i'm up before 6 every day...for others, i know it's a struggle and they prefer to avoid morning flights. if you're not a morning person, have fun downtown the night before and then book a room at the Crowne Plaza SEATAC which is an easy 10 minute walk to the terminal.
for me, getting up early is no issue, i'm up before 6 every day...for others, i know it's a struggle and they prefer to avoid morning flights. if you're not a morning person, have fun downtown the night before and then book a room at the Crowne Plaza SEATAC which is an easy 10 minute walk to the terminal.
Jul 29, 2018, 3:31 pm
#56
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MM, MVPGold100k, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 1,475
When you get up on Sunday am, check google maps traffic to see if departures is so busy the red lines are now black. If that is the case (as it was today) look at being dropped off at arrivals. The other thing to consider is that if departures is that crowded you should anticipate that TSA lanes will be crowded as well and allow some extra time for that.
Jul 30, 2018, 12:19 am
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,369
“mess” is putting it lightly
Sun 29 July, 2155 departure on DL ... arrived by Link light rail ~2040, finished checking my bag ~2050; the flight was on A13 so I headed to Checkpoint 2 (by the low A gates), but found it had just closed ... then discovered that Pre was ONLY at Checkpoint 5 (by the low D gates and the escalators to the train for N), which meant that the center of the terminal was a total cluster because everyone w/o Pre was being pushed thru Checkpoints 3 and 4 
there were only a dozen or so in line for the ID checks, but probably 25-30 in the actual screening queues beyond the frosted glass doors ... by the time I got my laptop and other stuff and made my way back to A13 (~2115) the GA was making the “welcome to DL2377 to JFK, we will begin pre-boarding in a minute or two” announcement
just past MSO at 35000 feet, finishing up my second g&t ... the one after boarding tasted REALLY good
there were only a dozen or so in line for the ID checks, but probably 25-30 in the actual screening queues beyond the frosted glass doors ... by the time I got my laptop and other stuff and made my way back to A13 (~2115) the GA was making the “welcome to DL2377 to JFK, we will begin pre-boarding in a minute or two” announcement
just past MSO at 35000 feet, finishing up my second g&t ... the one after boarding tasted REALLY good
Jul 31, 2018, 11:14 am
#58
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 7
IF it worked more consistently, I would quite agree.
But of all the CLEAR airports I've been through, I find SEA's machines consistently the worst for quickly identifying me. The last time I had EIGHT attempts and then the machine crashed.
It depends on loads. I've certainly been there when the rental car bus stopped at both north and south stops.
But of all the CLEAR airports I've been through, I find SEA's machines consistently the worst for quickly identifying me. The last time I had EIGHT attempts and then the machine crashed.
It depends on loads. I've certainly been there when the rental car bus stopped at both north and south stops.
Jul 31, 2018, 11:24 am
#59
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,445
Never had an issue with Clear crashing while trying to identify me. Only issue I have is that I hate the picture they have of me stored.
Jul 31, 2018, 11:53 am
#60
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 2,400
During my check in for my flight on the 22nd, I found out that check point #5 is now PRE only. I wonder how that will work out. I normally have always ignored that checkpoint after missing a flight because of the horrendous back ups there that you cannot see until it is too late. On the 22nd there was hardly anyone there, and it went quickly. Not sure if that was because it was new, or what. Checkpoint 3 was a mess.
With checkpoint 4 PRE only until noon, and checkpoint 5 PRE all the time, it seems like that end of the airport should be pretty quick for people with PRE.
With checkpoint 4 PRE only until noon, and checkpoint 5 PRE all the time, it seems like that end of the airport should be pretty quick for people with PRE.