MSPeconomist

This is false. All international arriving passengers must go through TSA security after customs before being allowed airside in any USA airport, with the exception of precleared flights, for example from Canada and Ireland.

woodway

There is a Delta flight from Beijing that arrives around 7:00am (not sure if it runs every day, you would have to look at the schedule). The other intl. flights start arriving around 9:00 am.

I don't think that there is a security checkpoint in the customs level of the south satellite (someone correct me if I am wrong). You'll have to get onto the train, go back to the main terminal, go through security and then get back onto the train to the south satellite.

mbluecpa

At least as of a few months ago (the last time I was in the South Satellite), there was a dedicated security screening station on the lower train level for arriving international passengers connecting to domestic flights.

putnam1980

Well, the trip has come and gone ... and the connection in SEA couldn't have gone any easier. There was a very quick security check from immigration back into the S terminal for the domestic flights ... a couple of escalator rides and I was smack in the middle of DLs departing gates ... even had time for a quick break in the DL SC. Plenty of time. Thanks for all the info & advice.

dagaetch

Hi, quick question. I'm booked on a Jetblue flight, SEA->BOS at 11pm (on a Tuesday fwiw). I'll be coming from Vancouver that day, and there's an Air Canada flight that would land at Seatac at 9:20pm. With 1h40m between flights, is there any reason to be concerned? I think I can pre-clear customs in Vancouver, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Just my planning paranoia taking hold - of course, if I miss my flight it just means I can't go to work the next day, which...hmm.

Thanks!

djp98374

You pre-clear in YVR. Air Canada will land in B near United gates and your departure would be in D. Its about a leisurely 15 min walk.

The issue will be with checked bags...AC/United and Jet blue are not partners....i have no idea how reliable that will be,

the airport is like a stick figure with arms and legs spread out. You would be arriving on the left leg and you connect on the right arm. The body are a bunch of shops/restaurants. You could take the trams instead of walking.

http://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/M...-Overview.aspx

dagaetch

Thanks - great info! I don't mind the walk, and am not planning to check bags so that shouldn't be a problem. It looks like I will not have to go through security again? I can print my jetblue boarding pass in vancouver.

aBroadAbroad

Seeking clarification for one of my kids who's doing an international to domestic connection with a 10+ hour layover...

Inbound on DL156, arriving 08:15 from NRT

Connects to DL9149 (codeshare, AS510), departing 18:45 to SNA

Wants to recheck her bags to SNA immediately after clearing customs so she can spend the day sightseeing in the city.

It's not clear to me where she rechecks her bags after arrival.

Also, where and when to check in for onward flight.

Thx for your help!

woodway

She should be able to check herself and her bag all the way through to SNA in NRT and get her SNA boarding pass. Just after she gets past the customs officer in SEA there is a bag recheck belt. She will have to show her BP, drop her bag on the belt and then can take the train to the main terminal.

If they won't check her all the way through to SNA then just after the customs officer she needs to drop her bag onto the arriving passengers belt, take the train to the main terminal, reclaim her bag and go upstairs to ticketing to get her BP and re-check her bag.

aBroadAbroad

Thanks so much, woodway.

She is ticketed on a single PNR, so her bag will be checked all the way through to SNA...

So, just to be sure I understand you correctly, once she clears customs and drops her checked-through bag on the recheck belt, she is finished with the bag and won't need to reclaim it again beyond that point?

She is a resourceful and experienced solo international traveler, but has never connected internationally thru SEA. She also has never connected to a code share. I want to be sure I give her accurate info to minimize potential problems. I'm sure I'm more worried about it than she is

woodway

That is correct.

TheDudeAbides

I have an upcoming AS flight SEA-SFO and I will end up with a couple of hours to kill in the SEA airport. I have access to the United Club, which is in concourse A according to UA.com. I have three questions:

Are all the gates at SEA connected airside (I believe the answer is yes, but I'd like to confirm that this is still the case)?

How much of a hassle will it be and how long will it take to walk from the United club (concourse A, gate 9) to the likely departure location of my AS flight to SFO (I guess this could be in N, S, C, or D, correct?)?

My other option will be to buy a Boardroom one-day pass, but I'd prefer to use the United club since I have free access. My final question is whether the Boardroom at SEA is so substantially nicer than the United club that I ought to just buy the one-day pass regardless?

Thanks and sorry if this has already been asked and answered a dozen times. I looked but didn't find my answers.

jackal

Check the UA forum thread on the new UC they just built in A. It's closed for a short period for some expansion work. Depending on when your flight is, you may be forced to use the temporarily-reopened club in B (which is apparently not serving alcohol, if that matters).

Yes.

Almost certainly N or C. I think AS has pretty much vacated the D gates, and I think they only use S for non-preclearance international arrivals (I've never flown AS into or out of S, so it's definitely rare).

A to C is an almost tortuously long walk. You can cut the walking amount down probably by half by walking from A9 to the A/B inter-terminal tram and riding that to C/N (you'll have to use the tram, anyway, if you're departing out of N), but it's still a long haul from the end of A to the central terminal area. Either way, I'd probably give myself a minimum of 15 minutes from the time you leave A to the time you want to be at the gate in N or C. You could probably do it slightly quicker than that if you're a speed-walker, but better to give a few extra minutes, especially if you're not familiar with the airport layout and tram system.

The Board Room has far better snacks (including soup, if you time it right) than the UC but a crappy booze selection (except for the beer--Alaskan Amber remains one of my favorites, although the BR has a three-drink limit). It's hardly worth the $45 they charge for a day pass. Take two thirds (or less) of that $45 and park yourself at Anthony's in the central terminal area for your layover. You'll find the food far better and the experience a much better value than a mediocre and overcrowded domestic lounge.

TheDudeAbides

jackal, thank you for the informative and detailed reply. Very helpful!

ahallflyertalk

I've booked a flight from PDX-SEA on Alaska (Horizon) and SEA-CDG on Delta.

Horizon flight arrives at 12:19PM. Delta flight departs for Paris at 1:27PM. So a 1:08 connection time.

I understand the gates/terminals could change (the flight isn't for a few months) - but today, the equivalent Horizon flight landed in N satellite terminal and the Delta flight departed out of the S satellite. According to the terminal map, I'd need to take two trams and walk or three trams to get from N to S. I can walk pretty fast but will be dragging carry-ons. (On the upside: no checked luggage to worry about.)

Is 1:08 a reasonable connection time? I would have picked a Horizon flight 1hr earlier but it wasn't available (award ticket). My other choice was a Horizon flight landing 3 hrs earlier. Four hours to connect at SEA seemed ridiculously long.

Do I have anything to worry about? (Is Horizon flexible if I show up an hour early at PDX to let me get on the earlier flight if not full?) I normally prefer arriving at the gate before an international flight about 1hr early, to show them my passport, etc.