Yesterday I connected through SEA and it appeared that I had to go out to the unsecured area then reenter and be rescreened, etc. here are the details.

I arrived at the north terminal I think on a Horizon Air flight from Portland. I had to transfer to the south terminal for a connecting flight on Northwest. I was directed down an escalator where a tram took me to the main terminal I think. Either there was no direct route to the south terminal or I missed it so I had to go up a couple of floors to the main area then had to reenter the secured area, then proceeded to the south terminal where I was resreened. The security guy said when I asked if I had done something wrong that he thought everyone had to undergo the additional screening. He said that for instance connecting international pax had to be rescreened before connecting to domestic flights.

I could see that this airport was renovating but I found this airport to be about the most confusing airport I have ever been in. I understand that there was a shuttle van of some sort but it appeared that the only way to use it was to catch it from the main terminal and would require rescreening too. Of course, I was "lucky" enough to be selected for detailed search, had to run to gate, nearly missed my flight, etc. So what could I have done to avoid the rescreening? I plan to avoid this airport in the future, at least until this security hysteria settles down some.

Normally, after you get off the first train (to the main terminal), you can stay inside security and take a 2 car train to the other end of the airport, where you can catch a bigger train to the South terminal.

But I think the 2 car train is out of commission during the construction, so there was not anything you could do.

Rail Baron, my apologies, our airport is a complete mess right now. I've been flying out of here for eleven years and it's never been worse than right this minute.

If you arrived on a Horizon flight from Portland you came into the C Concourse and would not have needed to ride a train back to the main terminal. There is a van shuttle that takes Horizon passengers from the C Concourse over to NW in the South Satellite, but it's easy to miss. For future reference, it's on the right side as you're leaving the C Concourse opposite Gate C1. If you use that I don't know why you'd have to be rescreened once you got over there.

If you miss the shuttle, though, you do have to exit the secure zone, go downstairs to the S gate screening area, get screened again and wait for the underground train to take you over to the South Satellite.

If you came in on United Express from Portland rather than Horizon, you deplaned at the North Satellite and would indeed have had to ride the underground train back to the main terminal, exit the secure zone, hike the length of the terminal to the S gate screening area, get rescreened and catch another train to the South Satellite. It's incredibly poorly designed, frustrating and time-consuming.

If it's any consolation the locals are just as mad as you were...

Actually...there is a way to do it.. The hey was that when you stepped off the train from the N terminal, at the main terminal, you needed to tern LEFT, not right and out of the secure area. Once left, go up the escalters, turn 180 degrees, and go up the second set of escalators. Now you are facing the security checkpoint from the perspective of already having gone through it. Go to the RIGHT, into the terminal area, then tern left down the terminal, (now heading south). You chould come upon the (B?) gates, and I believe you can slide through to the C gates...Although, now that I write this, I think this is where I got stuck last time. Could someone try this out?

Actually, mymiles2go, you directions are perfect up to the last part where you say "come upon the (B?) gates"; actually you come upon the C Gates where at C2 you will find the shuttle bus to the South Satellite.

So close...I guess that's what happens when I wander over there only once a year, away from the "comforts" of UA's little house on the field.