Seatac departure

[Markanddonna]

We are wondering about the current status of Southwest Airlines with ticketing/baggage at SeaTac. Our last two Saturday departures (2013 and 2009) had HUGE lines. We are leaving at 2:30 on a Thursday and a friend is leaving on a late morning, Saturday flight. Does Southwest still have these huge lines wrapping around the terminal?

 

We plan on using the storage facility for our luggage for a few hours and getting a shuttle back to the airport from Pier 66, arriving about 12:00. Does anyone see a problem with my plan? Once again, my ship comes in on a Thursday.

[Gardyloo]

Every time I go to Seatac it seems the lines at the Southwest check-in counters are among the worst. Not as bad as LAX where they're epic, but pretty bad.

 

Cruise season hasn't started yet so no idea if any changes made in handling the TSA security lines (staffing, etc.) over the winter will have any impact, but I'd probably give it 2 hours at the airport just to play it safe.

[mapleleaves]

Check the schedule to see how many other ships are at either pier on your travel day. Cruiselines tell folks to book flights at noon or later, so you're travelling at a peak time.

Print your boarding pass on the ship so you can go to a self serve kiosk.

http://www.portseattle.org/Cruise/Schedules-Cruise-Lines/Pages/Schedule.aspx

 

Generally speaking as long as you arrive 2 hrs prior to departure you should be ok. Keep in mind that you can use any TSA line at SeaTac, not just the one closest to your gate. So if one line is busy go to another.... there are usually 3 or 4 open.

http://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/Maps-and-Directions/Pages/Security-Checkpoints.aspx

[crzndeb]

I have been lucky enough to have gotten TSA precheck the last few times I have flown, and I'm not in the program. I think if people cruise or fly quite a bit a year, it might be worth looking into, for those that don't like to wait in the regular TSA lines.

[Husky61]

I have been lucky enough to have gotten TSA precheck the last few times I have flown, and I'm not in the program. I think if people cruise or fly quite a bit a year, it might be worth looking into, for those that don't like to wait in the regular TSA lines.

 

We have pre-check and fly out of SeaTac all of the time. Longest wait we have had was 5 minutes at the top.:)

[dbsb3233]

I have been lucky enough to have gotten TSA precheck the last few times I have flown, and I'm not in the program. I think if people cruise or fly quite a bit a year, it might be worth looking into, for those that don't like to wait in the regular TSA lines.

Flying out of DEN, we get Pre-check maybe 30% of the time. But never both of us on the same flight. It's always one or the other (or neither), so it doesn't really help save time if you have 2+ people (or at least that's been our experience). SEA might be different (never flown SWA into there, although we will in July).

 

And as another poster said, it helps if you can pre-print your boarding passes so that you can get in the faster Bag Drop Only line rather than Full Service (again, that's the way it is in DEN so I'm guessing it's that way in SEA too).

Edited April 9, 2015 by dbsb3233

[Northender]

I have been lucky enough to have gotten TSA precheck the last few times I have flown, and I'm not in the program. I think if people cruise or fly quite a bit a year, it might be worth looking into, for those that don't like to wait in the regular TSA lines.

 

I did not know you can still get TSA precheck if not in the program? Is it just certain airlines? Thanks

[crzndeb]

I did not know you can still get TSA precheck if not in the program? Is it just certain airlines? Thanks

 

I think it is just luck of the draw sometimes. Not sure about airlines, but mine has always been on Alaska Air.

[dbsb3233]

I think it is just luck of the draw sometimes. Not sure about airlines, but mine has always been on Alaska Air.

It's many of the domestic airlines but not all...

 

http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/tsa-precheckR-airlines-airports

 

Can sign up there too. But that's for the $85 service. We don't pay anything, it just randomly shows up on our boarding pass every now and then. As I understand it, they do that to what their computer considers "low risk" travelers from time to time as a "free sample" trying to get you hooked.

Edited April 10, 2015 by dbsb3233

[crzndeb]

It's many of the domestic airlines but not all...

 

http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/tsa-precheckR-airlines-airports

 

Can sign up there too. But that's for the $85 service. We don't pay anything, it just randomly shows up on our boarding pass every now and then. As I understand it, they do that to what their computer considers "low risk" travelers from time to time as a "free sample" trying to get you hooked.

 

Personally, I would rather spend the extra $15 ($100) and get a Global Entry card. The kiosks aren't set up in cruise terminals, but for those that fly internationally, it really comes in handy, and it also includes TSA precheck.

[Northender]

Thanks everyone. Will have to look into this.:)

[bwaz]

We are hoping to use Luggage Valet from Celebrity to Southwest to reduce waiting time this summer. We haven't been in Seatac for 14 years. Do you think we still need 2 hours lead time if we are not checking luggage?

 

 

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[mapleleaves]

Do you think we still need 2 hours lead time if we are not checking luggage?

 

 

Sent from my LG-D801 using Forums mobile app

 

Luggage or not, you still need to go thru TSA ! and since all the cruiselines tell people to go to the airport at noon or later, there could be thousands of cruise passengers arriving at the same time as you.

 

Check your specific date on the port web site to see how many ships are in port that day. http://www.portseattle.org/Cruise/Schedules-Cruise-Lines/Pages/Schedule.aspx

 

SeaTac is very busy in the summer. Like Alaska, tourism is primarily May - Sept. Cruise traffic just adds to it.

 

Just keep in mind that you can use any TSA checkpoint at Seatac, not just the one associated with your gate. If one line is busy look at the others; usually 4 open on cruisedays.

http://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/Maps-and-Directions/Pages/Security-Checkpoints.aspx

 

I'd rather be early and have anhour to enjoy a latte, rather than sweating it out in a TSA line praying that I'll make the flight.

[Husky61]

I did not know you can still get TSA precheck if not in the program? Is it just certain airlines? Thanks

 

Depends on how long the pre-check line is. I fly out of Seattle and have seen non pre-check directed to the precheck line. As one already said, luck of the draw.

[bwaz]

Luggage or not, you still need to go thru TSA ! and since all the cruiselines tell people to go to the airport at noon or later, there could be thousands of cruise passengers arriving at the same time as you.

 

Check your specific date on the port web site to see how many ships are in port that day. http://www.portseattle.org/Cruise/Schedules-Cruise-Lines/Pages/Schedule.aspx

 

SeaTac is very busy in the summer. Like Alaska, tourism is primarily May - Sept. Cruise traffic just adds to it.

 

Just keep in mind that you can use any TSA checkpoint at Seatac, not just the one associated with your gate. If one line is busy look at the others; usually 4 open on cruisedays.

http://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/Maps-and-Directions/Pages/Security-Checkpoints.aspx

 

I'd rather be early and have anhour to enjoy a latte, rather than sweating it out in a TSA line praying that I'll make the flight.

 

Thanks. I checked. There are two ships. We chose a 4 pm.flight home because we wanted to have one last look at Seattle, but I appreciate your experience with long lines and we will not cut it close.

 

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[TruckerDave]

is it just me or do most of the responses about pre-check and security have NOTHING to do with what the OP was asking about? Pre-check won't get you through the airline check in any faster only security.

[mapleleaves]

The OP asked if anyone saw a problem with their plan, which was to leave the pier at noon for a 2:30pm flight. Being on time for a flight involves more than the Southwest ticket counter.