The growth of the Seattle region continues to be reflected at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) as passenger volumes reached record levels in 2024, breaking pre-pandemic marks, and forecasts predict that 2025 volumes will be even higher.
“SEA Airport is one of the economic engines of the region, and the numbers show we’re back to where we were before the pandemic and even stronger,” said Lance Lyttle, SEA Airport Managing Director. “The investments we’ve made and continue to make at SEA are vital to improving the customer experience. We appreciate the patience of our travelers, plus all of the hard work and efforts from Port staff and airport stakeholders to reach this point and continue getting better.”
There is still more to do with nearly $5 billion in Upgrade SEA improvements in the next five years, with the aim to reach major completion to key projects ahead of 2026 World Cup events. In 2024, the addition of lanes to the security checkpoints resulted in 94% of travelers getting through security checkpoints in 30 minutes or less for the entire year.
The numbers
Here are some major statistics from 2024:
- As expected, the 2024 final passenger volume exceeded SEA Airport’s prior record year of 2019. Total passengers at SEA was over 52.6 million (52,640,716), up 3% from the prior year and 2% from 2019’s 51,829,239.
- SEA exceeded monthly passenger totals in seven separate months: February (3,387,014), May (4,653,104), June (5,100,277), July (5,483,028), August (5,431,523), September (4,739,810), and October (4,415,165).
- The forecast for 2025 shows a 2% increase in passenger traffic, rising to 53.5 million annual passengers.
- SEA saw its busiest day ever on August 18, 2024, when 75,410 outbound travelers passed through security checkpoints — equal to an estimated 198,000 passengers going through the airport (outbound, inbound, and connecting).
- Nine of the top ten TSA checkpoint volume days in SEA history occurred in 2024. All the 2019 dates have been exceeded; the only outlier left is the previous overall record in July 2023, reflecting the “Swifty Bounce” the weekend after the Taylor Swift concerts in Seattle.
- Multiple records were set at the International Arrivals Facility (IAF) for passengers going through Customs, with the highest for the year at 10,536 on August 10. (Note: Some international travelers are pre-cleared for entry at origination airports and do not go through Customs at SEA.)
- Overall domestic traffic for the year was 46,052,136, which is 0.1% higher than 2019.
- International traffic was 6,588,580, 15% higher than 2019, despite a limited return of China services lost during the pandemic.
- Outbound travel to Europe in 2024 was 27% above 2019, with volumes to Mexico up 101%.
Checkpoint wait times
- 94% of travelers went through security checkpoints in 30 minutes or less for the year, compared with only 80% in 2023. 76% went through in 20 minutes or less, compared to 48% in 2023.
International travel services
- SEA saw a record of eight new international services debut in 2024. Total international services has surpassed the pre-pandemic count, now with 53 nonstop international services to 35 nonstop destinations via 28 airlines.
- The eight new international services included STARLUX Airlines, China Airlines, and Delta Air Lines’ services to Taipei; Lufthansa’s service to Munich; Hainan Airlines’ service to Chongqing; Alaska Airlines’ service to Toronto and Liberia, Costa Rica; and Philippine Airlines’ service to Manilla.
- Already SEA has five new services announced for 2025 – WestJet to Kelowna, Alaska to Tokyo and Seoul, Edelweiss to Zurich, and SAS to Copenhagen.
Baggage records
- From a baggage standpoint, SEA Airport handled a record 36 million bags for the year: 16 million outbound, 16 million inbound, and 2 million transfer bags.
- 2024 was a record year with 16,052,137 outbound bags, an 11% increase from the previous year and a 10% increase from the record year of 2022.
- On our largest single day, 46,637 outbound bags were handled on June 22, 2024.
- Travelers are also checking twice as many bags as they did six years ago — from an average of 0.32 bags/passenger in 2018 to 0.5 in 2022 and now 0.64 in 2024.
Operations and cargo statistics
- Air Cargo was up 10.3% for 2024 at 460,062 metric tons (the second-highest annual tonnage ever at SEA, behind 2021 at about 498,750 mt).
- Domestic cargo (75% of total) was up 13.1%.
- International (25% of total) was up 2.6%.
- Domestic e-commerce continues to see strong growth.
- New or returned international passenger widebody service is adding needed belly-cargo capacity for shippers. This segment grew by almost 20% over the previous year.
- Operations (landings and takeoffs) at SEA were up 3% at 434,321 compared to 2023 (422,497) but 3.6% below 2019 levels (450,487).
Dining and Retail review
- Dining and Retail at SEA opened eight new and two brand-refreshed locations in 2024:
- Central Terminal: Planewear
- A Concourse: Cafe D'arte (brand refresh)
- C Concourse: Hachiko (brand refresh), Hop Over, Sunglass Hut
- D Concourse: Seattle Dawg House
- N Concourse: PF Changs, Sky Gamerz
- S Concourse: Smith Cove Bar & Kitchen
- Pre-Security: Kawaii Treats
- Coming in 2025: 7-11 (in Bag Claim) and Lil Woody’s (N Concourse).
- SEA now has 100 locations throughout the airport – 3 Duty Free, 52 Food and Beverage, 37 Retail, and 8 Passenger Services.
Capital investment projects
SEA is in the middle of a five-year, $5 billion capital investment dubbed Upgrade SEA. Multiple major projects are underway with openings scheduled in 2025 including:
- Checkpoint 1 Relocation in Q2 will add additional security lanes at the south end of the bag claim level.
- SEA Gateway is scheduled to open a new, redesigned Checkpoint 5 in late 2025.
- Restroom Renovations will complete with two more additions on D Concourse.
- C Concourse Expansion and Roadway Improvements will continue, with the goal of being completed ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
