Seattle–Tacoma International Airport Explained

Image2-Width:250
Iata:SEA
Icao:KSEA
Faa:SEA
Wmo:72793
Type:Public
Owner-Oper:Port of Seattle
City-Served:Seattle metropolitan area
Location:SeaTac, Washington, U.S.
Elevation-F:433
Coordinates:47.4489°N -122.3094°W
Image Mapsize:220
Image Map Caption:Airport diagram in 2024
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:10
Mapframe-Wikidata:yes
R1-Number:16L/34R
R1-Length-F:11,901
R1-Length-M:3,627
R1-Surface:Concrete
R2-Number:16C/34C
R2-Length-F:9,426
R2-Length-M:2,873
R2-Surface:Concrete
R3-Number:16R/34L
R3-Length-F:8,500
R3-Length-M:2,591
R3-Surface:Concrete
Stat-Year:2023
Stat1-Header:Passengers
Stat1-Data:50,877,260
Stat2-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat2-Data:422,508
Stat3-Header:Air cargo (metric tons)
Stat3-Data:417,052
Footnotes:Sources: FAA[1] and airport website[2]

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport is the primary international airport serving Seattle and its metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is in the city of SeaTac, which was named after the airport's nickname “Sea–Tac”, approximately 14miles south of Downtown Seattle and 18miles north-northeast of Downtown Tacoma.[3] The airport is the busiest in the Pacific Northwest region of North America and is owned by the Port of Seattle.

The entire airport covers an area of 2500acres and has three parallel runways.[4] The airport has flights to cities throughout North America, Oceania, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. It is the primary hub for Alaska Airlines, whose headquarters are near the airport.[5] It is also a hub and international gateway for Delta Air Lines, which has expanded at the airport since 2011., 31 airlines operate at SEA, serving 91 domestic and 28 international destinations.[6]

In 2023, Sea-Tac served 50,887,260 passengers, 2 percent below the all-time record set in 2019.[7]

History

Construction and early growth (1942–1967)

A shared public airport was proposed by the Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma in the late 1920s, but deferred plans after the legality of public ports operating such facilities was rejected by the state attorney general in a published opinion. The state legislature authorized municipal corporations such as public ports to establish aviation facilities in 1941.[8] The Port of Seattle accepted a $1 million grant (equivalent to $ in dollars) from the Civil Aeronautics Administration in March 1942 to construct a new airport to serve the Seattle area after the U.S. military took control of Boeing Field during World War II. A site on U.S. Route 99 near Bow Lake south of Seattle was chosen at the end of the month ahead of another candidate near Lake Sammamish that was considered too close to the Cascade Range. The City of Tacoma provided $100,000 towards the airport's construction costs as part of a deal for the Bow Lake site, centered around an existing private airfield plagued by heavy fog.[9] Construction of the airport, which was named Seattle–Tacoma in recognition of Tacoma's contribution, began with a groundbreaking ceremony on January 2, 1943.[10] [11]

The project was originally estimated to cost $1.7 million (equivalent to $ in dollars), but the sandy soil conditions drove the final construction price to over $4.2 million (equivalent to $ in dollars). The airport's plateau was formed through 6.5e6cuyd of excavated earth.[9] A proposal to rename the airport for Boeing president Philip G. Johnson shortly after his death in September 1944 was rejected by Port of Seattle commissioners due to the objections of Tacoma. The first ceremonial landing at Seattle–Tacoma Airport was made on October 31, 1944, by a United Air Lines DC-3 carrying local elected officials and civic leaders.[12] The first commercial flights launched in May 1945 with Northwest Airlines, but use was limited due to the U.S. Army Air Force's need for the airport to stage Boeing B-29 bombers for delivery. Various airlines had irregular flights to the airport, which used a Quonset hut with limited heating as a terminal until a permanent building was financed by a bond issue that voters approved in 1946.[9]

The first scheduled commercial flights began on September 1, 1947, with Northwest Airlines and Western Airlines operating ten daily departures.[13] They were joined by United, Alaska, Trans-Canada, Western, and Pan Am by 1951 as airlines departed from Boeing Field.[14] The terminal at the renamed Seattle–Tacoma International Airport was formally dedicated by Governor Arthur Langlie on July 9, 1949, in front of a crowd of 30,000 spectators.[15] The 71000square feet building, designed by architect Herman A. Moldenhour, included a rooftop control tower and glass curtain walls in the concourses.[9] [16] The 907acres airport originally had four runways at 45-degree angles, between 5000feetand6100feetft (andft) long, for crosswind operations. The two perpendicular runways were arranged into an "X"-shape that intersected near the longest, north–south runway; an additional runway to the south ran east–west.[17] The terminal building's "inverted V" shape was arranged to match the runway layout. The north–south runway (now Runway 16L/34R)[18] was lengthened to 7500feet in 1950, to 8500feet in 1955, and to 10200feet in 1958 to support commercial jetliners.[11] [19]

The first parking lot at Sea–Tac opened in 1955 with room for 527 vehicles.[17] The United States Postal Service opened its air mail terminal at the airport in 1957 to serve areas west of the Mississippi River and mail bound for Asia;[17] other government agencies, including the Weather Bureau and the Customs Service also established offices at Sea–Tac. On June 28, 1959, Japan Airlines became the first international carrier to operate at Sea–Tac when it began its service to Tokyo.[19] Several projects were completed by 1961 to prepare for the Seattle World's Fair the following year, including a runway extension over South 188th Street, which was placed in an automobile tunnel that opened in July 1961.[20] During construction of the runway extension in February 1961, the fossilized skeleton of a Megalonyx jeffersonii giant sloth was discovered and excavated for display at the Burke Museum in Seattle.[21] The two-story North Concourse (later named Concourse D)[22] opened a month later with four gate positions to prepare for regular jetliner service; the concourse's wing was 600feet long and 30feet wide.[23] Jetliner service began in October with Pan Am's Boeing 707 to Honolulu.[14] The 688adj=midNaNadj=mid South Concourse (now Concourse A)[22] opened in May 1961 alongside an expanded parking lot with capacity for 2,000 vehicles.[14] [24]

The 800feet long Concourse B opened in December 1964. It added eight gate positions, bringing the total to 19, a 12000square feet area housing international arrivals and the offices of U.S. Customs, Immigration, Public Health and the Department of Agriculture.[23] Concourse C opened in July 1966.[23] Four years later, it was extended to include another 10 gates, bringing the total to 35.[23] The first non-stop flights from Sea–Tac to mainland Europe began in September 1966 with Scandinavian Airlines, who used a polar route to reach Copenhagen.[14] A parallel second runway was completed 800feet west of the main runway in 1970.

Later expansions and third runway (1967–2008)

The Port embarked on a major expansion plan, designed by The Richardson Associates[25] and lasting from 1967 to 1973, adding a second runway, a parking garage, two satellite terminals and other improvements. In 1973, $28 million new terminal was built over and around the 1949 structure; the new terminal quadrupled the area for public use.[23] On July 1, 1973, the Airport opened two new satellite terminals, along with an underground train system to connect them to the Main Terminal.[26] These fully automatic shuttle trains were the first of their kind in the United States. Also unprecedented in any U.S. airport: as part of the expansion the Port commissioned $300,000 worth of artworks; these were the start of what would become a large public art collection owned by the Port.

In the mid-1980s, the Main Terminal was renovated and another 150feet was added to the north end. Concourse D was expanded in 1987 with a rotunda that added four new gates. In 1993, Concourses B, C, and D were renovated. The project, designed by NBBJ, included the addition of 150000square feet and the renovation of 170000square feet of space in Concourses B, C, and D.[27] On June 15, 2004, the 2102feet new Concourse A was unveiled with 14 new gates, a dozen new restaurants, new artwork and the airport's first moving sidewalks.

Residents of the surrounding area filed lawsuits against the Port in the early 1970s, complaining of noise, vibration, smoke, and other problems. The Port and the government of King County adopted the Sea–Tac Communities Plan in 1976 to address problems and guide future development. The Port spent more than $100 million over the next decade to buy homes and school buildings in the vicinity, and soundproof others nearby. In the mid-1980s, the airport participated in the airport noise-compatibility program initiated by Congress in 1979. Airport-noise contours were developed, real estate was purchased and some homes were retrofitted to achieve noise mitigation.[28]

In 1978 the U.S. ended airline regulation, and the U.S. airlines were allowed to determine routes and fares without government approval. Deregulation resulted in some new service to Seattle, including from TWA, then the fourth-largest U.S. airline, as well as Delta, National, and American.

Shortly after the death of U.S. Senator Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson, the Port Commission voted on September 13, 1983, to change the airport's name to the Henry M. Jackson International Airport. Citizens of Tacoma were angered by the removal of their city's name despite their contribution to the airport's original construction budget, which had come with a promise to share the name. An additional complicating factor was the existence of another Jackson International Airport (now Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport) in Jackson, Mississippi,[29] whose management threatened legal action to preserve its exclusive use of the name. During the November 1983 elections, an advisory referendum in Tacoma on the airport's name endorsed the original name by a 4–1 margin and two incumbent Port commissioners were defeated by candidates in favor of restoring the Sea–Tac name.[29] [30] Helen Jackson, the widow of the late senator, expressed her desire that their family remain neutral in the debate.[31] With a 3–2 vote of the Port Commission on February 28, 1984, the name reverted to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport and the four signs with Jackson's name were removed.[30] [32]

In the late 1980s, the Port of Seattle and a council representing local county governments considered the future of air traffic in the region and predicted that the airport could reach capacity by 2000. The rising use of regional airliners such as Horizon Air caused aircraft movements to triple from 1978 to 1990 and air cargo use at the airport had also risen dramatically. In 1992, the planning committee concluded that the best solution was to add a third runway to the airport and construct a supplemental two-runway airport in one of the neighboring counties. Members of the community opposed a third runway, as did the Highline School District and the cities of Des Moines, Burien, Federal Way, Tukwila, and Normandy Park, but a 1994 study concluded there were no feasible sites for an additional airport. The Port of Seattle approved a plan for the new runway in 1996, prompting a lawsuit from opponents. The Port secured the necessary permits by agreeing to noise reduction programs and environmental protections.[33] Runway opponents appealed these permits, but dropped their challenges in 2004.[34]

The third runway, measuring 8500feet long, opened on November 20, 2008, with a construction cost of $1.1 billion. Parallel to the existing two, the new runway is 2500feet west of runway 34R, allowing landings on both in times of low visibility. The older runways are 800feet apart, too close to allow use of both in low visibility.[35] The third runway project included 13e6cuyd of fill dirt and several retaining walls, the longest of which is 1430feet long and 130feet tall.

Modernization and expansion (2008–present)

The airport's Central Terminal building was renovated and expanded in 2003 in a project designed by Curtis W. Fentress, of Fentress Architects. The renovation and expansion began in 1996 and underwent extensive modifications to accommodate new security requirements following the September 11 attacks in 2001.

In 2014, Delta Air Lines announced plans to expand Seattle into a transpacific hub. Since then, Delta has added numerous international flights and dozens of domestic flights to feed those services. Delta's increased presence in Seattle has been seen by some industry analysts as a response to United Airlines' transpacific hub at San Francisco, as well as Delta's disenchantment with its former Tokyo–Narita hub.[36]

In late 2021, shortly after Alaska Airlines joined American Airlines in the Oneworld alliance, American announced that they would increase their international presence in Seattle.[37] However, as of 2023, American had abandoned plans for long-haul flights to Asia from Seattle and ended service to London-Heathrow, their only intercontinental service from Seattle.[38]

The North Satellite Terminal only received limited upgrades since it opened in 1973, and needed modernization.[39] The Port of Seattle initially looked at simply updating the terminal in a project it called the North Satellite Renovation Plan (NorthSTAR). In 2016, the Port announced it would also significantly expand the terminal. The $550 million project called the North Satellite Modernization increased the size of the North Satellite by and another eight gates, bringing the total to 20. The project's first phase, dedicated on July 11, 2019, expanded the terminal to the west by 240feet and added eight gates, a mezzanine level with eateries, and a rooftop lounge for Alaska Airlines. The second phase modernized the remaining areas of the old terminal and expands dining and retail space around the twenty existing gates. The new terminal opened on June 29, 2021.[40]

In 2022, the Port of Seattle completed a new 450000square feet International Arrivals Facility (IAF) east of Concourse A, along with a 900feet-long high bridge that will take passengers from the South Satellite, up above the existing taxiway and over the top of Concourse A.[41] The project was initially expected to be completed by 2021 at a cost of $766 million,[42] [43] though revised to $968 million in late 2018.[44] The old customs and immigration facility was located in the basement of the South Satellite, and operated well over its design capacity. Additionally, the process for passengers was complicated by the satellite's isolated location.[45] With the opening of the new IAF, Concourse A will now also be used for arriving international flights, nearly doubling the number of gates capable of serving arriving international passengers. The South Satellite Terminal is also planned to be renovated. The IAF was initially designed to accommodate 20 widebody aircraft, but four gates were not built to those specifications; the discrepancy was described as a "design flaw" by the Port of Seattle and blamed on the project's contractor.[46]

Future

The airport has seen record growth in passenger traffic over the last few years. The busiest day for outbound passengers was July 24, 2023, with 73,651 passengers. More than 198,000 passengers (departing, arriving, and connecting) passed through the airport that day. The previous record for outbound passengers was set on August 16, 2019, at 72,154.[47] That growth has been partly fueled by the nationwide expansion of Seattle-based Alaska Airlines and by Delta Air Lines setting up a major international hub at SEA Airport. That growth has strained the airport's facilities and led the port to invest more than $2 billion into several expansion and renovation projects.[48]

The airport has six outbound baggage handling systems with limited to no cross-connectivity. The system now in place is aging and reaching its maximum capacity. A $320.4 million project will create one unified, high-speed baggage system under the airport.[49] That will allow bags to be checked from any ticketing counter, to receive security screening faster, and to be routed to any gate in the airport. The extra efficiency and speed will allow the airport to handle more baggage in the future without expanding the footprint of the baggage handling systems. The initial phase of the project was finished in 2018 and the entire system will be in place by 2023.[50]

With estimates that the Puget Sound region will grow by another one million people by 2035, the Port of Seattle began developing the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) in 2018 to meet passenger and cargo demands. The SAMP recommends more than 30 projects to improve efficiency and airport access, including a new terminal with 19 gates and an automated people mover through three separate stations.[51] More future projects that are in progress or will begin later are an automated parking garage guidance system, expansion of Concourse C, roadway improvements throughout the airport, Checkpoint 1 relocation, a gateway project in cooperation with Alaska Airlines, restroom renovations, Concourse A building expansion for lounges, improved curbside safety and accessibility, continued refurbishment of the Central Terminal, and a replacement of controls pertaining to the SEA Underground shuttles.

Facilities

Terminals

The airport has 89 gates[52] in four concourses and two satellite buildings.[53] The two satellite terminal buildings, named the North and South Satellites, are connected to the four concourses in the main terminal by a three-line automated people mover system called the SEA Underground. The underground transit system moves passengers within the four concourses of the central terminal and out to the two satellite terminals.[54]

All non-precleared international arrivals arrive at the South Satellite or Concourse A, regardless of their departure terminal.[55] A dedicated international arrivals facility with customs control is on the southeast side of the terminal building and connected to the South Satellite via an overhead walkway and to the Concourse A gates via sterile walkways.[46] The overhead bridge from the South Satellite is 780feet long and rises 87feet over a taxiway.[46]

The five security checkpoints at Sea–Tac are located in the main terminal and are managed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). All of the checkpoints offer Clear Secure prescreening, while TSA Precheck is available from two.[57] The airport began using a virtual queuing program, called SEA Spot Saver, in 2021 to reduce wait times and control crowds at security lines.[58] Wait times at the TSA checkpoints during peak departure periods averaged 20 minutes in 2019 and increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a maximum of 90 minutes reached in June 2023.[59] During particularly busy periods, the queues for security have backed up into the airport's main parking garage and caused several hours of delays for passengers.[57]

Airfield

The three parallel runways run nearly north–south, west of the passenger terminal, and are 8500feetto(-)11900feetft (to(-)ft) long. In calendar year 2023, the airport had 422,508 aircraft operations, or 1,158 per day: 99% commercial, <1% air taxi, <1% general aviation, and <1% military.[60]

A new control tower was built beginning in 2001 and opened in November 2004, at the cost of $26 million.[61] The floor of the new tower's control cab is 233feet above ground level; the tower's overall height including antennas is 269feet. The cab has 850square feet of space and was designed to support operation by ten controllers, with possible future expansion up to 15. The site and construction method of the tower were designed to maximize the visibility and efficacy of radar systems. The airport's original control tower, built in the 1950s, is now part of the passenger terminal and used as a ramp control tower after being repaired from damage caused by the 2001 Nisqually earthquake.

A recurring problem at the airport is the misidentification of the westernmost taxiway, Taxiway Tango, as a runway. A large "X" has been placed on the north end of the taxiway, but many aircraft have landed on the taxiway.[62] The FAA issued an alert notice dated from August 27, 2009, to September 24, 2009, urging airplanes about taking precautions such as REILs and other visual cues while landing from the north.

In 2007, the airport became the first to implement an avian radar system providing 24-hour monitoring of wildlife activity across the airfield. This pilot program, designed and implemented with the assistance of the University of Illinois Center of Excellence for Airport Technology (CEAT), was intended to decrease potentially fatal incidents involving collisions with birds and to provide a test bed for the implementation of the technology in the US, which was expected to begin in 2009. The technology is part of a strategy to reduce the presence of wildlife on the airfield.[63]

Other facilities

The Seattle office of the National Weather Service operates a weather station at the airport, with a temperature gauge between the center and eastern runways. The airport has served as Seattle's official weather recording location since 1945.[64]

, Sea-Tac has over 23,000 total workers, including 400 to 500 customs agents and 850 TSA security officers. The airport has 3,800 cameras that are monitored from a control center staffed by the Port of Seattle's police and fire departments. A separate control center monitors the baggage handling system at Sea-Tac, which includes 10miles of conveyor belts and handled 14.5 million pieces in 2022.[65] Sea-Tac is the first major airport in the U.S. to use filters to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from its firefighting foam, which had sickened firefighters and workers.[66]

Ground transportation

The airport site was chosen partly due to its location along State Route 99, approximately midway between Seattle and Tacoma. Interstate 5 and Interstate 405 also converge near the airport, with an easy connection to the airport via State Route 518 and the Airport Expressway. State Route 509 runs west of the airport, connecting the area to West Seattle. The airport is the largest generator of vehicle trips in the state.[67]

The Port of Seattle offers paid on-site parking in a 12,100-space garage, notable for being North America's largest parking structure under one roof.[68] The airport also offers valet parking and electric vehicle charging stations. Several privately owned parking facilities are located off-site near the airport with shuttle access.[69]

The airport is served by the 1 Line of Sound Transit's Link light rail system at the SeaTac/Airport station with frequent service to downtown Seattle and the University of Washington. The station opened on December 19, 2009, and is connected to the airport terminal via a pedestrian bridge to the airport parking garage.[70] Another pedestrian bridge over International Boulevard is used to access the city of SeaTac, nearby airport hotels, and King County Metro buses including RapidRide A Line. A 1.6-mile light rail extension south to Angle Lake station at South 200th Street opened on September 24, 2016.

The airport is also served both by the King County Metro bus system and Sound Transit regional express buses. Sound Transit buses offer service to West Seattle, White Center, Burien, Renton, Newcastle and Bellevue through Route 560. In contrast, Route 574 offers service to Lakewood via Des Moines, Federal Way, and Tacoma.

Tukwila Station, which is approximately 5 miles east of the airport, is served by Sounder commuter rail and Amtrak Cascades regional inter-city rail with service north to Vancouver, Canada, and service south to Portland and Eugene in Oregon. This station can be reached in about 30 minutes via the Central Link light rail or the RapidRide A Line bus service and transferring at Tukwila International Boulevard station to the RapidRide F Line bus service.[71]

The airport serves door-to-door shuttle services (Shuttle Express and Speedi Shuttle) and several scheduled airporter bus services. Airporters include Bellair Charters to Yakima and Bellingham, and the Quick Shuttle to downtown Vancouver, Canada, through Quick Shuttle, with other pick-up stops at downtown Seattle, Bellingham International Airport, and drop-off stops just inside the Canadian–U.S. boundary and at the Vancouver International Airport.[72]

Taxis, limousines, and transportation network companies (Lyft, Uber and Wingz) are also available.[73] Prior to 2019, the Port of Seattle contracted out taxi services to an independent company, but changed to direct management with drivers due to protests over high access fees., the airport has 409 taxi drivers who are part of the Teamsters Local 117 labor union.[74]

A 23acres consolidated rental car facility opened on May 17, 2012.[75] [76] The facility is at the northeastern portion of the airport at the intersection of South 160th Street and International Boulevard South. The facility has 5,400 parking spaces[77] and can handle up to 14,000 transactions per day. After the opening of the facility, 3,200 parking spaces in the central parking structure opened for general use.[78] Passengers reach the facility on a five-minute trip aboard one of 29 low-floor Gillig CNG buses. Previously, only Alamo, Avis, Sixt, Budget, Hertz and National had cars on site. Advantage, Dollar, Enterprise, Thrifty, EZ Rent-A-Car and Fox Rent A Car ran shuttles to off-site locations., Rent-a-Wreck was the last remaining company to not relocate to the consolidated facility and continue using their own shuttles.

Airlines and destinations

Cargo

Statistics

Top destinations

BTS
Transtats">Web site: Top 10 Destination Airports . July 15, 2024 . RITA.
RankCityPassengersCarriers
1Los Angeles, California1,030,000Alaska, American, Delta, United
2Anchorage, Alaska1,013,000Alaska, Delta
3Las Vegas, Nevada955,000Alaska, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit
4Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona954,000Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest
5Denver, Colorado921,000Alaska, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United
6San Francisco, California785,000Alaska, Delta, United
7Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois726,000Alaska, American, Delta, United
8Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas679,000Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier
9San Diego, California607,000Alaska, Delta
10Portland, Oregon604,000Alaska, Delta
Busiest international routes from SEA (April 2023 – March 2024)[79]
RankCityPassengersCarriers
1Vancouver, Canada621,288Air Canada, Alaska, Delta
2London–Heathrow, United Kingdom582,039British Airways, Delta, Virgin Atlantic
3Seoul–Incheon, South Korea531,259Asiana Airlines, Delta, Korean Air
4Amsterdam, Netherlands280,797Delta
5Tokyo–Haneda, Japan274,863All Nippon Airways, Delta
6Frankfurt, Germany267,369Condor, Lufthansa
7Paris–Charles de Gaulle, France266,519Air France, Air Tahiti Nui, Delta
8Taipei–Taoyuan, Taiwan259,423EVA Air
9Cancún, Mexico254,903Alaska, Delta
10Doha, Qatar238,796Qatar Airways

Airline market share

BTS
Transtats"/>
RankAirlinePassengersPercent of market share
1Alaska Airlines21,774,00049.75%
2Delta Air Lines8,924,00020.39%
3SkyWest Airlines2,947,0006.73%
4United Airlines2,541,0005.81%
5Horizon Air2,167,0004.95%
Other Airlines5,412,00012.37%

Annual traffic at SEA

SEA Airport Annual Passenger Data 2011-Present[80] ! Year! Passengers! % Change
201132,823,220
201233,223,1111.22%
201334,826,7414.83%
201437,498,2677.67%
201542,340,53712.91%
201645,737,1158.02%
201746,934,6192.62%
201849,849,5206.21%
201951,829,2393.97%
202020,061,50761.29%
202136,154,01580.36%
202245,964,32127.13%
202350,877,26010.69%

Accidents and incidents

External links

Notes and References

  1. , effective August 8, 2024.
  2. Web site: Sea-Tac Int'l Airport December 2023 Passenger, Cargo, and Operations Summary. portseattle.com. February 18, 2024.
  3. Web site: Mileage Charts: Starting from SeaTac Airport . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20181206102714/https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Publications/HighwayMap/Mileage/SeaTacAir.htm . December 6, 2018 . December 5, 2018 . Washington State Department of Transportation.
  4. Web site: Sea-Tac airport data at skyvector.com. skyvector.com. August 22, 2022.
  5. Web site: Radka . Ricky . Airline Hub Guide: Which U.S. Cities Are Major Hubs and Why it Matters . December 23, 2021 . February 27, 2022 . Airfare Watchdog.
  6. Web site: Airlines and Destinations . Port of Seattle . August 24, 2022.
  7. Web site: Sea-Tac Airport Nearly Breaks All-Time Record For Passengers in 2023. portseattle.org. February 17, 2024.
  8. Web site: Caldbick . John . August 2, 2010 . Airports Owned by Washington's Public Port Districts . . July 1, 2024.
  9. Web site: Crowley . Walt . Walt Crowley . April 2, 1999 . Sea-Tac International Airport: Part 1 – Founding . HistoryLink . August 3, 2020.
  10. News: January 2, 1943 . Break Ground for Airport . 1 . . . May 24, 2024.
  11. News: July 4, 2004 . History of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport . . May 24, 2024.
  12. News: November 1, 1944 . Bow Lake Field Gets Preview . 11 . Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  13. Web site: Swift . Cathy . July 7, 2023 . SEA Airport: Then and Now . Port of Seattle . May 24, 2024.
  14. Web site: Crowley . Walt . August 17, 2003 . Sea-Tac International Airport: Part 2 — From Props to Jets (1950-1970) . HistoryLink . May 24, 2024.
  15. Book: Oldham . Kit . Blecha . Peter . Peter Blecha . HistoryLink Staff . 2011 . Rising Tides and Tailwinds: The Story of the Port of Seattle 1911–2011 . 60 . . Seattle . 9780295991313 . 713189816.
  16. News: Langlow . Leonard S. . July 10, 1949 . Dedicate Huge New Airport; 30,000 At Colorful Ceremony . 1 . . Newspapers.com . May 25, 2024.
  17. Web site: February 6, 2024 . 1950–1959: SEA Airport Takes Off . Port of Seattle . May 25, 2024.
  18. Web site: Donnelly . Devlin . July 15, 2019 . Why Is SEA Airport Shaped Like a Boomerang? . Port of Seattle . May 25, 2024.
  19. News: Loschen . Roger . July 5, 1959 . The First 10 Years Are the 'Growingest' . 9–12 . The Seattle Times.
  20. News: July 6, 1961 . Opening Set For Subway At Sea-Tac . 12 . The Seattle Times.
  21. News: Nesbitt . Elizabeth A. . Williams . David B. . September 15, 2023 . 'Spirit Whales & Sloth Tales' tracks Washington fossils and their stories . The Seattle Times . May 25, 2024.
  22. Web site: January 2024 . Building Up: 75 Years of Service . Port of Seattle . May 25, 2024.
  23. Web site: Port of Seattle Centennial: Main Terminal . Port of Seattle . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120505223223/http://www.portseattle100.org/properties/main-terminal . May 5, 2012 . June 19, 2012.
  24. News: May 19, 1961 . Sea-Tac Opens Extension . 11 . The News Tribune . Newspapers.com . May 25, 2024.
  25. Web site: AIA Seattle Honor Awards: projects cited 1950– . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100620174939/http://aiaseattle.org/archive_honorawards_1950topresent.htm . June 20, 2010 . .
  26. Web site: North and South Satellites . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121211123305/http://www.portseattle100.org/properties/satellite-terminals . December 11, 2012 . .
  27. International Academy of Architecture . 1995 . Renovations Are Needed at Sea–Tac International Airport . World Architecture . London . Grosvenor Press International, Ltd. . 35–36.
  28. C. Michael Hogan, Ballard George et al., Residential noise insulation at Seattle Tacoma International Airport, Earth Metrics Inc., published by the Federal Aviation Administration and Seattle Tacoma International Airport (1984).
  29. News: Banel . Feliks . May 26, 2023 . When Sea-Tac Airport disappeared for six months . . May 24, 2024.
  30. News: McDonough . Sandra . February 29, 1984 . Renaming of airport hailed as triumph for public . C1 . The Seattle Times.
  31. News: February 20, 1984 . Airport conflict saddens Jackson's widow . B1 . The News Tribune . . Newspapers.com . May 24, 2024.
  32. News: Gillie . John . February 29, 1984 . It's Sea-Tac again, amid rejoicing . A1 . The News Tribune . Newspapers.com . May 24, 2024.
  33. News: Lange . Larry . State allowed to join lawsuit on 3rd runway at Sea-Tac . December 18, 2023 . Seattle Post-Intelligencer . July 23, 2003.
  34. Web site: Wilma . David . September 16, 2004 . Airport Communities Coalition drops opposition to Sea-Tac International Airport third runway on August 19, 2004. . HistoryLink . December 18, 2023.
  35. Web site: Sea–Tac's third runway set to open after years of delay . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215619/http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2008204574_thirdrunway26m.html . October 4, 2013 . October 1, 2013 . The Seattle Times.
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