Business travelers spend a lot of time in airports. Whether you like to arrive early for your flight, experience a delay, miss a connection, or have a cancellation, you may find yourself wandering the airport. Personally, I enjoy the dining and shopping experience at airports, especially ones that have a lot to offer.
While attending a recent luncheon at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac), I had the privilege of learning about the updates this particular airport has completed, and will undergo, to help make the travel experience more enjoyable.
First, North Satellite’s renovation has begun. Alaska Airlines is expanding this concourse and will increase the number of gates from 12 to 20. With this expansion, more restaurants and shops will be added. This project will be completed in 2016.
Additionally, the international terminal will be relocated to Concourse A with a multilevel structure. An aerial walkway will connect the existing international arrivals in South Satellite to the new terminal. This will support a new customs and immigration facility with more passport kiosks to provide faster processing times for travelers. Delta Air Lines will have the majority of their flights from this concourse. This project is estimated to be completed in 2018.
Local flare you can find at SeaTac Airport:
- Beecher’s – homemade cheese and Beecher’s famous “World’s Best” Mac & Cheese
- Starbucks – even though they are worldwide, Seattle takes pride in their local coffee
- Made in Washington – local eats and drinks to buy for you or as gifts
- Music – live music by local artists throughout the airport, 7 days a week
- + much more. With a total of 39 shops and 51 restaurants and cafes, there is plenty to keep you busy.
Data outlining SeaTac Airport’s growth (2013 stats):
- 34.8 million passengers went through SeaTac, 14th in the United States
- 291,536 metric tons of cargo was handled
- International passengers are up 10% year over year
- 52% of the airline market share is Alaska Airlines
- 12.7% of the airline market share is SkyTeam
- 12.3% of the airline market share is Delta Air Lines
The next time you are traveling to Seattle or just passing through, you will find an airport with many options awaiting you. And keep an eye out for continued growth and expansion with new options to explore in the future.
