Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Location	Seattle, Washington
IATA code	SEA
ICAO code	KSEA
Airport type	Commercial
Website	http://www.portseattle.org/seatac/
Overview map	Google Maps
Communications
Tower	119.9
Ground	121.7
Clearance	128.0
Approach	119.2, 120.1, 120.4, 125.9, 126.5
ATIS	118.0

Official Spotting Locations

The "Viewpoint Park" overlook on the West side was closed in 2001, and has now disappeared under the 3rd runway.

Other Spotting Locations

Golf Course

To the immediate S. of the airport is the Tyee Valley Golf Course. Assuming you're not playing a round, there are a couple of spots nearby. The car park offers views of arrivals on both runways although the trees can get in the way.

A road goes around the W. side of the course allowing for spotting runway 34R traffic (that on 34L flies directly overhead), but the subjects for photos will be a bit high and it's only good in the afternoon on sunny days. The road bends halfway down so has 2 names - 18th Ave. S. and/or S196th St.

Water Tank

To the N. of the airport is a small park at 24th. Ave S. and S146th St. Arriving traffic on the 16s can be logged and photographed from here. There is room for about 4 cars to park. The Port of Seattle police occasionally patrol here although technically it's not airport property. A quick ID check and they'll leave you alone.

Parking Garage

A good place to spot is on the northwest side on the eighth floor of the Seatac parking garage. The northwest side is the only suitable area on the eighth floor to view planes on the tarmac or runway. The eighth floor of the parking garage is used for weekly parking, so if you plan to park in the parking garage, you can do so on floor four, five or six only. Get there early if you plan to take pictures because by 2PM, the sun is directly in your eyes and heat haze, in the summertime, sets in at around 10-11AM.

Samples:

Sample One Sample Two Sample Three

Locations to Avoid

Eastern Perimeter

Pretty much anywhere along here, from the fire station to the FedEx facility is off-limits. The Port police will respond very quickly to anyone "loitering" around here and move offenders on.

Regular Traffic

Domestic Airlines

Alaska Airlines (737, MD-80), Horizon Air (CRJ-700, Q200, Q400), United Airlines (EMB-120, 737, 757, 767, 777, A320), Southwest Airlines (737), Frontier (A318/319/320), jetBlue (A320), US Airways/America West (A319, A320, A321, 757), Continental (737, 757), Delta (737, 757, 767, MD-90, MD-88, CRJ-200/-700), American Airlines (MD-80, 757, 737), Northwest (A319, A320, A330, 757), AirTran (737), Air Canada/Jazz (A319, ERJ-190, Q300), Hawaiian (767), Sun Country (737).

International Airlines

Eva Air (747), Korean Air (777), British Airways (747), SAS (A340), Asiana (777), China Air (A340)

Cargo

FedEx (DC/MD-10, MD-11, A300, 727, Caravan, ATR-42), China Airlines Cargo (747), Martin Air Cargo (MD-11), China Southern Cargo(MD-11), Cargolux (747) Express.net (A300)

Facilities and Transportation

Bus

You can catch a King County Metro or Sound Transit bus on the south end of the baggage claim area, just outside door 2.

Taxi / Airport Hotel Shuttle

Taxis and Hotel Shuttles are located on the third floor of the parking garage. To get there from the baggage claim is simple. Go up to the parking level, go across a sky bridge, and down an elevator or escalator to floor three.

Downtown Airporter

To catch the Downtown Airporter - a shuttle that takes you to the Sheraton, Westin, Hyatt, Warwick, Downtown Hilton, Crown Plaza, Madison or Fremont hotels in downtown Seattle - from the baggage claim, go south (carousel numbers going down) all the way down to door 00 located inside the atrium or north of carousel number one.

Ken's Baggage

If you arrive early and your airline will not let you check in your luggage until x amount of hours until the flight, you can drop it off at Ken's Baggage. It is anywhere from five to seven United States Dollars a bag, and is located on the baggage claim in between carousel number's six and seven.

Currency Conversion

There are two booths at the airport to convert foreign money into United States Dollars. One is located by the Northwest Ticketing counter on the ticketing level, and one in the baggage claim across from Carousel number two.