Earliest flight out of SeaTac

[oldmama]

We will be docking on the Sapphire Princess at 7AM. What is the earliest advisable flight time without killing ourselves getting to the airport.

[Gardyloo]

Originally Posted by oldmama

We will be docking on the Sapphire Princess at 7AM. What is the earliest advisable flight time without killing ourselves getting to the airport.

Work backwards...

Check in 60-90 min. before flight, in order to make sure you get through security even in busy conditions.

30 min. by cab from Pier 91 (Princess, HAL) to the airport. 35 or 40 min. if you're incredibly unlucky (unlikely on a Sat/Sun morning.)

Time in the lineup for cabs at the cruise terminal? Depends on how early you get in line. Cabs are plentiful.

Time to get off the ship. (self-disembarking/carry own bags or...?)

So add 'em up. Personally, I'd be hesitant to book a flight departing any earlier than 10:30 or 11 AM.

[FlyerTalker]

If you do insist on an early flight, have the cab driver drop you off on the lower (arrivals) level. There are more traffic lanes there and you will miss some of the mess on the upper roadway. But more and more folks are catching on to that, so both may be bad.

[alcpa1]

If you don't want to be totally fried with anxiety I would recommend you not book a flight until noon at the earliest. We have been to Seattle a number of times and the trip from pier side to SeaTac has always taken longer than 30 minutes.
My lingering fear is a change of the alert status from Orange to Red. We flew out of LGA the day we bombed Afghanistan and the TSA line out of our smaller terminal was three hours. We had been on a cruise and had almost no news and the minute we heard we headed to the airport from our son's apartment.
You did say you wanted a stress free day after a wonderful cruise. I hope I have been of assistance.

[Keith1010]

OldMama since you mentioned you would like to go with a flight without pushing it I would go with a 12:00 Noon flight. There is no sense booking an earlier flight. Too often I am on cruises with people on earlier flights who spend a portion of the cruise stressed about making the flight.

What can go wrong? Ship can arrive later than schedule. There can be a delay clearing the ship because of insufficient personnel or the fact that not all guests show up at the appointed times. Or maybe problems locating all of your luggage.

Keith

[Budget Queen]

I also agree, look at noon or later.

[Gardyloo]

Of course it depends on your risk tolerance.

I fly out of SEA a lot, and even on cruise days I don't think security at the airport causes delays of > 1hr ever.

For pax looking at eastern destinations, especially those involving a connection, waiting until after noon almost always guarantees a very late arrival, and in many cases a forced overnight en route home. Obviously the morning nonstops to e.g. JFK, or ATL are off the table, but for example with the OP looking at Georgia, there are a couple of late-morning departures (11:40 on Delta for instance) that offer a chance of getting home before midnight. I'd take the chance, personally. If it all goes sideways, the worst case is you'd have to overnight some place en route anyway, which you'd have to do in the first place with a later departure. If it means putting a little giddyup in your step at the dock, so be it.

[AirGorilla]

You'll be arriving in Seattle on a Sunday morning. DL has two SEA-ATL nonstops to consider: DL 1054, leaving at 11:40 AM and arriving 7:30 PM; DL 1058, leaving at 2:10 PM and arriving at 10:00 PM. (I spot-checked June 20 for this info.)

Hope this helps,

AG

[oldmama]

Thanks for all the advice. I was looking at an Air Tran flight at 1:30, but if the Delta flight at 11:40 is possible, we might take the chance. But then again, right now the Delta flight is also $120 more than the Air Tran. Time will tell.

[Keith1010]

I would just take the later flight. Be one of the last off the ship knowing you do not have to rush to the airport. Either way, have a wonderful cruise.

Keith

[AirGorilla]

Originally Posted by Keith1010

I would just take the later flight. Be one of the last off the ship knowing you do not have to rush to the airport. Either way, have a wonderful cruise.

Keith

I agree with this advice. You have more margin, if something gets goofed up (such as ship arriving late).

Enjoy,

AG