Seattle Port to Airport

[Rebels82]

We will be on the Regatta and disembark on a Thurs. Will a 11:30 flight be easy to make? Thanks.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, Rebels82 said:

We will be on the Regatta and disembark on a Thurs. Will a 11:30 flight be easy to make? Thanks.

Of course, the time you see on your itinerary is arrival - not disembarkation AND it’s a target subject to SNAFUs (i.e., a variety of possible delays). Add to that midweek/rush hour traffic and possibly long lines at airport security and you are tempting fate. 
That you’re even asking the question suggests that you already know the answer.

[Rebels82]

46 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Of course, the time you see on your itinerary is arrival - not disembarkation AND it’s a target subject to SNAFUs (i.e., a variety of possible delays). Add to that midweek/rush hour traffic and possibly long lines at airport security and you are tempting fate. 
That you’re even asking the question suggests that you already know the answer.

 

[Rebels82]

I am asking it because we have never sailed out of Seattle, not because I know the answer.

[LHT28]

check the west coast forum  for some info

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/315-west-coast-departures/

 

if you can get a later flight  I would do that just in case there are delays

[robbie21]

The direct answer is NO!  An 11:30 flight will not be "easy" to make.  It's possible with luck and perseverance. The luck part is getting off the ship and linking up with transportation.  Luck also involved in Seattle traffic snarls.  Note that this is construction season for WA roads.  Lots going on in the waterfront area as well as the freeways. Could take 30-40 minutes or 2 hours. No way to predict. Also, do you have TSA precheck?  If no, the odds go down. SeaTac airport is not the most efficient.

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, robbie21 said:

The direct answer is NO!  An 11:30 flight will not be "easy" to make.  It's possible with luck and perseverance. The luck part is getting off the ship and linking up with transportation.  Luck also involved in Seattle traffic snarls.  Note that this is construction season for WA roads.  Lots going on in the waterfront area as well as the freeways. Could take 30-40 minutes or 2 hours. No way to predict. Also, do you have TSA precheck?  If no, the odds go down. SeaTac airport is not the most efficient.

It can be done  if    1.  you carry your own luggage off  being the first off the ship group.    2.  If your flying United in business or have Premier status  for check in and  Fast track TSA       A recent cruise I was  at the airport by 9:45 on a week day.       

[AMHuntFerry]

Unlike most airports Sea-Tac actually has decent places to eat. I would plan to have a nice relaxing brunch/lunch then head over to Dilettante for some coffee before catching an afternoon flight. Traffic in Seattle can be a parking lot.

Edited May 24, 2022 by AMHuntFerry

[willoL]

5 hours ago, Rebels82 said:

I am asking it because we have never sailed out of Seattle, not because I know the answer.

Seattle has dreadful traffic as another poster mentioned, plus the airport is pretty far out of town. (The airport is in Seatac, between cities of Seattle and Tacoma, ~17 miles from the cruise ship terminal.)

 

I'm speaking as a former resident and annual visitor to family there; I haven't cruised from Seattle.

[FlyerTalker]

1 minute ago, willoL said:

the airport is pretty far out of town. (The airport is in Seatac, between cities of Seattle and Tacoma, ~17 miles from the cruise ship terminal.)

 

Spoken by someone spoiled by being only a couple of miles from Logan.

 

 

[CptBoatface]

I'd want more time.  You only have a few miles of really bad stuff south bound travel, but..  been out here since 93 and stopped going up to Seattle for fun mid 00's due to traffic, etc

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, CptBoatface said:

I'd want more time.  You only have a few miles of really bad stuff south bound travel, but..  been out here since 93 and stopped going up to Seattle for fun mid 00's due to traffic, etc

Actually Tuckwilla  marriott  is the place to eat and stay  if going on ir from  a SEA cruise.... you avoid traffic , mayhem and.... the degradation in personal safety that is  now a Seattle reality.

[CptBoatface]

Seattle is not what it used to be.  Never go up anymore without certain PPE.

[Hawaiidan]

5 minutes ago, CptBoatface said:

Seattle is not what it used to be.  Never go up anymore without certain PPE.

Ya, today  I would only go  there with my friends Heckler and Koch...............

Edited May 25, 2022 by Hawaiidan

[CptBoatface]

You got it!

[TxnAquarian]

I live right by the pier where Regatta docks and I also work at the airport (I'm a flight attendant), so I do that trip a couple times a week. You can easily make it to the airport by 9:00am (it looks like the Regatta disembarks around 8am). There's rarely much traffic going that direction in the mornings, except for a little congestion when the freeway merges....but you are talking about Seattle during peak summer season. The airport will probably be exteremly busy. I would really suggest changing to a flight after 12noon, if you can. It'll allow you to relax and not feel rushed. SEA is not an efficient airport and the lines can be very long.

[pinotlover]

On our last early morning flight out of SEA, we took the train/subway out to the airport and then spent the night in the Marriott that delivered us to the airport early the next morning. We then took the system back in and spent the day in town.

 

Waits for taxis and private cars ( uber) were 3-4 hours at the docks. Even those with pre arranged trips were having difficulty. In Seattle one must always realize that a 5-6000 passenger behemoth might also be off loading along side you. Oceania isn’t the only game in town.

 

Planning anytime before noon is foolish.

[Hawaiidan]

On 5/27/2022 at 11:01 AM, pinotlover said:

On our last early morning flight out of SEA, we too atk the train/subway out to the airport and then spent the night in the Marriott that delivered us to the airport early the next morning. We then took the system back in and spent the day in town.

 

Waits for taxis and private cars ( uber) were 3-4 hours at the docks. Even those with pre arranged trips were having difficulty. In Seattle one must always realize that a 5-6000 passenger behemoth might also be off loading along side you. Oceania isn’t the only game in town.

 

Planning anytime before noon is foolish.

If you carry off with the first group... you will be first to the cabs with no lines.      At airport you need  premier status or a F ticket  s with UAL   who has  or had a fast  track through TSA..   20 min from check in counter  to gate.        Otherwise its a crap shoot.     You have to have an "edge" these days.

[pinotlover]

28 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

If you carry off with the first group... you will be first to the cabs with no lines.      At airport you need  premier status or a F ticket  s with UAL   who has  or had a fast  track through TSA..   20 min from check in counter  to gate.        Otherwise its a crap shoot.     You have to have an "edge" these days.

Ah! You’re talking about the great ship lineup, where people start getting in line before 7:00 for an 8:00 disembarkment. Suitcases, bags, carry ons blocking the aisles. People ignoring their assigned times, much like their boarding time. Probably worst experience than boarding early. All that to maybe catch an early flight? Maybe or maybe not catch it!

 

We hide from the race race to both board and disembark. Walk off graciously and catch an afternoon flight, or one early the next day.