Security Delays at SEA?

[Stephen Dailey]

So how bad are the security lines at SEA? I've heard some say it's a
piece of cake, and I've heard others say they've arrived two hours early
and still missed their flights. (I'm guessing that these people were
flying on different days at different times).

How long can I expect it to take to clear security to catch a 7:30 AM
flight on a Tuesday?

===
Steve

[ra]

Stephen Dailey wrote:
> So how bad are the security lines at SEA? I've heard some say it's a
> piece of cake, and I've heard others say they've arrived two hours early
> and still missed their flights. (I'm guessing that these people were
> flying on different days at different times).
>
> How long can I expect it to take to clear security to catch a 7:30 AM
> flight on a Tuesday?
>
> ===
> Steve

I fly out of SEA 1-2X per month. It's never the same. I've been there
on Sunday at 0845 for an 1100 flight and only made the flight because I
cut the line (jetway door was already closed, attendant called to hold
the plane door). I've arrived on Sunday at 1130 for a 1400 and have
been in the bar by 1140. Weekdays run the same. Arrived at 0600 for a
0800 flight and barely made it. Arrived at 0500 for a 0630 flight and
was having coffee by 0515. The last time I was there (flying Southwest)
airline staff (not DHS) were calling for people who's flights were
leaving at a given time and moving them up. They called for flights
leaving by 0700 (I arrived at 0550) and the guy in front of me asked
(ok, he screamed at) the attendant if he could go because his flight
left at 0705? Answer was no. After they called 0730 he was standing in
the secondary screening line with me at 0710 (my flight was at 0730).
They weren't checking tickets, so my advice is to jump a group ahead,
but I don't know if they are doing this at all security points.

I try to do the following:

1. For a "prime-time" flight (0630-0900 and 1500-1800) I arrive 1.5 to
2 hours early.

2. For a an "off-time flight" I cut it to 1.5 hours or less (never less
than an hour).

I haven't missed a flight yet, but my time will come.

Also, weekends will probably be easier now, as the cruise ships are
starting to slow.

As always, YMMV.

[DALing]

depends on airline - UA (north sat) seems to run in the 30 minutes security
range (7:30 is pretty heavy for UA) . Alaska?AA (C/D) around 10-12 minutes
(you CAN get to the N shuttle by going thru D security). WN, DL, HP (B)
maybe about the same.NW and the rest (south sat) 15 minutes

"Stephen Dailey" > wrote in message
om...
> So how bad are the security lines at SEA? I've heard some say it's a
> piece of cake, and I've heard others say they've arrived two hours early
> and still missed their flights. (I'm guessing that these people were
> flying on different days at different times).
>
> How long can I expect it to take to clear security to catch a 7:30 AM
> flight on a Tuesday?
>
> ===
> Steve

[Blake S]

"DALing" <daling43[delete]-at-hotmail.com> wrote in message
...
> depends on airline - UA (north sat) seems to run in the 30 minutes
security
> range (7:30 is pretty heavy for UA) . Alaska?AA (C/D) around 10-12
minutes
> (you CAN get to the N shuttle by going thru D security). WN, DL, HP (B)
> maybe about the same.NW and the rest (south sat) 15 minutes
>

Careful here. Alaska is now using some of United's old gates at the N
(north satellite). Also, I would agree with other poster that the morning
and late afternoon are busier than the rest of the day. But, there was a
line of about 30 minutes on my last N gate flight (but I bypassed the line
by using my super shiny FF card).


> "Stephen Dailey" > wrote in message
> om...
> > So how bad are the security lines at SEA? I've heard some say it's a
> > piece of cake, and I've heard others say they've arrived two hours early
> > and still missed their flights. (I'm guessing that these people were
> > flying on different days at different times).
> >
> > How long can I expect it to take to clear security to catch a 7:30 AM
> > flight on a Tuesday?
> >
> > ===
> > Steve
>