Seattle Airport to the San Juan Islands: Shuttle, Ferry or Seaplane

Island Airporter runs one shuttle from SEA that rides the ferry with you to Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor. It leaves the airport at 11 a.m. on weekdays only and costs $75 to $95 one way by its own fare page, ferry included. On weekends, or if you land too late for 11, you need Bellair’s shuttle to Anacortes plus a walk-on ferry ticket, or a seaplane from Renton or Lake Union.

Which way fits your arrival

Island Airporter and Bellair board at the Arrivals Drive curb outside Doors 00 and 02, under the Airporters sign. The Port lists the Kenmore Air shuttle and Friday Harbor Seaplanes among the scheduled airporters. Our shared shuttles guide and scheduled airporters page list every operator that uses that curb. Lake Union is in downtown Seattle, not at SEA.

For wheeled flights from Boeing Field, Kenmore Air’s blog lists Kenmore, San Juan Airlines and Point to Point Air. It gives no times or fares, so ask each airline.

Island Airporter: one seat from the curb to the dock

The company’s home page says the exact departure, between 11:00 and 11:15 a.m., follows the ferry timetable. Read its live calendar when you book. The Port of Seattle lists the service for Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor, once daily.

Collect your bags first. Check in at the Airporter counter near Door 00, in the Gina Marie Lindsey Arrivals Hall, then walk to the curb.

The fare covers the ferry ride to the islands, and minors skip the ferry fee heading out. Each seat carries two suitcases and a carry-on free. An extra bag and a car seat are $10 each. You can cancel until 7:59 p.m. the day before your trip.

The company says it has no weekend service, and its booking calendar shows only days with open seats, so a full day simply doesn’t appear. If your date is missing, call (360) 378-7438.

Going home on it

The morning run to the airport doesn’t start at SEA. It picks up at three island stops:

It reaches SEA at about 9:30 a.m. Add the Port’s two hours before a domestic departure and the earliest sensible flight is around 11:30 a.m. An international flight needs three hours, so aim for 12:30 p.m. or later.

Bellair plus the state ferry takes two tickets

The Cole Franklin channel filmed the full booking on Bellair’s site. The trip is two tickets, not one. The first bus runs from SEA to Bellair’s Burlington office. A second bus then runs from Burlington to the Anacortes ferry terminal.

The filmer’s example shows the timing. A 10:00 a.m. departure from SEA reached the ferry terminal at 12:40 p.m. At Burlington, the video says, a chauffeur moves your bags between buses, so you step off one and onto the next. The filmer allows an hour between landing and boarding, whether you collect a bag or carry on. The video also adds 30 to 40 minutes at the terminal for traffic.

Then check the ferry as well as the bus. The filmer warns that some Anacortes sailings don’t reach Friday Harbor first. In the summer example, the 2:00 p.m. sailing skipped the inner islands and arrived at 3:10 p.m. Read the arrival time for your island in the Washington State Ferries timetable.

On foot, you buy a ticket at a kiosk in the terminal building. Kenmore Air’s blog puts the sailing at about an hour.

The filmer calls the pickup door “000” and describes a sidewalk sign for charters and private shuttles. The Port names Doors 00 and 02 under the Airporters sign, so go by the Port. The filmer describes Bellair’s vehicle as a very large bus that looks like a Greyhound. Bellair’s line is (866) 235-5247.

Seaplanes fly the last leg from Renton or Lake Union

Friday Harbor Seaplanes flies scheduled trips to Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor and Rosario on Orcas Island. It leaves from South Lake Washington in Renton, and its site lists a scheduled SeaTac shuttle and free parking. It also runs charters for up to six passengers.

Kenmore Air flies from Lake Union in downtown Seattle and from the north end of Lake Washington at Kenmore, according to its own blog. The blog says flights take about 45 minutes from either.

Confirm the base before you pay. Under Kenmore’s own video, one commenter booked an unaccompanied minor from Orcas Island to Lake Union. The commenter reports that Kenmore changed the destination to Lake Washington in Kenmore without warning, a 30-minute drive from Seattle each way, and says another passenger described the same change.

What to do if you miss the 11 a.m. run

On a weekday, Bellair has several departures a day.

If the ferry connection is gone for the day, ride Link into the city, compare every option downtown and what it costs, or book a room from the hotels page.

Need to store a bag before a late return? Our luggage storage guide covers the Smarte Carte desk and its prices.

Passport, car and ferry reservation

No passport is needed for the San Juan Islands, Kenmore Air’s blog says, though your transport may ask for valid ID.

Kenmore Air’s blog says on-island activities can work without one, but a car makes it easier to see each island fully. It names Orcas Island Shuttle, which delivers cars to your location on Orcas, and M&W Auto at the end of the Friday Harbor runway. It also says summer rentals can be hard to get. If you’d rather drive from SEA, our rental cars guide covers the free shuttle to the rental facility.

On foot you need no ferry reservation. Kenmore Air’s blog says walk-ons are welcome at Anacortes and tells drivers to book vehicle reservations in advance.

Sources

Our pages:

• Scheduled airporters
• Shared shuttles from Seattle airport
• Seattle airport to downtown: every option and what it costs
• The Link light rail from SEA airport into Seattle
• Where to leave a bag at Seattle airport
• Rental cars at SEA
• Hotels

Official pages:

• Island Airporter
• Bellair Airporter Shuttle
• Friday Harbor Seaplanes
• Kenmore Air: ways to get from Seattle to the San Juan Islands

Traveler accounts:

• Cole Franklin, “Sea-Tac Bellair Shuttle travel to SJI” (YouTube)
• A commenter under FlyKenmoreAir, “Kenmore Air - Seattle - San Juan Islands Daily Flights” (YouTube)