Security checkpoints
7 checkpoints with the hours the airport publishes. TSA PreCheck is stated at 5 of them. Wait times are not shown here because no measured feed is connected.
More in our guide: SEA security wait times and when they peak.
Current wait times
This guide shows no wait times. The airport publishes the current wait at each checkpoint on its own website (Port of Seattle, Live Estimated Checkpoint Wait Times).
Main Terminal
| Checkpoint | Serves | Published hours | TSA PreCheck | PreCheck Touchless ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checkpoint 1 | Baggage claim level (moved from the ticketing level), closest to A & S Gates and access to all gates. Reached from the south end of the lower Arrivals drive by Doors 6 and 4. Bags are still checked in with your airline on the Ticketing level. Screening lets you out on a landing between escalators that lead up to the A gates and down to the SEA Underground | 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Yes | Not stated |
| Checkpoint 2 | Closest to A & S Gates and access to all gates | 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Yes | Not stated |
| Checkpoint 3 | Closest to A & S Gates and access to all gates | 4 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.; TSA PreCheck and Touchless ID 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Yes | Yes |
| Checkpoint 4 | Closest to Central Terminal, B & C Gates and access to all gates | Open 24 hours | General screening; Family Lane; Premium lane for participating airlines; SEA Visitor Pass screening | Not stated |
| Checkpoint 5 | Closest to C, D, & N Gates and access to all gates | 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Yes | Not stated |
| Checkpoint 6 | Closest to C, D, & N Gates and access to all gates; six security lanes | 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. | Yes | Yes |
| IAF Transfers Security Checkpoint | Connecting international arrivals only; exits into the A Concourse | 6 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. Pacific | Not stated | Not stated |
Sources: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport interactive map
Common questions about security
Which security line is fastest?
This guide does not publish wait times, its own or anyone's estimate, and the airport's records do not say which line is faster on average. The airport shows the current wait at each checkpoint on its live page. What the records do let you choose by is the hours above and the lanes: PreCheck Touchless ID at Checkpoint 3 and Checkpoint 6. Each is for eligible travelers only.
How early should I get to security?
The airport's advice: Arrive two hours before a domestic departure and three hours before an international one. The earliest any checkpoint opens is 4 a.m., at Checkpoint 1, Checkpoint 2, Checkpoint 3, Checkpoint 5 and Checkpoint 6; Checkpoint 4 is listed as open 24 hours. The last to close is Checkpoint 3, at 11:30 p.m. Check that the checkpoint for your gate is open at your time: they do not open and close together.
Is TSA PreCheck at every checkpoint?
The airport states TSA PreCheck at Checkpoint 1, Checkpoint 2, Checkpoint 3, Checkpoint 5 and Checkpoint 6. Its text for Checkpoint 4 and IAF Transfers Security Checkpoint does not state PreCheck. That is not the same as saying it is missing, so check the airport's checkpoint map or the TSA before you plan around it.
Where is PreCheck Touchless ID?
Checkpoint 3; Checkpoint 6. It is for PreCheck members who opt in through the airline's app or profile, and no ID or boarding pass is shown at the lane.
What the airport does and does not publish
Multi-sensory rooms for people who need a quiet space are listed at: SEA Underground A Station, in the long hallway near the elevators; Level 3 above Gate C3 near the Lookout. Hours: Daily 4 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Good to know
- Checkpoint 1 has a CLEAR lane. Checkpoint 6 has CLEAR lanes for general screening and for TSA PreCheck.
- Checkpoint 2 has a U.S. Service Member Lane.
- A Premium lane, for travelers of participating airlines only, runs at Checkpoints 3, 4 and 6.
- Visitor Pass holders screen at Checkpoint 4. Entry opens at 5 a.m., the last entry is 9 p.m., and access ends at 10 p.m.
- The airport's checkpoint list and its live wait-times page do not always name the same lanes, and TSA sets closing times day by day. The digital signs in the terminal show what is open, and staff can send you to another checkpoint.
- More than a third of the day's travelers arrive before 9 a.m. Two more busy spells run from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 9 to 11 p.m.
- The airport says more than 94% of travelers get through security in 20 minutes or less. Live waits are on its wait-times page, in the flySEA app and on the terminal signs.
- Empty a reusable water bottle before the checkpoint; each checkpoint has a place to pour out liquids. Medicine and food for babies and young children are exempt from the 3.4 oz (100 ml) carry-on limit.
- TSA PreCheck costs $85 for five years and is open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. You can enroll at the CLEAR kiosks at SEA. Global Entry includes PreCheck.
- Every checkpoint is accessible. For help through screening, call TSA Cares at (855) 787-2227 at least 72 hours before you fly (weekdays 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET, weekends and holidays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET), or ask an officer at the checkpoint for a Passenger Support Specialist.
- Free Sunflower lanyards are given out at the information desks between Checkpoints 4 and 5 near Starbucks, in the International Arrivals Hall, and after security in A Concourse near Gate A5. If a desk is unstaffed, ask the Premium lane staff at Checkpoint 3 or 4.
Source: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport