Port of Seattle Reports Record Passenger Numbers in June and Continued Growth at Sea-Tac Airport

For the first time ever, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport surpassed four million passengers in one month, according to June statistics from the Port of Seattle, and yearly totals continue to grow at a double digit rate, exceeding 13 percent. If the pattern continues, Sea-Tac will see a fourth straight record in the total number of passengers that could reach over 42 million for the year.
 
A recent report from the Official Airline Guide notes Sea-Tac Airport is the fastest growing airport among the Top 20 U.S. airports based on seats in July 2015. This comes after Sea-Tac was already the fastest growing large hub airport in 2014 when passenger traffic increased 7.7 percent over 2013.
 
“The increase in traffic at Sea-Tac highlights the critical role the airport plays in providing domestic and international connections that benefit our leading companies and travelers," said Port of Seattle Commission Co-President Stephanie Bowman.  “We are moving forward with these vital opportunities for the region’s economy.”
 
Port of Seattle statistics for the month of June show Sea-Tac Airport welcomed a record 4,011,247 passengers, a 12 percent rise from June of 2014, breaking the four million passengers barrier for the first time. International travel for June was up 12.7 percent over the previous June to 397,523.
 
The previous record for one month at Sea-Tac was August of 2014 with 3,968,007 passengers. The summer season is traditionally the busiest travel period for Sea-Tac led by August followed by July and June.
 
Year to date, Sea-Tac passenger traffic is up 13.1 percent, including a 15.7 percent rise for international passengers. In 2014, Sea-Tac handled a record of nearly 37.5 million passengers for the year. When final statistics are determined, Sea-Tac is expected to jump one spot up in the rankings to the 13th busiest airport in the U.S.  
 
Air freight is also up, with a 7.2 percent increase in June compared to 2014 and a 6.1 percent increase year to date in 2015. International air freight rose 18.1 percent in June (compared to June 2014) and is up 17.9 percent year to date in 2015.
 

Upcoming ProjectsThe capital budget for the airport includes $1.9 billion in projects over the next five years. This includes the renovation and expansion of the north satellite, a new International Arrivals Facility, a new high-speed baggage system, and the reconstruction of the center runway.
 
In addition, the port is working on a Sustainable Airport Master Plan to look ahead five, ten and twenty years in the future to manage growth. Master Plan projections see passenger traffic reaching 66 million by 2034.
 
For more detail, go to our Statistics page on the Port of Seattle website here