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SEA Seattle layover guide

A layover at SEA.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Lounges, security and customs waits, and what a connection at SEA actually involves. LYVR plans the whole layover, with real walk times on the indoor map.

Updated October 2026 · Sources

12lounges at SEA, with what gets you in
3open to Priority Pass or DragonPass members
Livesecurity wait times in the app
CBP datacustoms and border queues in the app
SEAConnections

Connecting
at SEA.

Yes, if you're arriving from another country. Every international arrival at SEA clears passport control and customs, collects and rechecks checked bags, and goes back through TSA security before a connecting flight, even a domestic one. The exception is a flight that was precleared before departure, such as from Canada, Ireland or Abu Dhabi. Domestic-to-domestic connections stay airside.

Wait times

The lines at SEA, before you're in them.

Open the Airports tab in LYVR and pick SEA.

Security · Live

Security lines

LYVR shows live security wait times for each checkpoint, grouped by terminal, refreshed every couple of minutes.

Border · CBP data

Customs and border

LYVR shows the average customs wait for the current hour over the latest week, for US citizens and visitors, from US Customs and Border Protection's own data. LYVR only shows the checks your connection actually crosses.

In your plan

Counted in your time to spare

Every checkpoint on your connection becomes a step in the layover plan, so the time to spare already allows for the lines.

Lounges

12 lounges at SEA.

1 open with a credit card, 3 with Priority Pass or DragonPass, 7 with airline elite status. Rules and hours change, so check with the lounge before you go.

Central Terminal (mezzanine)

The Centurion Lounge

Credit cards
Amex Platinum CardAmex Business Platinum CardAmex Centurion CardAmex Delta SkyMiles Reserve (Delta flights)
Concourse A

The Club SEA

06:00 - 23:59

Memberships
Priority Pass
Concourse A

United Club

Airline status
United Airlines Premier Gold and up (international flights)Star Alliance Gold
Concourse C, mezzanine level next to Gate C16

Alaska Lounge SEA (Concourse C)

Airline status
Alaska Airlines Atmos Gold and up (long-haul international flights)oneworld Sapphire (international flights)
Concourse D, upper level beyond Security Checkpoint 4

Alaska Lounge SEA (Concourse D)

Airline status
Alaska Airlines Atmos Gold and up (long-haul international flights)oneworld Sapphire (international flights)
North Satellite, mezzanine level above Gates N13-N18

Alaska Lounge SEA (North Satellite)

Airline status
Alaska Airlines Atmos Gold and up (long-haul international flights)oneworld Sapphire (international flights)
South Satellite, airside (next to gate S9)

The Club SEA

05:00 - 23:59

Memberships
Priority Pass
South Satellite, near Gate S9

The Club SEA (South Satellite)

Memberships
Priority Pass
At SEA

Alaska Airlines Lounge

Airline status
Alaska Airlines Atmos Gold and up (long-haul international flights)oneworld Sapphire (international flights)
At SEA

British Airways Club Lounge / First Lounge

Airline status
British Airways Gold and uponeworld Emerald (long-haul international flights)
At SEA

Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club

Coming soon (TBD)

Entry by premium-cabin ticket or a paid day pass.

At SEA

Delta Sky Club

Airline status
SkyTeam Elite Plus
Plan it in LYVR

Your SEA layover, planned to the minute.

Save your flights and LYVR finds the connection at SEA on its own, then times every part of it.

Time to spare

Every minute, accounted for.

Deplaning, every walk on the indoor map, the checkpoints your connection passes and when the doors close. What's left is yours to plan.

A LYVR layover plan: deplane, re-clear security with a live wait, free time with Ask AI, the train between terminals, then board
Lounge access

Lounges you can actually get into.

Add your cards and memberships once. Every lounge at SEA shows whether you're in.

A LYVR lounge list with The Centurion Lounge marked eligible with Platinum Card
Turn-by-turn, indoors

Directions that know which floor you're on.

Around walls, up escalators, onto the train between terminals and through security on the way.

Turn-by-turn directions inside a terminal: stay on the train, get off at the next terminal
Long layovers

Time to see Seattle?

Getting out, the ride each way, security on the way back and a cushion, checked against your passport. Then a day, planned.

Leaving the airport on a layover: hours in the city, rated worth it
Layover questions

SEA, answered.

Do I have to go through security again on a connection at SEA?

Yes, if you're arriving from another country. Every international arrival at SEA clears passport control and customs, collects and rechecks checked bags, and goes back through TSA security before a connecting flight, even a domestic one. The exception is a flight that was precleared before departure, such as from Canada, Ireland or Abu Dhabi. Domestic-to-domestic connections stay airside.

Can I check the security wait time at SEA?

LYVR shows live security wait times for each checkpoint, grouped by terminal, refreshed every couple of minutes.

How long is the customs or passport line at SEA?

LYVR shows the average customs wait for the current hour over the latest week, for US citizens and visitors, from US Customs and Border Protection's own data.

Which lounges at SEA can I use on a layover?

LYVR lists 12 lounges at SEA, 3 of them on Priority Pass. Which ones you can get into depends on your ticket, airline status, credit card or a lounge membership. Each lounge on this page lists what gets you in, and LYVR checks it against your own profile.

Which credit cards get me into a lounge at SEA?

Amex Platinum Card: The Centurion Lounge; Amex Business Platinum Card: The Centurion Lounge; Amex Centurion Card: The Centurion Lounge; Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve: The Centurion Lounge. Card benefits change, so check your card's terms before you go.

Does airline status get me into a lounge at SEA?

Yes, at 7 lounges: United Club (United Airlines Premier Gold and up (international flights), Star Alliance Gold); Alaska Lounge SEA (Concourse C) (Alaska Airlines Atmos Gold and up (long-haul international flights), oneworld Sapphire (international flights)); Alaska Lounge SEA (Concourse D) (Alaska Airlines Atmos Gold and up (long-haul international flights), oneworld Sapphire (international flights)); Alaska Lounge SEA (North Satellite) (Alaska Airlines Atmos Gold and up (long-haul international flights), oneworld Sapphire (international flights)); Alaska Airlines Lounge (Alaska Airlines Atmos Gold and up (long-haul international flights), oneworld Sapphire (international flights)); British Airways Club Lounge / First Lounge (British Airways Gold and up, oneworld Emerald (long-haul international flights)). Status entry needs a same-day departing flight on that airline or its alliance, and some tiers only count on international flights.

How much time do I need for a layover at SEA?

It depends on your terminals, whether you re-clear security or customs, and how far the gates are apart. LYVR adds up deplaning, every walk on the indoor map, any checkpoints your connection passes and the boarding door time, then shows exactly how much time you have to spare.

Is a 1 hour layover enough at SEA?

For a domestic connection on one ticket, usually yes. Arriving at SEA from another country, no: you clear passport control and customs, collect and recheck checked bags and go back through TSA security, so plan on 2.5 to 3 hours, unless your flight was precleared before departure. If a delay makes you miss a connection on one ticket, the airline rebooks you. LYVR works out your exact time to spare for your own two gates.

What is there to do on a layover at SEA?

With an hour or two, eat near your gate and walk the terminal. With more, SEA's 12 lounges (3 on Priority Pass) have quiet seats, food and often showers. LYVR's Explore tab lists every restaurant, bar and shop near your gate with the walk time, so you only see what fits in your layover.

Can I leave the airport on a layover at SEA?

Yes, if you have time. Arriving from abroad, you've already cleared US immigration and customs at SEA, so leaving only adds the trip into Seattle and back and TSA security on the return. As a rule of thumb, it's worth it with about 4 hours on a domestic layover and 6 on an international one. LYVR checks the ride each way and how much time you'd really have in Seattle.

Got a layover
at SEA?

Free, in your browser. LYVR finds the layover, times every walk and fills the gap.

Plan my layover →

Sources

Lounges from Priority Pass's and DragonPass's directories, the card networks' lounge lists (American Express, Capital One, Chase, Mastercard), each operator's own booking or waitlist page, and the Wikivoyage article on Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (CC BY-SA). Who gets in is worked out with the same rules the LYVR app uses for your saved cards, memberships and airline status. Wait times come from the airport's or TSA's own data, US Customs and Border Protection. Terminal times are LYVR's curated estimates. Compiled October 2026; details change, so confirm with the airport, airline or lounge before you travel. LYVR isn't affiliated with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.