Seattle Airport

Customer Reviews

3 star Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 233 reviews
3/10
3 star Skytrax Rating
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1/10

"will never travel through Seattle again"

(Ireland)

Not Verified | I entered Seattle on a Virgin flight on Thursday 30th May. I headed for Passport Control and was told to stop and wait in a corridor to the Passport area. I waited and waited for 90 minutes along with several other people, most of whom complained to the staff on duty within an hour. Announcements came over the intercomms that the passport control area was very full and they were trying their best to clear the backlog. The area where we were queueing was a corridor less than four metres wide, with at least 50 to sixty other people off the same flight. This area was very hot and became unsafe, so much so that we were offered free water whilst we waited. Several other planes and putting it bluntly we were discriminated against. Although we had the necessary ESTA documentation to enter the States we along with many other passengers had to endure watching passengers rush right past us and enter the passport area to be processed whilst we had to wait in line. Many of those waiting missed onward flights thanks to this policy. After 90 minutes (roughly) we were allowed into the processing area. 30 plus finger printing machines were there for us to use. So after a nine-hour flight, ninety minutes waiting in a very hot area we were given the task of taking our own fingerprints. Now I understand English perfectly and read the instructions perfectly, but would the machine take my prints - no. I then checked the screen below where my fingers had been, it was dirty, greasy and covered in what I assumed was sweat. I pointed this out to an attendant. There were just two helpers at the time trying to control this area and barking at the passengers. Two helpers for 30 dirty fingerprinting plates and people from all over the world not understanding the instructions walking around puzzled, bewildered and disenchanted. So wondering what germs or microbiological virus I would pick up from this experience I transferred to a different machine. Eventually, I obtained a piece of paper with a large “X” across it. I had failed my first test to get into the USA, now I was being barked at again being ordered to another queue about two and a half hours after my landing in the United States. After three hours I was given the all clear by a United States Customs Officer in a little booth, with his own fingerprinting machine that eventually, although just as unclean as the previous one agreed to read my fingertips! This was a very bad experience. Despite many complaints by my fellow passengers, many of whom were fellow Brits, we were discriminated against. The young customs officer who eventually allowed us into the United States stated: “We are getting new machinery soon”. This experience which I can prove beyond doubt will mean I will never travel through Seattle again. I found the people nasty, barking at us, talking to us like we were thick and shepherding us around like sheep. I assume that anybody who lives in Seattle or works there would also be disgusted if they saw how people visiting their city for the first time ever were treated.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitJune 2019
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"half of the kiosks were not manned"

(United States)

Not Verified | Extremely long wait time at immigration (more than 3 hours today). I can understand it is not possible to expand the immigration area in current building however at least ensure that all immigration kiosks are staffed. Today, I saw half of the kiosks were not manned by the immigration officials directly doubling the wait time!
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitJune 2019
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"airport is horrible"

(United States)

Trip Verified | This airport is horrible. Food was terribly expensive and awful. They were sandwiches that they would serve in jail and cost tons of money. The bathrooms were abominable. Filthy toilet seats, liquor bottles in the tampon disposal, water all over the floor. The trash was over flowing, there is no soap. I thought it was one particular bathroom but I’ve visited two or three and they were all the same here.
Experience At AirportTransit
Date VisitJune 2019
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
2/10

"Avoid this airport"

(United States)

Not Verified | Avoid this airport! Terrible selection of sit-down restaurants for transits alomg with the lack of other ammenities i.e. day lounges etc. you expect to see in an "International" airport. I do 50k miles a year but this is first (and last) time I have had to stop here.
Experience At AirportTransit
Date VisitMay 2019
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
3/10

"Appalling incompetence"

(New Zealand)

Trip Verified | Appalling incompetence - waiting an hour so far in the air bridge as “passport control is too crowded”. 50 minutes in they broadcast that "as you can imagine processing several hundred people is challenging" without a hint of irony despite pretty much every other airport managing it all day everyday. Previously I entered the US via other airports so had never experienced immigration here. Baggage handling is the worst I have experienced anywhere- I generally reach the baggage area before they even confirm what carousel it will come on.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitMay 2019
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"Avoid this airport"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Avoid this airport if you are travelling on an ESTA, we’ve have been inline for passport control for 2 hours and 10 minutes and still at least 30 minutes away from getting our documents/passports approved.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitApril 2019
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
no
1/10

"pathetic, unnecessary and embarrassing"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | I've been to better run, cleaner airports in rural Africa. The passport control lines are usually an hour at least for visitors because as the staff repeated over and over, "US citizens get priority". Which would be fine if the passport control kiosks for hundreds of international visitors were in any way adequate. I've been living here and traveling back and forth for three years. As America's "8th busiest airport", they need to join the rest of us in 2019 and equip their arrivals better. This is pathetic, unnecessary and embarrassing.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitApril 2019
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"we hope there will be some changes"

(France)

Not Verified | My mother and I arrived 2 hours in advance for our flight. It took us a couple of minutes to check in our luggage but nearly an hour to go through the tsa security line even if the person on charge at the beginning of the line told us it would only take 30 minutes. When we realized we were not going to make it on time (boarding time had started since 30 minutes), we asked a tsa agent to help us to cut the line. We were suprised of her negative answer as its usually how we do it in Europe. We were even more surprised when she asked us to wait while everyone was passing in front us, making us even later for our flight, in the future, we hope there will be some changes regarding the organization of the tsa security queue to reduce its duration. Its definitely the longest I have ever had. Good luck to all future passengers!
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitApril 2019
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"2.5 hours to clear Immigration"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | What a joke. Over 2.5 hours to clear Immigration then 5 hour delay to board another delayed flight that constantly swopped Gates meaning transfer between the 3 terminals. Best to avoid the US and spend your $$ in a credible country
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitApril 2019
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"inadequate and dirty"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I have flown through SEA many times twice in the last two weeks. Quite frankly I try to avoid the experience. (Portland Int’l is so much better - brighter, much much much cleaner, better food and shopping). The restrooms have been filthy during my last 4 times at SEA, the seating areas are inadequate and dirty, ugh.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitApril 2019
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no