Getting around · Seattle–Tacoma
Getting to and from SEA: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Seattle–Tacoma airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $45–$55 to Downtown Seattle, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the SEA Cellphone Waiting Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check SEA TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
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- PreCheck
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- CLEAR
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Taxis from SEA — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$45–$55
to Downtown Seattle
Drive time
20–40 min
14 mi to Downtown Seattle
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $45–$55 to Downtown Seattle on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Taxi stand on the 3rd floor of the airport parking garage, on the north and south curb; taxis operate 24/7. A $20 minimum fare applies to all trips originating at SEA (King County Ordinance 19700), plus a $1 on-demand surcharge; metered otherwise. Some private companies advertise ~$40 downtown 'flat rates,' but those are not airport.
The SEA cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at SEA Cellphone Waiting Lot. At 2623 S. 170th St, SeaTac, directly across from the S. 170th St exit of the Airport Expressway; about 200 free spaces with WiFi. There's a posted limit of about 20 minutes, so wait there until your traveler has their bags and is at the curb. From the Airport Expressway take the S. 170th St exit; the lot is directly across. Reserved for 20-minute waits only and you must remain with your vehicle or risk towing.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare SEAparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at SEA
Uber and Lyft pick up at the TNC/Rideshare zone on the 3rd floor of the airport parking garage; premium rides like Uber Black meet at baggage claim. Rideshare pickup is up on the 3rd floor of the parking garage, not at the arrivals curb - follow the signs and skybridges from baggage claim up to the garage.
Dropping off? Drop off on the Departures (upper/Ticketing) Level; the curb is for active loading only. Seattle–Tacomahas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to SEA — routes & drive time
SEA sits about 14 miles from Downtown Seattle, a drive of roughly 20–40 minutes via WA-518 W to I-5 N into Downtown Seattle — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to SEA by train or transit
By rail, your option is Link light rail 1 Line — figure about 38 minutes to Downtown Seattle. From baggage claim head up to the 4th floor and cross the skybridge to the parking-garage level (or take the free Train-to-Plane shuttle) to the SeaTac/Airport Link station, then ride the Link 1 Line about 38 minutes into downtown Seattle (Westlake). It's a flat $3.00 adult fare - just tap a card or ORCA.
Fare: Flat $3.00 adult one-way on Link (since Aug 30, 2024) - it reaches all downtown Seattle stations; pay by ORCA card, contactless tap, or ticket machine. Riders 18 and under ride free.
Hotel and city shuttles to SEA
Hotel and courtesy shuttles board in the ground-transportation area on the 3rd floor of the parking garage. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to SEA?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $9/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Seattle runs about $100. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 11 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare SEAparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at SEA
Wheelchair-accessible vans are available at the 3rd-floor taxi stand (ask the taxi coordinator); accessible Uber/Lyft (WAV) is available at the garage rideshare zone. Ground Transportation booth: 206-787-5906.
Late or overnight arrival? Link runs roughly 5 a.m.-1 a.m.; taxis and rideshare operate 24/7 from the garage; the free Train-to-Plane shuttle runs 5 a.m.-midnight.
Returning a rental on the way out? SEA Rental Car Facility at 3150 S. 160th St (off-site, ~1.5 miles); on departure follow the 'Rental Car Return' signs to International Blvd/SR 99 South. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: Link is now a flat $3.00 adult fare (changed Aug 30, 2024, with the Lynnwood Link extension); the cell-phone-lot entrance was rebuilt with a new route off the Airport Expressway. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified SEA's ground-transport details as of June 27, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is PDX (Portland), about 129 miles from SEA in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from SEA — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go SEA
SEA TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ SEA
How much is a taxi to or from SEA?
A metered taxi to Downtown Seattle typically runs about $45–$55, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Taxi stand on the 3rd floor of the airport parking garage, on the north and south curb; taxis operate 24/7.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at SEA?
Uber and Lyft pick up at the TNC/Rideshare zone on the 3rd floor of the airport parking garage; premium rides like Uber Black meet at baggage claim. Rideshare pickup is up on the 3rd floor of the parking garage, not at the arrivals curb - follow the signs and skybridges from baggage claim up to the garage. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the SEA cell-phone lot?
SEA Cellphone Waiting Lot — At 2623 S. 170th St, SeaTac, directly across from the S. 170th St exit of the Airport Expressway; about 200 free spaces with WiFi. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is SEA from Downtown Seattle?
SEA is about 14 miles from Downtown Seattle — roughly 20–40 minutes by car depending on traffic, via WA-518 W to I-5 N into Downtown Seattle.
Is there a train from SEA to Downtown Seattle?
Yes. From baggage claim head up to the 4th floor and cross the skybridge to the parking-garage level (or take the free Train-to-Plane shuttle) to the SeaTac/Airport Link station, then ride the Link 1 Line about 38 minutes into downtown Seattle (Westlake). It's a flat $3.00 adult fare - just tap a card or ORCA.