Sea-Tac Airport prepares for busy holiday travel season

SEATAC, Wash. — Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is gearing up for a bustling holiday travel season, with an estimated 1.5 million people expected to pass through between Thursday and Nov. 30.

Airport officials anticipate the busiest travel day will be the day before Thanksgiving, with approximately 172,000 travelers.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving and the Saturday after are also expected to see more than 160,000 travelers each.

In a positive development for holiday travelers, construction walls are coming down at Sea-Tac, marking significant progress in the airport's renovation project.

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The biggest improvement customers will probably notice is the brand-new Alaska Airlines ticketing and bag check area.

This change is expected to alleviate some of the stress travelers have experienced over the past couple of years due to ongoing construction.

"I thought it was beautiful," a traveler said. "Very clear, easy to understand. I love the fact that you can come in and everything is right here."

Airport officials hope the construction milestone helps alleviate stress as travelers head to Thanksgiving dinners across the country.

While this phase of construction is complete, Sea-Tac officials said upgrades and additional work will continue over the next few years.

The airport aims to finish most of the renovations before the 2026 World Cup.