Page last updated: 21 September 2025
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the primary air gateway for the Pacific Northwest. Each year the airport moves more than 50 million travelers and serves as a critical hub for domestic and international flights throughout the western United States.
How many passengers pass through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport each year?
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport handles around 50 million passengers annually, and is as one of the fastest-growing major airports in the United States.
- SEA processed 52.64 million passengers in 2024, a 3.4% increase from 2023 and a new record. The total is also 1.6% above the pre-pandemic high of 51.83 million from 2019.
- Traffic fell to 20.06 million in 2020, then rebounded to 36.15 million in 2021
International vs Domestic Passengers
SEA remains primarily a domestic airport, though international demand is rising fast.
- Domestic passengers: 46.09 million in 2024, 87.5% of total traffic, up 2.1% year over year
- International passengers: 6.59 million in 2024, 12.5% of total traffic, up 137 % year over year
Inbound vs Outbound Passengers
SEA functions mainly as an origin-and-destination airport, producing almost identical inbound and outbound volumes.
- Inbound passengers in 2024: 26.38 million (23.06 million domestic, 3.31 million international)
- Outbound passengers in 2024: 26.26 million (22.99 million domestic, 3.28 million international)
Passenger Flow: Inbound vs Outbound (2019-24)
| Year | Domestic Inbound | Domestic Outbound | International Inbound | International Outbound |
| 2019 | 23.09 M | 23.02 M | 2.87 M | 2.86 M |
| 2020 | 9.32 M | 9.37 M | 0.69 M | 0.66 M |
| 2021 | 17.23 M | 17.25 M | 0.85 M | 0.82 M |
| 2022 | 20.80 M | 20.78 M | 2.20 M | 2.19 M |
| 2023 | 22.59 M | 22.50 M | 2.93 M | 2.87 M |
| 2024 | 23.06 M | 22.99 M | 3.31 M | 3.28 M |
What is the total number of aircraft operations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport each year?
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport records over 400,300 total aircraft operations (takeoffs and landings) each year.
- SEA logged 434,321 takeoffs and landings in 2024.
- Operations remain 3.6 % below the 2019 peak of 450,487 but have climbed steadily from the pandemic low of 296,048 in 2020.
- Activity rose to 374,510 in 2021 and 422,497 in 2023.
Aircraft Operations by Type
- Most operations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport were carried out by air carriers, totaling 428,915 movements.
- Additionally, air taxi operations made up 4,078 movements, while general aviation contributed 1,280 and military flights accounted for 48 operations.
Aircraft Operations at SEA International Airport by Type (2019-24)
| Type | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Air Carrier | 443,817 | 290,130 | 368,872 | 395,997 | 417,346 | 428,915 |
| Air Taxi | 4,456 | 3,899 | 4,254 | 3,926 | 3,795 | 4,078 |
| General Aviation | 2,135 | 1,848 | 1,328 | 1,373 | 1,308 | 1,280 |
| Military | 79 | 171 | 56 | 55 | 48 | 48 |
Which airlines operate the most flights out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport?
Alaska Airlines dominates passenger traffic at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
- Alaska Airlines handled the most flights at 23.2 million passengers in 2024 and a 44.1% market share.
- Delta Air Lines followed: 10.52 million passengers and 20% of the market.
- Horizon Air served 3.07 million passengers, while United Airlines and Skywest, operating as Delta Airlines carried 2.66 million and 2.18 million passengers, respectively.
Top 10 Airlines at SEA Airport by Passenger Volume (2024)
| Airline | Total Passenger | Market Share |
| Alaska Airlines | 23.20 M | 44.1% |
| Delta Air Lines | 10.52 M | 20.0% |
| Horizon Air | 3.07 M | 5.8% |
| United Airlines | 2.66 M | 5.1% |
| Southwest Airlines | 2.23 M | 4.2% |
| Delta Connection/Skywest | 2.18 M | 4.2% |
| American Airlines | 1.89 M | 3.6% |
| Alaska/Skywest | 1.31 M | 2.5% |
| Frontier Airlines | 0.49 M | 0.9% |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 0.35 M | 0.7% |
What are the monthly or seasonal trends in passenger traffic at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport?
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport traffic fluctuates seasonally. Summer months represent peak travel periods and 2024 set multiple monthly records.
- The busiest months in 2024 were July (5.48 million passengers), August (5.43 million), and June (5.10 million).
- The least busy months were January (3.32 million) and February (3.39 million passengers).
Which destinations are the most popular from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport?
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport offers connectivity with 129 total destinations, comprising 94 domestic and 35 international routes served by 37 airlines.
Domestic Destinations
- Anchorage (ANC) was the most frequently served domestic destination at 1.02 million passengers in 2024.
- Los Angeles (LAX) was the destination for 983,250 passengers.
- Las Vegas (LAS) ranked third (951,140 passengers).
- Denver (DEN) and Phoenix (PHX) completed the top five with 950,210 and 944,730 passengers respectively.
International Destinations
- Vancouver, Canada (YVR) led international destinations at 668,816 passengers in 2024.
- London, United Kingdom (LHR), and Incheon-Seoul, South Korea (ICN), ranked next with 524,399 and 504,758 travelers, respectively.
- Taipei, Taiwan (433,653) and Charles de Gaulle, Paris, France (320,173) complete the top five international destinations.
Seattle Travel Resources
- Seattle RV rentals
- Car hire prices in Seattle
- EV Charging Station in Seattle
- Seattle to Canada Car Rentals
- Seattle to Los Angeles Car Rentals
- Seattle to Portland Car Rentals
- Seattle to San Diego Car Rentals
- Seattle to San Francisco Car Rentals
- Seattle to Spokane Car Rentals
- Seattle to Vancouver Car Rentals
How much cargo does Seattle-Tacoma International Airport handle annually?
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport handles over 400,000 metric tons of cargo annually.
- SEA moved 460,062 metric tons of cargo in 2024, a 10.4 % increase over 2023, when 417,124 metric tons of cargo were handled.
- The 2021 peak reached 498,741 metric tons during the pandemic e-commerce surge, which then dropped by 8.5% to 456,289 metric tons in 2022.
- Pre-pandemic 2019 volume was 453,547 metric tons and remained nearly flat at 452,496 metric tons in 2020.
How many delays or cancellations occurred at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the last year?
- On-time departures: 78 % in 2024 (down from 82 % in 2023).
- On-time arrivals: 79 % in 2024 (down from 83 % in 2023).
- Average departure delay: 54.72 minutes, an improvement over 57.03 minutes in 2023
- Average arrival delay: 58.18 minutes, better than 61.59 minutes in 2023
- Cancellation rate: 1.11 % in 2024, up from 0.60 % in 2023
How much revenue has Seattle-Tacoma International Airport generated each year?
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) earns over $1 billion in total revenue annually.
- The airport generated $1.02 billion in total revenue in 2019, which fell by 18.4% to $835.3 million in 2020 due to the pandemic.
- Revenue reached $1.34 billion in 2024, marking a 4.1% year-over-year increase and the highest total revenue recorded in the six-year span.
Annual Revenue, Expense and Income at SEA International Airport (2019-24)
| (in million USD) | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Operating Revenue | 764.2 | 510.8 | 622.0 | 797.9 | 953.6 | 1,021.8 |
| Non-operating Revenue | 259.9 | 324.5 | 288.4 | 367.0 | 338.8 | 323.1 |
| Total Revenue | 1,024.0 | 835.3 | 910.4 | 1,164.9 | 1,292.3 | 1,344.9 |
| Operating Expenses | 618.1 | 588.8 | 555.3 | 712.2 | 807.8 | 930.6 |
| Non-operating Expenses | 156.7 | 182.3 | 187.8 | 272.3 | 188.7 | 192.4 |
| Total Expense | 774.8 | 771.1 | 743.1 | 984.5 | 996.5 | 1,123.0 |
| Total Income | 249.3 | 64.2 | 167.3 | 180.4 | 295.8 | 221.9 |
Major Incidents at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- Nov 30 1947: Alaska Airlines Flight 9 overshot the runway in fog, killing nine
- Apr 2 1956: Northwest Orient Flight 2 ditched in Puget Sound, five deaths
- Nov 24 1971: Hijacker “D. B. Cooper” parachuted from Northwest Flight 305 with $200,000 and was never found
- Dec 26 1974: Harbor Airlines Flight 308 crashed due to a pitot tube blockage, four deaths
- Jan 20 1983: Hijacker killed aboard Northwest Flight 608 in Portland, no explosives found
- Apr 15 1988: Horizon Air Flight 2658 caught fire on landing, four injuries, aircraft destroyed
- Aug 10 2018: Horizon Air employee stole a Q400 and crashed on Ketron Island
- Aug 24 2024: Cyberattack crippled SEA’s systems causing major delays until the website was restored in November
Other US Airport Statistics
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport Statistics
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- Denver International Airport
- Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
- Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- John F. Kennedy International Airport Statistics
- Los Angeles International Airport
- Miami International Airport
- Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- O’Hare International Airport Statistics
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Statistics
USA Travel Statistics Resources
- Arizona Statistics (incl. Grand Canyon National Park)
- California Statistics (incl. Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Universal Studios Hollywood)
- Florida Statistics (incl. Destin, Key West, Miami, Orlando, Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World)
- Hawaii Statistics (incl. Kauai, Maui, Oahu)
- Illinois Statistics (incl. Chicago)
- Louisiana Statistics (incl. New Orleans)
- Massachusetts Statistics (incl. Boston)
- Nevada Statistics (incl. Las Vegas)
- New York Statistics (incl. New York City, Statue of Liberty)
- South Dakota Statistics (incl. Mount Rushmore)
- Tennessee Statistics (incl. Memphis, Nashville)
- Texas Statistics (incl. Dallas, Houston, San Antonio)
- Utah Statistics
- Washington Statistics (incl. Seattle)
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References
- PS: Current and Historic Traffic and Operations Statistics of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
- DT: International Destination of Passenger from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- BTS: Top Domestic Destination of Passenger from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and On-Time Performance Summary
- NTSB: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Incident Information
