Seattle Airport Guide — FIFA World Cup 2026 · SEA, Paine Field (PAE), Bellingham (BLI)

Step by Step

Arriving at Sea-Tac (SEA)

Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) is the only major international airport serving Seattle — 13 mi south of downtown, ranked among the busiest US airports. SEA is one of the very few US World Cup venues with direct light rail to the stadium: the Link 1 Line connects SeaTac/Airport Station to Stadium Station in 43 minutes for $3.50.

Land & Clear Immigration

International arrivals clear US Customs and Border Protection at SEA's South Satellite (Concourse S) or the new International Arrivals Facility. Have your passport, customs declaration, and onward travel info ready. Mobile Passport Control or Global Entry kiosks dramatically speed up clearance.

→ Mobile Passport Control is free and almost as fast as Global Entry — download before you land.

Collect Baggage

Baggage carousels at SEA typically take 25-40 min after landing. International arrivals on the lower level; domestic baggage on the upper level. Allow extra time on Saturdays and during peak summer hours.

→ Oversized baggage is collected at a separate claim — ask staff if you don't see it.

Take the Link 1 Line — $3.50

Walk from baggage claim to the Sea-Tac/Airport Link Station via the connecting skybridge (5-min walk, well-signed). The Link 1 Line runs every 8-10 min direct to downtown Seattle (Westlake Station, ~38 min) and continues to Stadium Station (43 min total). Tap an ORCA card or pay $3.50 cash. Same train, no transfer needed for both downtown hotels and matchday Lumen Field.

→ Cheapest, most reliable option — beats rideshare on cost AND time during traffic.

Match-Day Path: SEA → Stadium Station

For Lumen Field directly: take the Link 1 Line from Sea-Tac/Airport Station — same train, just stay on past Westlake. 43 minutes total to Stadium Station, 1 block from the stadium gates. Skip Westlake and go straight to the match. $3.50 fare. No matchday surge.

→ The only US World Cup airport with direct rail to the stadium. Use it.

Get Connected

International visitors should activate a US eSIM or international roaming before leaving the airport. T-Mobile and AT&T kiosks sell prepaid SIMs in-terminal. Airalo offers global eSIM plans you can buy and activate before you land — works on most modern phones.

→ You'll need US data for Uber, Google Maps, FIFA app, and the Transit GO Ticket app.

Getting from SEA to Seattle / Lumen Field

Link 1 Line (best to downtown)

$3.50

~38 min to Westlake Station

Direct from SeaTac/Airport Station to downtown Seattle, every 8-10 min. Tap ORCA, no transfer needed. Stops at Capitol Hill, Westlake, U District, Northgate, Lynnwood.

Link 1 Line (matchday)

$3.50

~43 min direct to Stadium

Same Link 1 Line, stay on past Westlake to Stadium Station — 1 block from Lumen Field. No transfer, no matchday surge. The cheapest matchday transit of any World Cup venue.

Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)

$45-75 to downtown · $30-50 to Lumen Field

25-50 min · 20-40 min

Uber and Lyft pickup is at the Ground Transportation level (4th floor of garage). Heavy I-5 traffic and surge pricing on match days. Avoid for matchdays — the Link beats it on cost and reliability.

Rental Car

$50-110/day

25-40 min

Rental Car Facility is connected by free shuttle from the airport (~10 min). Useful for day trips to Mt. Rainier, Olympic Peninsula, San Juan Islands. Less useful for daily Seattle navigation due to traffic and steep parking costs.

SEA Terminal Guide

Navigating Sea-Tac Airport

Alaska Airlines hub ★

Concourse C/D

Alaska Airlines' main hub — bulk of domestic departures and West Coast routes. Concourse D extends north for additional domestic gates.

Domestic Carriers

Concourse A/B

Delta, United, American, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, Frontier — all domestic operations.

International ★

South Satellite (Concourse S)

Most international flights from Europe (BA, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Icelandair), Asia (Korean, ANA, JAL, Cathay), and the Middle East (Emirates, Qatar). The new International Arrivals Facility opened 2022.

North Satellite

Concourse N

Additional Alaska Airlines gates, recently expanded with new dining and retail.

The Satellite Transit System (STS) underground train connects the Main Terminal with the North and South Satellites — runs continuously, free. Allow ~10 min between concourses on the STS or longer on foot.

Secondary Airports

Paine Field & Bellingham

If domestic fares are significantly cheaper into PAE or BLI, here's what to expect. Both add travel time vs. SEA.

Paine Field / PAE · Everett

~30 mi north of Seattle · ~32 mi to Lumen Field

A small, quieter regional airport in Everett — Alaska Airlines is the primary carrier with West Coast domestic routes. Often dramatically cheaper than SEA. No public transit to Seattle — rental car or rideshare (~45 min to downtown). Useful if you're combining with a Mt. Baker / Whidbey Island trip.

Bellingham (BLI)

~90 mi north of Seattle · ~92 mi to Lumen Field

Far from Seattle near the Canadian border. Allegiant and Alaska Airlines serve mostly Western US domestic routes. Useful only if you're staying near the BC border or got an unbeatable fare. ~90 min by car to Seattle (longer with traffic).

Essential Airport Tips

⚠Download the FIFA app, Uber/Lyft, and the Transit GO Ticket app before you land — US phone number sometimes required for setup. Use US eSIM or carrier roaming.

⚠Sea-Tac Link Station is connected via skybridge from baggage claim — 5-min walk. Skip rideshare; the Link is faster and 5-10x cheaper.

⚠For matchday: the Link 1 Line goes direct from SEA to Stadium Station ($3.50, 43 min). The only US World Cup airport with direct stadium rail.

⚠Day-trip rentals: book at SEA's consolidated Rental Car Facility for the best selection. National park trips (Mt. Rainier, Olympic) need 4WD options on shoulder dates.

⚠Match day: SEA-to-Lumen Field rideshare is rarely cheaper than Link Light Rail and often slower due to I-5 traffic. Always favor Link 1 Line for matchday arrivals.

✈️ Airport Guide