Passengers should benefit from Sea-Tac's new international competition

 

Cathay Pacific's announcement that it will restore non-stop flights between Seattle and Hong Kong next year is icing on the cake for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport where airlines added six new international services this year, and have plans for at least another six in 2026.

Cathay Pacific ended its Seattle-Hong Kong service during the Covid pandemic. When it resumes on March 30, 2026, it will fly five times per week on the 250-seat Airbus A350-900, offering another new gateway to mainland China, Southeast Asia and India.

This comes on top of new non-stops to Seoul and Tokyo added by Alaska Airlines this year as well as a new Edelweiss Air flight to Zurich and an SAS flight to Copenhagen.  Delta will add new non-stops to Barcelona and Rome next year while Alaska will also add a non-stop to Rome as well as Reykjavik and London. 

Seattle now has service to 36 international destinations on 30 different airlines, a major advantage given the 750,000 visitors expected for next year's FIFA Men's World Cup. Seattle will host six matches June 11-July 18th, also the height of the Alaska cruise season. 

Anyone who has traveled through the airport recently has experienced the long back-ups at arrivals and departures, long lines for rental car buses and long waits for loved-ones in a cramped international arrivals area.

One might wonder, "Is Sea-Tac up to the job of accommodating all the extra flights and passengers?''

And how about the airlines? Delta and Alaska are the airport's primary carriers. Delta has loads of experience with international flights, but Alaska is just getting started with international expansion plans that have been taking shape since it acquired new long-haul aircraft in its merger with Hawaiian Airlines.

Let's look at the airport first, then talk about how passengers might be affected by the growing competition.

Sea-Tac is undergoing major renovations to improve its baggage claim area and screening equipment; roadways leading into the airport; and amenities in its C concourse. The goal is to complete most of the work by the time FIFA fans arrive. 

With limited ability to expand outward, Sea-Tac is building up, adding three new stories atop the existing C concourse. 

A rendering of new Concourse C

The  main floor will include a shopping area called Marketplace at C.  Dining and retail will frame a tiered, open amphitheater with a stage for live music. The upper level will house new restaurants, and provide views of the airfield and Olympic Mountains via a lookout deck.

The road improvements, with dedicated lanes for rental car buses, should alleviate the long waits for buses that now get stuck in general airport traffic.

Working with the Transportation Security Administration, the Port of Seattle is optimizing the outbound baggage handling system (BHS). A new system will replace the current aging conveyor system, and position the airport for future growth.

With the number of additional international passengers due to arrive this year and next, Sea-Tac would do well to tweak recent changes at the international arrivals waiting area, called the Gina Marie Lindsey Arrivals Hall on the baggage claim level.

Baggage claim level TSA checkpoint

A recently-opened new security checkpoint on that level (the others are upstairs on the ticketing level) is convenient for passengers being dropped off with only carry-ons, but has added to the general congestion in an already packed waiting area furnished with uncomfortable cube furniture resembling concrete blocks and lacking phone chargers. 

International arrivals waiting area

The wait times are long for arriving international travelers due to an experimental system (to be revisited during a one-month trial starting this month) that requires them to pick up their checked bags before going through Customs and Immigration. Those waiting to meet their loved-ones deserve a more comfortable seating area. 

When it comes to flights, passengers can look forward to more competition which should translate into more competitve fares. Delta and Alaska will be going head-to-head on the new Rome flight as well as flights to Tokyo, London and Seoul.

Both airlines are adding to and improving their lounges at Sea-Tac. Delta customers, unhappy with its requirements for elite status, could decide to switch their elite status to Alaska, given a wider selection of international options that can be booked directly with the airline. 

Delta requires a minimum yearly spend of $5,000 to maintain Silver Elite status while Alaska's requirements for MVP Gold center on the number of miles or segments flown, bars easier to reach with the addition of longer, international routes.

Flight amenities and comfort will depend on the specific route. Delta has the superior in-flight seat-back entertainment system while Alaska passengers must stream movies and TV shows on their own devices. Delta seems to have lowered the quality of its food service on international flights in recent years, so it will be interesting to see if Alaska can do better.

To play in the big leagues, Alaska will have to up its game when it comes to the level of customer service and staffing that international flights require. 

Sea-Tac customers often complain of long waits to reach someone on the phone or long lines at its airport service desks when problems occur. 

Alaska's integration with Hawaiian is progressing in stages, causing confusion and frustration among passengers who go to agents at each airline expecting help, only to be referred to the other.

Beat of Hawaii Travel News lays out the problems in a lengthy post.

"Until the airlines are fully integrated, passengers may need to double-check everything from mileage earning, upgrade eligibility, and seat selection rules. This requires extra work at booking and again before departure, especially for those booking through Hawaiian’s platform but ending up on Alaska metal," it advises.