Need airport help while traveling through Seattle? Just ask Team Green

 

The team in green

The man had been waiting an hour for his mother to exit international arrivals at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Spotting me in a bright green jacket wearing a name tag that said "Carol," he asked me a few questions about when the flight might arrive and where to get a coffee. 

I answered. He wandered away, then he came back with another question, and finally another.

"Carol," he said, glancing at my name tag, "Why the hell would anyone volunteer to work at the airport?"

I smiled. "Well, sir, to help people like you."

My husband, Tom, and are part of a group of 130 volunteers assisting travelers with directions and information at key locations inside and outside security.

We normally work a three-hour shift on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. -1 p.m. helping people with everything from finding the Uber pick-up to making a phone call, finding a hotel room or locating a lost phone or passport.

One of the perks is three weeks of free parking in the airport garage, but the real reward is the appreciation we feel after offering what seems to be the slightest bit of help. People have thanked me with hugs and kisses. One called me his "guardian angel." Another treated me to a Matcha latte from Starbucks.

When you are in a hurry, tired, confused or irritated about a cancelled flight, we are a friendly face with an answer. 

If you don't speak English, we are there to help. Some volunteers speak various foreign  languages. Others use translation apps. If those fail, we will walk you to wherever you are going, or help you phone an English-speaking relative. We can't help you carry your bags, but we help you find your gate, advise you on where to eat, the best areas to wait between connections and where to nurse your baby in private.  

Many airports have similar volunteer programs, but Seattle's program is especially important, given on-going construction and expansion projects that have disrupted traffic, baggage claim services, TSA check points and departure gates. 

If you've been frustrated navigating Sea-Tac, you're not alone. A recent survey by JD Power ranked Sea-Tac 17 lowest out of 20 nationwide "mega" airports for customer satisfaction. 

Construction is winding down, so many of the problems that led to the poor showing should be resolved by spring in time for the 2026 cruise season and the FIFA World Cup games  in June.

If you will be among the thousands traveling through Sea-Tac in the next few months, help awaits, not only from the volunteers, but from a paid staff of professional Pathfinders. In the meantime, I have some ratings of my own to hand out, along with some pro-tips.

Start by downloading the free green flySEA app. Use  it to check your gate, arrival and departure times etc. Tip: Instead of scrolling through the various categories such as "Dining" or "Ground Transportation, go "Maps" and type in what you are specifically looking for: ie: "children's play area" or  "espresso" or "ATM," and a list of locations will appear.

Sea-Tac's new Checkpoint One

Fastest TSA checkpoint: Checkpoint 1 downstairs from ticketing at the baggage claim - arrivals level. Sea-Tac has six TSA security checkpoints. All but one are on the departures-ticketing level where lines are likely to be longest.  If you have only a carry-on and don't need to check a bag with your airline, Checkpoint 1 is your best bet. Ask to be dropped at arrivals, near Door 6.

P.F. Chang's overlooks the N Concourse

Best restaurant with a view: P.F. Chang's on the mezzanine at the N Concourse. Some might argue for Salty's, upper level, Central Terminal, but P.F. Chang's is healthier, and although pricey, most of its bowls and entrees are big enough to share. 

Starbucks Not

Best places for coffee: Forget the lines for to-go orders at Starbucks, and head either to Costa Coffee, N Concourse, with its spacious seating area, or Dilettante Chocolates and Mocha Cafe in the main terminal for decadent drinks and desserts. A newly-opened 7-11 at baggage claim has the best price ($3.19) on regular drip coffee. Check out the locally-owned Neighborhood Cafe in the ticketing area of the main terminal (before security) for its bargain breakfast sandwiches ($7.45) and some unusual Filipino snacks  such as black-sesame rice krispie treats and Ube cookies.

Filipino treats at the Neighborhood Cafe 

Best restroom areas: Sea-Tac has all-gender bathrooms, family bathrooms, adult changing areas and private nursing rooms (The best is the nursing suite with comfortable chairs and sofas on the N Concourse mezzanine). Outside security, there's a new nursing room outside  Checkpoint 6, near the Alaska Airlines bag check area. Search "restrooms" on the SEA app for other locations.

Signs indicate private nursing areas

Best place to sit while waiting for a connecting flight: One of the biggest complaints about the airport is the lack of seating, other than tables and chairs inside security and seats at the gate areas.  

Lounge area in the S Concourse

The best place to relax inside security is the lounge area at the S Concourse furnished with couches and comfortable chairs. 

Outside security, options are fewer. There are chairs in the International Arrivals area, but it's often crowded and the seats look and feel like large concrete blocks.  If your layover is long,  considering taking the DoubleTree Inn's free airport shuttle to its hotel near Sea-Tac, and having lunch in its atrium lounge. 

Live music in the Central Terminal

Best entertainment: The live musicians who perform in the Central Terminal, A and N Concourses, and the SEA Pups, trained volunteer therapy dogs around for free cuddles and hugs. 

Best wheelchair service:  If you're traveling on Alaska Air, ask to try out one of their driverless wheel chairs. The little robots have a place for your carry-on, and emit a fun little  sound as they drive you to your gate. 

Self-driving wheel chairs

Best way to meet up with a friend or loved-one: Get a one-time Visitor Pass by clicking on this link. Download a QR code to your phone, then show your TSA-approved ID, and enter the gate area through Checkpoint 4.

Best way to get downtown: Link Light Rail if you don't have much luggage. Head over any skybridge on the ticketing level into the parking garage. A walkway and a free shuttle lead to the station for the $3, 40-minute ride downtown. Starting on March 28, Sound Transit will operate an overnight bus between SeaTac and downtown Seattle every 30 minutes between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Taxis and Ride Shares leave from the third floor of the parking garage.  Don't assume that Uber or Lyft are cheaper than a taxi. A flat-rate taxi to downtown might cost $40-$60 while a ride share can sometimes cost $80 or more.

Need anything else?

Just ask Team Green. We're here to help.