No flight? Meet them at the gate
SEA Visitor Pass: go past security without a flight
The SEA Visitor Pass lets people who are not flying go through security at Seatac to spend time with a traveler or visit the shops and restaurants past the checkpoint. Apply online the day of your visit or up to seven days ahead, wait for TSA approval by email, then bring your QR code and a REAL ID-compliant photo ID to TSA Checkpoint 4. The Port limits it to 300 passes a day.
- Apply
- Same day or up to 7 days ahead
- Daily limit
- 300 passes
- Checkpoint
- TSA Checkpoint 4
- ID
- REAL ID-compliant photo ID
Step by step
How to get a SEA Visitor Pass
- 01
Apply online
Use the Port's application page on the day of your visit or up to seven days in advance. Enter your full legal name, date of birth and sex exactly as they appear on your passport or driver's license. Every visitor, including each child, needs their own application.
- 02
Wait for TSA approval
Applied in advance? The approval email arrives after midnight on the day of your visit. Applied the same day? The program page says within 15 minutes; one answer in the Port's FAQ says within 30 minutes, so allow for either. A denial also arrives by email.
- 03
Go to Checkpoint 4 with your QR code and ID
Each person shows their own QR code (printed or on a phone) and their own ID at TSA Checkpoint 4, uses general screening, and tells the TSA officer they have a SEA Visitor Pass. No approval email means no entry.
The details
What the Port of Seattle says
Who you can meet
The Port lists travelers who are departing internationally, departing domestically, arriving domestically, or connecting from a domestic flight. The pass does not get you into passport control: people arriving on an international flight are met at the International Arrivals meeting point on the baggage claim level, and no pass is needed for that.
Hours and the four-hour limit
The Port lists entry at Checkpoint 4 between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., seven days a week, and its FAQ gives 9:00 p.m. as the last entrance; SEA recommends leaving by 10 p.m. You may leave and come back on your approved day, but you re-clear security each time and a four-hour limit starts at your first screening.
ID, items and screening
Bring a government-issued photo ID that is REAL ID compliant and accepted by TSA; the FAQ lists out-of-state licenses and U.S. or international passports, and non-U.S. citizens may take part. TSA PreCheck and CLEAR cannot be used with the pass. TSA's prohibited-items and 3-1-1 liquids rules apply, and the FAQ allows one personal item through the checkpoint.
Children and groups
Every visitor registers and is approved, whatever their age. Visitors over 15 with a TSA-approved photo ID register with that ID; parents or guardians register children without one. Minors under 18 stay with an approved adult the whole time, and one adult can accompany up to five minors.
What the pass does not cover
It is for personal use only; commercial or professional use is forbidden, and badged airport employees can't use it for work. SEA wheelchairs and wheelchair attendants are not available with the pass, though you may bring your own wheelchair or mobility aid. To meet an unaccompanied minor, arrange it with the airline instead.
Entry is not guaranteed
Every applicant is checked against TSA's no-fly list. The Port calls the program permanent but can cancel it or change its rules at any time without notice, and it can revoke a pass for security risks, nuisance or rule violations. Check the Port's page before your visit.
Next steps
Getting your traveler to and from Seatac
The pass gets you to the gate. Parking isn't included, and the Port's FAQ points visitors to the paid garage, off-site lots, buses or Link light rail. If you'd rather not drive at all, book the ride.
Bring your traveler home from Seatac
Book a private ride from the airport and add the flight number so the pickup follows the landing. One fixed fare for the whole party, shown before you pay.
Book a pickup from SeatacGet them to the flight
A private ride to Seatac, door to the departures curb, with the whole party and the bags in one car.
Book a ride to SeatacCell phone lot or a booked ride?
Driving yourself? The Port's cell phone lot is free for up to 20 minutes and you must stay with the car. A booked ride skips the waiting and meets your traveler at the Arrivals curb or garage level 3, as you choose.
See where each ride picks up →Parking at Seatac
Garage, reserved and off-airport parking, the cell phone lot, and a calculator comparing parking with a round-trip ride.
Compare parking →Today's security waits
Estimated waits by checkpoint and the other airport conditions worth checking before you leave home.
Check SEA conditions →Track the flight
Look up the flight to see when it is due, then plan when to leave for the airport.
Look up a flight →Hotels near the airport
For an early departure or a late arrival, compare airport-area hotels and add the ride.
See airport hotels →Plan the whole trip
Flights, hotel, rides and what to do in Seattle, in one plan you can share with the people you're meeting.
Open the trip planner →
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the SEA Visitor Pass?
A Port of Seattle program that lets people who are not flying go through security at Seatac to spend time with travelers or use the shops, restaurants and amenities past the checkpoint. It is for personal use only.
How far in advance can I apply for a SEA Visitor Pass?
On the day of your visit or up to seven days in advance. Passes are limited to 300 a day, first come, first served, subject to TSA approval. If you can't select a date on the form, that day is full.
When will I hear if I'm approved?
If you apply in advance, TSA's approval email arrives after midnight on the day of your visit. For same-day applications the Port's program page says within 15 minutes, and one FAQ answer says within 30 minutes.
Which checkpoint do I use with a SEA Visitor Pass?
TSA Checkpoint 4 only, through general screening. Show your own QR code and ID and tell the TSA officer you have a SEA Visitor Pass. TSA PreCheck and CLEAR lanes can't be used with the pass.
What hours can I enter with a SEA Visitor Pass?
The Port lists entry between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., seven days a week, and its FAQ gives 9:00 p.m. as the last entrance. SEA recommends leaving by 10 p.m. A four-hour limit starts at your first screening.
What ID do I need?
A government-issued photo ID that is REAL ID compliant and accepted by TSA. The Port's FAQ lists out-of-state licenses and U.S. or international passports as accepted.
Can children use the SEA Visitor Pass?
Yes. Every child needs their own registration and QR code. Minors under 18 must stay with an approved adult, and one adult can accompany up to five minors.
Can I use the pass to meet someone arriving on an international flight?
No pass is needed, and the pass doesn't reach passport control. International arrivals are met at the International Arrivals meeting point on the baggage claim level. Travelers arriving from Dublin or Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver have already cleared U.S. entry, so the Port says they can be met at their arrival gate.
Is parking included?
No. The Port's FAQ says parking is not provided free of charge: you can pay for the airport garage, park off site, or come by bus or Link light rail. A booked ride to or from Seatac avoids parking altogether.
Official information
Checked on the Port of Seattle’s pages on November 2, 2026. Airport programs and rules can change, so confirm with the Port before you go.