Meeting an arriving flight
Picking someone up at Seatac
Wait in the free cell phone lot at 2623 S. 170th Street until your traveler has their bags, then drive to the curb outside baggage claim. The Port allows no parking or waiting on the airport roadway shoulders, and the lot is for waits of 20 minutes or less with the driver in the car. To meet them inside instead, park in the airport garage.
- Free waiting
- Cell phone lot, 20 min
- Lot address
- 2623 S. 170th Street
- Pickup
- Outside baggage claim
- Busiest
- Evening pickups
Step by step
How to time the pickup
- 01
Track the flight
Follow the flight on the Port's flight status page or the flySEA app rather than the scheduled time, so you know when it actually lands.
- 02
Wait in the cell phone lot
The lot is across from the S. 170th Street exit of the Airport Expressway, with 200 spaces and free Wi-Fi. Stay with your car; the Port tows vehicles left unattended or waiting more than 20 minutes.
- 03
Go when they have their bags
The Port says passengers can be picked up outside baggage claim once they have deplaned and collected their luggage. Ask your traveler to text when their bags are in hand, then drive over.
The details
What the Port of Seattle says
The cell phone waiting lot
The Port's cell phone lot at 2623 S. 170th Street has 200 parking spaces and free Wi-Fi, directly across from the S. 170th Street exit of the Airport Expressway. It is reserved for 20-minute parking while waiting for passengers arriving at SEA. Drivers must stay with their vehicles, and the Port lists waiting more than 20 minutes, leaving the vehicle unattended, commercial use and any taxi, ride-app or ground-transportation use as unauthorized: those vehicles are towed at the owner's expense.
No waiting on the roads
The Port says parking on the shoulders of the Airport Expressway is illegal and dangerous, and there is no parking or waiting on the airport roadway shoulders. Use the cell phone lot instead. The airport drives can be congested in the evenings for passenger pickup; the Port suggests using the other airport drive at those times to balance the load.
Meeting them inside
To walk in and meet your traveler, park in the airport garage across from the terminal. Drive-up general parking is on Levels 1-3 and 6-8 (all rows) and Level 5, Rows A-M; reserved parking is on Level 4 and Level 5, Rows N-W. The Ground Transportation Information Booth is on the 3rd level of the garage.
International and gate pickups
International passengers come out on the baggage claim level in Gina Marie Lindsey Hall, at the south end of the terminal, and the Port says customs typically takes 60 or more minutes. Meeting someone at the gate takes an approved SEA Visitor Pass, applied for in advance.
Next steps
Or skip the waiting
A late flight, a long bag wait or the evening crush on the drives can turn a pickup into an hour. Book their ride with the flight number and the driver follows the landing time.
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 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 →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 →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 →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
Where do I wait to pick someone up at Seatac?
In the Port's free cell phone waiting lot at 2623 S. 170th Street, across from the S. 170th Street exit of the Airport Expressway. It is for waits of up to 20 minutes, and you must stay with your vehicle.
Where do I pick up arriving passengers?
Outside baggage claim, once they have deplaned and collected their luggage. Waiting or parking on the airport roadway shoulders isn't allowed.
Is the Seatac cell phone lot free?
Yes. The Port describes it as free temporary parking for drivers waiting for arriving passengers, limited to 20 minutes, with the driver staying in the vehicle.
Can Uber, Lyft or taxi drivers use the cell phone lot?
No. The Port lists any taxi, ride-app or ground-transportation use as unauthorized, along with commercial use. Unauthorized vehicles are towed.
Can I meet someone at the gate?
Only with an approved SEA Visitor Pass, which you apply for ahead of time and use at Checkpoint 4. Otherwise meet them at baggage claim.
Where do I meet an international flight?
At the International Arrivals meeting point on the baggage claim level in Gina Marie Lindsey Hall, at the south end of the terminal. The Port says customs typically takes 60 or more minutes.
Official information
Checked on the Port of Seattle’s pages on November 4, 2026. Airport programs and rules can change, so confirm with the Port before you go.