Shuttle, taxi or private car
Sea-Tac shuttle, taxi or private car: which one fits your trip
Traveling alone and light, with time to spare? A shared shuttle or Link is the cheapest. Want to leave the moment you land? Taxis and rideshare wait on garage level 3. Two or more people, bags, kids or a pier to reach? A booked private car is one fixed fare, meets your flight and goes straight to the door.
- Taxi and rideshare
- Garage level 3
- Shared shuttles
- Per seat, shared
- Link walk
- About 7–12 min
- Private car
- Fixed fare, door to door
How the options compare from SEA
| Option | How you pay | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Booked private car (Seatac) | One fixed fare for the whole party, shown before you book | Groups, luggage, cruise piers, early or late flights |
| Shared shuttle van | Per seat; stops for other riders on the way | Solo travelers with time to spare |
| Taxi | Metered fare from garage level 3 | Leaving right away without booking |
| App rideshare (Uber, Lyft) | Price moves with demand | Short notice, when prices are calm |
| Link light rail | Lowest fare; station is a 7–12 minute walk | Light bags, destinations near a station |
Booked private car (Seatac)
One fixed fare for the whole party, shown before you book
Groups, luggage, cruise piers, early or late flights
Shared shuttle van
Per seat; stops for other riders on the way
Solo travelers with time to spare
Taxi
Metered fare from garage level 3
Leaving right away without booking
App rideshare (Uber, Lyft)
Price moves with demand
Short notice, when prices are calm
Link light rail
Lowest fare; station is a 7–12 minute walk
Light bags, destinations near a station
Pickup areas from the Port of Seattle's ground transportation listings. Taxi and rideshare prices change with traffic and demand.
Other ways to get there
Our private car is the quickest way from the airport. If you would rather share a van, or our car is booked for your time, these partners can take you.
Shared shuttle
Cheaper, in a shared van that stops for other riders on the way.
Compare shared shuttlesOpens a booking partner in a new tab; Seatac Connection may earn a commission.
The details
The cheapest seat is not always the cheapest trip. A shared shuttle charges per person and stops for other riders; a taxi or rideshare is metered or priced by demand; Link is the lowest fare but means a station walk and transfers with bags; a booked private car is a fixed fare for the whole party, door to door. For two or more travelers with luggage, the private car often costs about the same as several shuttle seats.
Shared shuttle
Shared airport shuttle vans charge per seat and carry several parties, so the ride takes longer than a direct car: the van may wait to fill and stops at other hotels or homes first. That trade is worth it for one traveler on a budget. For a family or group, add up the seats; a private car for the whole party is often close in price and goes straight there.
Taxi or rideshare
Metered taxis wait at the garage's third-floor north and south curbs, and app rideshare loads in marked stalls 1–34 on the same level. Both suit a trip you decide on after landing. Fares move with traffic, and rideshare prices rise at busy times, so the total is only known at the end. Large luggage, car seats or a group of five or more can mean a second car.
Booked private car
A Seatac ride is booked ahead at one fixed fare for the whole party, shown before you pay, with the flight number attached so the pickup follows your landing time. It meets you at the Arrivals curb or garage level 3, as you choose, and goes straight to your hotel, home or cruise pier. Our cars take a limited number of rides each day; when a time is full, the booking shows other ways to get there.
If this happens, do this
You are two or more, with bags
Shuttle seats are priced per person, and a taxi may not fit everyone and every bag.
Price one private car for the whole party before buying several seats.
You are heading to a cruise pier
Pier 66 and Pier 91 have set boarding windows, and Pier 91 has no public transit.
Book a direct ride timed to boarding, or a shuttle that lists your pier.
Your flight lands late or very early
Shared shuttles and transit run fewer trips at the edges of the day.
Book ahead with your flight number so the pickup follows the real landing time.
Before you go
- 1Count travelers, bags, car seats and mobility equipment
- 2Decide whether a fixed price or the lowest possible fare matters more
- 3Check where your option loads: garage level 3, Arrivals curb, or the Link skybridge
- 4Add your flight number to any booked ride so the pickup follows the landing time
Common mistakes
- Comparing one shuttle seat to a private car fare for a whole family
- Forgetting the wait for a shared van to fill and the stops before yours
- Accepting an unsolicited ride inside the terminal instead of a licensed taxi or a booked car
- Assuming every taxi or rideshare car fits large luggage, car seats or six people
Check the flight, then book the ride
Add your flight number when you book a private ride to or from SEA, and the pickup is planned around your flight.
Official information
Last checked October 30, 2026. Airport services and hours can change, so confirm details for your travel day.