Record passenger totals for 2016 may push Seattle-Tacoma International Airport into top 10 U.S. airports
Through third quarter, Sea-Tac posts near double digit growth while airports ranked nearby are flat. Projected 3.5 million more passengers for 2016 will pump millions more into local economy
SEATTLE – The Port of Seattle is projecting nearly 3.5 million more passengers for 2016, a total which may push Seattle-Tacoma International Airport into the top 10 list of U.S. airports by total passengers. Becoming a top 10 U.S. airport opens the door for more airline services and passenger options along with an increased economic benefit to the Puget Sound region. Currently Sea-Tac generates more than 171,000 jobs representing more than $2.8 billion in direct earnings, numbers which will go up with the millions more passengers coming through the airport.
Passenger totals through the third quarter of 2016 show a 9.1 percent increase compared with 2015. The annual total for 2015 was a record year with a 12.9 percent passenger increase over the previous year. In just six years, Sea-Tac’s passenger totals have increased by nearly 15 million – from 31.5 million in 2010 to a projected total of more than 45 million in 2016.
“Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is on final approach to become a top 10 U.S. Airport, which is a testament to our region’s economic strength and opportunity,” said Port of Seattle Commission President John Creighton. “In 2016, we announced eight new airlines – four passenger and four cargo carriers. The jobs and economic gains that these new airlines bring to our region will only increase as Sea-Tac continues to grow.”
At current projections through the end of the year, Sea-Tac’s 9.1 percent growth rate will exceed the rate of growth for the next three ranked airports (Houston, Phoenix, and Miami) to vault into the top 10. For the past two years, Sea-Tac is the fastest growing large hub airport in the U.S. and 13th largest domestic airport based on total passengers.
2015 Airport Rank/2015 Totals
10. Miami 44,350,247
11. Phoenix 44,003,840
12. Houston (IAH) 43,023,224
13. Sea-Tac 42,340,537
Source: Airports Council International Official Airline Guide
Highlights in 2016 include new international carriers Volaris and Xiamen with new domestic service from Spirit Airlines and the announcement of new international service from Virgin Atlantic. For air cargo, Sea-Tac welcomed new carriers Lufthansa Cargo, ABX, Amazon Prime Air and AirBridgeCargo.
Cracking the top 10 ranking is good news for passengers too. The ranking establishes Sea-Tac as a domestic and international gateway and can be a strong factor for existing carriers to add routes and to attract new airlines.
Movin’ On Up
- September 2016 was Sea-Tac’s busiest September ever – almost 4 million passengers.
- September domestic passenger traffic was up 5.4 percent vs. 2015 – international traffic was up 14.2 percent.
- Air freight at Sea-Tac is up seven percent in 2016.
- Sea-Tac has set annual passenger records for the past five years, totaling 42.3 million in 2015, a 12.9 percent increase from 2014 which was seven percent higher than 2013.
Media opportunity:
We have several locally-owned businesses at the airport that are available to talk about why more passengers are a good thing for their bottom line and employees.
Ready for the future
The Port of Seattle is working on more than $2 billion in near-term projects to accommodate more passengers, including renovating and expanding the North Satellite, new International Arrivals Facility, updated baggage system and a 20 year Sustainable Airport Master Plan. The Port is working closely with local communities to address sustainable growth while sharing economic benefits during the expansions.