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SEA Airport's Alaska Airlines Gateway Project complete
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Alaska Airlines are celebrating the completion of the SEA Gateway today. Here's what it looks like.
SEATAC, Wash. - Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will end its popular SEA Spot Saver program later this year, airport officials announced.
The free virtual queue service, which allows travelers to reserve appointment slots for general TSA screening, will officially end on Nov. 30, 2026. All appointments booked through Nov. 29 will continue to be honored at TSA Checkpoint 4.
The backstory:
Launched in 2021, the program was designed as a temporary tool to manage long security lines as traveler volume rapidly increased at SEA, currently ranked as the 11th busiest airport in the nation. Airport officials said recent major infrastructure improvements under the UpgradeSEA initiative have significantly accelerated standard security lines, making the reservation program largely redundant.
SEA Airport to end Spot Saver program
What we know:
The program will accept reservations through Nov. 29, 2026, and officially close on Nov. 30, 2026.
Active reservations through late November will continue to operate out of TSA Checkpoint 4 daily between 4 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Thanks to the opening of Checkpoint 1 and a redesigned Checkpoint 6 in 2025, more than 94% of travelers now navigate security screening in 20 minutes or less without a reservation.
"Because lines are moving so well, people are using the program less," the airport said in a statement. "We know you love Spot Saver, but we also know that many of you arrive and find it’s faster to pick an open lane instead of wait for your reservation – and that’s ok! It’s exactly what we hoped for with all this planning."
What we don't know:
Airport officials have not indicated whether a similar virtual queuing service will ever return during peak holiday travel periods in future years.
What's next:
Travelers flying out of SEA before Nov. 30 can still book Spot Saver appointments up to five days prior to their flight or upon arriving at the terminal. After Nov. 30, all general screening passengers will use standard TSA lines. Passengers can monitor real-time checkpoint wait times on terminal digital signage, the official flySEA app, or via the airport's website.
The Source: Information in this story came from an announcement on the Port of Seattle's website.
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