What Are Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s Busiest Domestic Routes?

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) with 34,484,842 domestic passengers alone going through its airport in 2021 has many domestic routes. Below is a list of the top ten according to the Port of Seattle’s statistics with Simple Flying analysis.

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10/10 San Diego, California

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San Diego with its military bases and sun is unsurprisingly on this list. Especially as the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport vicinity also has many military bases. The city is also well-known for its beaches and sun. Both Delta Air Lines with Boeing 737s and Alaska Airlines with Boeing 737 variants and occasionally Airbus A321s also make direct flights to comprise 4,077 departures and 2.7% market share.

9/10 Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City is home to not just the Mormon Faith, but a major Delta Air Lines hub plus like all of these cities a decent number of business headquarters and tourism opportunities. Delta Air Lines provides more direct connections than Alaska Airlines, both using 737 family jets to make the connections. The end result is 4,258 departures and 2.8% of market share.

8/10 Las Vegas, Nevada

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America’s top entertainment capital makes number eight on the list with 4,981 departures and 3.3% market share. The home of Nellis Air Force Base and other military bases, “The Strip” full of casinos and hotels, and the closest airport to the Grand Canyon – there’s a lot to experience in Las Vegas. Clearly the city is also a hub for many connecting flights to many US and global destinations. Alaska, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, and Spirit all provide direct flights.

7/10 Phoenix, Ariz

Phoenix having 5,214 departures and 3.4% of market share has a very dry climate, unlike Seattle’s damp one. American, Alaska and Delta Air Lines all offer direct connections.

6/10 Boise, Idaho

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Boise, Idaho is unsurprisingly #6 on this list with 5,384 departures and 3.5% market share. Idaho’s capital city is not just the neighboring state’s largest city, but also home to several significant US Air Force bases. Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines provide direct connections.

5/10 Spokane, Washington

Eastern Washington’s largest city is well serviced with 6,786 departures and 4.5% market share. The city is home to a decent business sector, tourism opportunities, and a key military base – Fairchild Air Force Base that’s home to many aerial refueling Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers and the US Air Force’s premier Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) school in the 336th Training Group. Many direct flights are available from Alaska and Delta.

4/10 Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska is #4 with 6,786 departures and 4.5% market share. Many Alaska Airlines and a few Delta Air Lines flights connect directly to the hub airport for flights to other points in the 49th State. Plus, according to the airport, the airport is Less than 9.5 hours from 90% of the industrial world. So there are indirect flights such as the previously covered Milk Runs through the Alaskan panhandle.

3/10 Portland, Oregon

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

Portland, Oregon is directly connected by Alaska Airlines, its regional subsidiary Horizon Air, Delta Air Lines and its subcontractor SkyWest doing business as Delta Connection. Surprisingly at number three on this list with 7,552 departures and 5% market share, but Seattle and Portland are also connected by several Amtrak Cascades train trips daily.

2/10 San Francisco, California

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San Francisco International (SFO) is just one major airport in the San Francisco Bay Area, alongside Oakland International Airport (OAK) and San Jose International (SJC). Those airports also collectively serve many high-tech businesses, as does SEA. The San Francisco Bay Area commands a 5.9% market share and 9,043 departures with all those airports.

SFO as a standalone is still a powerful draw as a hub for international flights. Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines offer direct flights from SEA.

OAK is directly connected to Alaska and Southwest. SJC is directly connected to Alaska, Delta and Southwest. Both airports are connection points to many places.

1/10 Los Angeles, California area

Photo: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is a logical destination for many travelers either to America’s top entertainment hub or just to one of America’s largest cities. Like with SFO and ORD, LAX is just one airport for the area.

Worth noting LAX is a hub to both many domestic and international destinations – including flights to Australia & New Zealand. Many American, Alaska, Delta, and United direct flights are available.

The area also other commercial airports such as Hollywood Burbank Airport – directly connected by Alaska Airlines, John Wayne Airport and Ontario International Airport are both directly connected by Alaska and Delta, and indirect connections are available to Long Beach Airport.

The Los Angeles area commands 13,692 departures and 9.0% market area due to all of the above. Which is nothing short of amazing.

If you had to go anywhere from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where would you go? Let us know in the comments.

Source: SEA Airport Statistics

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  Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

  IATA/ICAO code: SEA/KSEA

  Country: United States

  CEO: Lance Lyttle

  Passenger Count : 20,061,507 (2020)

  Runways : 16L/34R – 3,627m (11,901ft) | 16C/34C – 2,873m (9,426ft) | 16R/34L – 2,591m (8,500ft)