Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has reopened Security Checkpoint 6 after nearly a year of closure for renovations, timing the debut to accommodate an anticipated surge of 900,000 travellers passing through the facility between 26 November and 1 December during the Thanksgiving travel period.
The checkpoint, which reopened Monday, underwent comprehensive redesign to address capacity constraints that have contributed to lengthy security queues during peak travel periods. The renovated facility features twice the space allocated for security queuing lines and triple the space in post-screening areas where passengers collect belongings and proceed toward gates.
Checkpoint 6 provides General screening, PreCheck, Touchless ID, Premium and CLEAR+ screening options, with convenient access to the D and N concourses serving both Alaska Airlines and international flights.
The reopening represents the culmination of extensive construction that closed the checkpoint for approximately twelve months, during which passengers were redirected to other screening locations throughout the airport. The timing positions SEA Airport to handle what officials project will be one of the busiest Thanksgiving travel weeks in the facility’s history.
Sunday, 30 November, is expected to be the single busiest day of the holiday period, with approximately 180,000 passengers arriving, departing and connecting through Seattle. This volume represents significant increase over typical daily passenger counts and will test the airport’s expanded screening capacity.
In June, SEA Airport opened a new Checkpoint 1 on the south end of Baggage Claim, establishing a second major security screening location to distribute passenger flows more evenly throughout the terminal. With Monday’s Checkpoint 6 reopening, the airport operates six security checkpoints simultaneously for the first time in its history, providing unprecedented screening capacity and offering passengers more routing options to reach their departure gates.
The checkpoint renovations constitute one component of the broader SEA Gateway Project, a comprehensive terminal modernisation initiative that has also included work in the baggage claim area. The airport indicated that baggage claim construction has concluded, allowing removal of scaffolding that had obscured sightlines and created navigation challenges for passengers unfamiliar with the facility.
Additional SEA Gateway Project improvements include expanded baggage check options, with a newly opened section on the north end of the Alaska Airlines ticketing level providing additional check-in counters and bag drop stations. Earlier this year, the airport also activated check-in areas on the skybridges connecting the parking garage to the terminal, allowing passengers to complete check-in and bag drop before entering the main terminal building.
The SEA Gateway Project represents one element of a larger $5 billion capital investment programme at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport addressing capacity constraints, modernising facilities, and improving passenger experience across multiple terminal areas. Other components of the broader investment portfolio include roadway improvements designed to alleviate traffic congestion on airport access routes, an automated parking guidance system directing drivers to available spaces, and expansion of the C concourse to accommodate additional aircraft gates.
The $5 billion investment scale reflects Seattle-Tacoma Airport’s growth trajectory and the Port of Seattle’s commitment to expanding capacity ahead of demand. The airport has experienced sustained passenger growth over the past decade, driven by Seattle’s robust economy, the region’s population growth, and Alaska Airlines’ hub operations that generate substantial connecting traffic through the facility.
The timing of Checkpoint 6’s reopening, arriving just days before Thanksgiving week, reflects deliberate planning to maximise the facility’s utility during one of the year’s most demanding travel periods. Thanksgiving consistently ranks among the busiest travel weeks annually, with concentrated passenger volumes on the Wednesday before the holiday and the Sunday following it as travellers depart for and return from family gatherings.
