Landing at SEA: How Your Chauffeur Pickup Works

You have been in a middle seat for five hours, the flight landed twenty minutes early, and the last thing you want is to stand on a curb wondering where your ride is. A pre-arranged chauffeur pickup at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) should be the easiest part of the trip. It is — as long as you know which of the two ways it works, and give your chauffeur a few details before you fly.

Two ways to be picked up at SEA

The Port of Seattle, which runs the airport, sets where commercial ground transportation may stop. Permitted pre-arranged limousines and town cars have two options, and you choose between them when you book.

1. Curbside on the Arrival Drive

SEA has two roadways in front of the main terminal: the upper Departure Drive and the lower Arrival Drive, outside baggage claim. Pre-arranged cars pick up on the Arrival Drive, and only in its load and unload lanes — not in bus zones or the through lanes. Drop-offs for departing flights happen upstairs on the Departure Drive. A chauffeur who tries to pick you up on the departures level can be cited for loading on the wrong drive, so if you are told to come downstairs, that is why.

Curbside pickup is quick when you travel light and know the airport. You collect your bags, message your chauffeur, and step outside at the door number you agree on. Because cars cannot wait at the curb, the car pulls up when you are actually there.

2. Meet-and-greet inside the terminal

For a meet-and-greet, your chauffeur parks in the designated limousine stalls on the third floor of the parking garage, in the Ground Transportation Plaza, then comes into the terminal to meet you — usually at baggage claim, with a sign bearing your name. You walk together, bags and all, back across to the garage, where the car is waiting.

This is the better choice when you are travelling with children, a lot of luggage or a group; when you are visiting Seattle for the first time; or when you are booking the ride for someone else, such as a client or an elderly parent, and want them met in person. The walk to the garage takes a few minutes longer than stepping out to the curb, but nobody has to find anybody.

Give your chauffeur the flight, not just the time

The single most useful thing you can send is your airline and flight number. With it, the pickup is planned around the flight’s actual arrival rather than the time printed on your itinerary. Early landings, late departures from your origin and schedule changes all move the pickup automatically, and nobody has to call anybody to ask where the plane is.

Also let us know:

• How many people and how many bags. Four adults with four large suitcases, a stroller and a car seat will not fit in a sedan. Ski bags, golf clubs and oversized cases usually mean an SUV or a Sprinter van.
• Whether you have checked bags. Carry-on travellers can be at the curb within minutes of landing; checked bags at a busy carousel can take much longer.
• A mobile number that will work when you land, especially if you are arriving from abroad with a different SIM.
• Anything that affects the ride: a stop on the way, a child seat, a wheelchair or walker that needs to go in the trunk.

Arriving on an international flight

International passengers clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection before they can leave the airport, and the time that takes varies widely — from a short walk on a quiet morning to a long line when several wide-body flights land together. When you book, tell us whether you are arriving from outside the United States. We plan the pickup with that in mind, and a meet-and-greet is often the calmer option, because your chauffeur can wait for you rather than circling for a curbside window.

Once you are through, send a message. If you have Global Entry or Mobile Passport Control, mention it; it can shorten the wait considerably.

Step by step: a typical curbside pickup

1. Before you fly, you receive your chauffeur’s name, the vehicle and a contact number.
2. When you land, turn your phone on and send a quick message: “Landed, heading to baggage claim.”
3. At the carousel, your chauffeur confirms which door on the Arrival Drive to walk out of.
4. With your bags, you message again and step outside. The car pulls into the load and unload lane, your chauffeur handles the luggage, and you are on your way.

Step by step: a typical meet-and-greet

1. Before you fly, you receive your chauffeur’s name and a contact number, and agree where you will be met.
2. When you land, your chauffeur is already parked in the garage and walking in to meet you.
3. At baggage claim, look for your name. Your chauffeur helps with the bags from the carousel.
4. Together you follow the ground transportation signs to the third floor of the parking garage, where the car is waiting.

Travelling in a larger vehicle

Stretch limousines and high-roof vans do not always fit the garage’s height limits, and the Port has separate arrangements for over-height vehicles. If you have booked a Sprinter or a stretch for a group, your chauffeur will tell you exactly where to meet; it may not be the same spot as a sedan pickup. This is one more reason to share a phone number that works when you land.

Leaving Seattle: getting to SEA on time

For departures, the pickup time depends on where you are starting from and when you are flying. The airport is roughly 14 miles south of downtown Seattle, but I-5 and I-405 can turn that into a long drive at rush hour, on game days and on Friday afternoons. Tell us your flight time and whether you have bags to check, and we will suggest a pickup time with a sensible margin. You will be dropped at the Departure Drive, at the door closest to your airline.

Common questions

Can my chauffeur wait at the curb while I get my bags?

No. Commercial vehicles may not wait at the Arrival Drive curb; they pull in when you are ready. If you want someone waiting as you walk out of the secure area, book a meet-and-greet.

What if my flight is diverted or cancelled?

Let us know as soon as you can. With your flight number, a delay is followed automatically; a diversion or cancellation means re-planning the ride, and a quick call or message is the fastest way to do it.

Which vehicle should I book for an airport run?

One to three travellers with normal luggage fit comfortably in an executive sedan — see how an airport town car compares with rideshare, taxi and light rail. For more bags or more people, see choosing a vehicle for your group or browse the fleet.

Ready to book? Our airport transfers run to and from SEA every day. Send your flight details through the booking form and we will confirm the vehicle and a quote, or see how rates are put together first. The Port of Seattle’s own page on pre-arranged limousines has the official rules.