A Guide to Priority Pass Lounges at Seattle-Tacoma Airport

Members get access to two lounges and two restaurants at Sea-Tac.

Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

Updated · 3 min read
Profile photo of Ramsey Qubein
Written by Ramsey Qubein
Profile photo of Chris Burkhardt
Edited by Chris Burkhardt
Assistant Assigning Editor
Fact Checked

Seattle-Tacoma fliers have a handful of lounges to explore when flying from or transiting through the Pacific-Northwest hub. These include:

However, these lounges are restricted to passengers with eligible access. That’s why cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express, which comes with its own lounge access and Priority Pass membership (enrollment required), are important additions to your travel wallet if you are not a member of these other lounges. Terms apply.

The Priority Pass Seattle options include a mix of restaurants and traditional lounges to choose from before a flight. It’s a great way to start any trip if you want a bit of peace and quiet or some refreshments before heading for the runway.

About the lounges

Priority Pass SeaTac fliers as well as anyone with a Priority Pass card can enjoy access to two lounges no matter what airline they are flying. Most airlines require you to be flying with that particular carrier or one of its partners to access its lounge, even if you paid for a membership.

Priority Pass sells its own annual memberships, but there are quite a few credit cards that come with Priority Pass access as well. At Seattle-Tacoma, there are four Priority Pass options to choose from, including lounges and restaurants where you swipe your card for a food and beverage credit.

Priority Pass options at Seattle-Tacoma

Location: Central Terminal, after TSA, near Gate C1.

Hours: 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Conditions: A visit is good for $28 off the bill; if you register a guest, they would be eligible for an additional $28 off the bill ($56 total). Note that Priority Pass Select membership through American Express credit cards excludes restaurants.

Many may find this better than a traditional lounge. As a restaurant, the menu is more substantial as is the drink list, which contains local craft beer, cocktails and regional wine. To-go orders are not eligible for using the Priority Pass credit, however.

Gratuity is not included in the Priority Pass credit, so that should be added separately. If you go over the allotted credit, you must pay the difference.

Location: North Satellite.

Hours: 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Conditions: A visit is good for $28 off the bill. A registered guest would be eligible for an additional $28 off the bill, or $56 in total. American Express credit cards excludes restaurants in Priority Pass Select memberships.

This tasty Vietnamese restaurant is a favorite of many travelers, and some may take a detour from other terminals just to be able to take advantage of their Priority Pass benefit here. Using locally sourced and fresh ingredients, the menu includes a variety of dishes ranging from tofu pho soup to rice or noodle bowls.

A drink menu includes soft drinks, wine, beer and cocktails, all of which are eligible to be used with the Priority Pass credit. Allow time to sit down and enjoy your meal since to-go orders are not eligible for using the Priority Pass credit. Note that you cannot use the credit toward gratuity, and if you go over the amount, you must pay the difference.

Location: Concourse A.

Hours: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Conditions: Access is only permitted three hours prior to a flight.

This is one of two The Club lounges at SEA. It offers a variety of light refreshments and an open bar with complimentary wine, beer, cocktails and soft drinks. Guests will find ample workspace, power outlets and free wireless internet. There are also computer workstations available. Since no airline lounges currently participate in the Priority Pass Sea-Tac network, this is as close as it gets to a traditional lounge experience.

Location: South Satellite, next to Gate S9.

Hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Conditions: Access is only permitted three hours before a flight.

This is the second of the two The Club lounges at SEA. This lounge serves a buffet of light refreshments and an open bar with complimentary wine, beer, cocktails and soft drinks. The South Satellite is home to many international airline departures, and as a result, several foreign carriers use this as their business class lounge. This means you might find a slightly upgraded selection of snacks some hours of the day.

Also, guests will find ample workspace, power outlets and free wireless internet. There are computer workstations available as well.

How to access these lounges

Priority Pass membership starts at $99 per year, but accessing a lounge still requires a fee for every visit. A $299 option permits 10 free annual visits, which makes it a better option for those that travel occasionally while a $429 option offers unlimited visits. But, the smartest frequent fliers rely on Priority Pass lounge access through their credit card benefits.

The following premium travel cards come with free Priority Pass membership:

*For card members who enrolled in Priority Pass Select on or before June 30, 2023, the benefit ended on July 1, 2024. For card members who enrolled in Priority Pass Select between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, the benefit lasts until April 1, 2025. New members are not eligible for the benefit. Terms apply.

Most of these cards come with Priority Pass Select membership, giving you unlimited access to the network’s 1,300-plus lounges worldwide — with the exception of those that cap access at 10 visits, as noted above. It is wise to always study the benefits of your card. Most permit bringing in two free guests, but some do not.

From there, the cost for an additional guest is $35 per person.

The bottom line

Priority Pass members flying to or through Sea-Tac can visit four lounge or restaurant locations before a flight. Be sure to review the details on the Priority Pass website as lounge hours can vary and some lounges may cap the number of people who can enter. Have an alternative lounge option ready, just in case, and arrive early to enjoy the experience.

All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is no longer available through NerdWallet.

The information related to Citi Prestige® Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024:

Airport Lounge Cards from our Partners
Citibank Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® Credit Card

on Citibank's application

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
4.6
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x

Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.

Miles

Intro offer

70,000

Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Miles
Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Reserve®
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-10x

Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Points
See more Airport Lounge cards
Get more smart money moves – straight to your inbox
Sign up and we’ll send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money.