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November 18, 2025 – Port Commission Meeting Agenda Packet
The next regular Port Commission meeting will be this coming Tuesday, November 18, 2025 from 12pm to 5pm. The meeting will be held both virtually and in-person at SEA’s International Conference Center, on the Mezzanine level, at SEA.
PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR NOVEMBER 18th
The Commission meeting will be held in person, and virtually. During the regular order of business, those wishing to provide public comment will have the opportunity to: 1) Deliver public comment via email: All written comments received by email to commission-public-records@portseattle.org will be distributed to commissioners and attached to the approved minutes. 2) Deliver public comment via phone or Microsoft Teams conference: To take advantage of this option, please email commission-public-records@portseattle.org with your name and the topic you wish to speak to by 9:00 a.m. PT on Tuesday, November 18th. You will then be provided with instructions and a link to join the Teams meeting. 3) Deliver public comment in person by signing up to speak on your arrival to the physical meeting location: To take advantage of this option, please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of any regular meeting to sign-up on the public comment sheet available at the entrance to the meeting room. For additional information, contact commission-public-records@portseattle.org.
Notable Special Orders that may be of interest:
- None
Notable items on the Consent Agenda that may be of interest:
- Authorizing the Executive Director to execute an agreement with Daifuku Services America Corp. for an Onsite Baggage Control Technician, in accordance with RCW 39.04.280 Competition Waiver, for rapid, technical onsite service for a period of three (3) years with two (2) additional option years, in an amount not-to-exceed $3.4 million.
- Authorizing the Executive Director to execute a lease amendment with AARP at the SeaTac Office Center (International Place) to remove 2,195 sq ft of office space from their leased premises.
- Authorizing the Executive Director to increase the Parking Garage Elevator Modernization Project budget by the requested amount of $3.937 million, for a final revised total project cost of $27.027 million, to account for unanticipated existing conditions.
- Authorizing the Executive Director to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to establish eligibility for potential in-kind credit to the West Waterway Deepening Project resulting from the West Waterway High Spots Early Action Project.
- Commission supplemental approval of international travel requests for known travel in Q4 2025.
- Authorizing the Executive Director to execute a settlement agreement to recover approximately $4.413 million in costs associated with the Port’s cleanup of the Terminal 91 Uplands.
- Adoption of Resolution No. 3841, amending the Policy Directive for Salaries and Benefits for Employees not covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) established by Resolution No. 3831 and providing an effective date for all amendments as of January 1, 2026.
Notable items on the Unfinished Business that may be of interest:
- None
Notable items on the New Business that may be of interest:
- Adoption of Resolution No. 3839, adopting the Final Budget of the Port of Seattle for 2026; making, determining, and deciding the amount of taxes to be levied upon the Current Assessment Roll; providing payment of bond redemptions and interest, cost of future Capital Improvements and acquisitions, and for such general purposes allowed by law which the Port deems necessary; and directing the King County Council as to the specific sums to be levied on all of the Assessed Properties of the Port of Seattle District in 2026.
- Adoption of Resolution No. 3840, specifying the dollar and percentage change in the Regular Property Levy from the previous year per RCW 84.55.120; providing for an increase on the levy from $88,389,944 to $90,180,054.
Notable items on the Presentations and Staff Reports that may be of interest:
- ADR Program Briefing
- 2025 Police Department Update
You can find the complete meeting agenda at the Port’s website HERE.
Final SEPA DNS Issued on Flight Corridor Management Program
The programmatic Final threshold Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) was issued on Wednesday, November 12th for the Flight Corridor Management Program. The public comment period on the draft SEPA determination ran from August 27th through September 11th. An FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document was posted in response to public comments on November 6th. The links to the programmatic SEPA Environmental Checklist and Final DNS are available HERE.
As noted in the August 7th, September 4th and September 18th “Commission Agenda & Other Notables” emails, the Port of Seattle’s Flight Corridor Management Program (fka Flight Corridor Safety Program) is an ongoing effort at and near SEA Airport to address obstructions that could pose challenges to aircraft during takeoffs and landings. Trees have been identified that either penetrate the airport’s airspace for take-offs and landings or are projected to reach that height within the next five years. The tree removal and replacement information is on the website for the Flight Corridor Management Program, and has been available since August 6th. At their request, the Port provided the City of Burien a presentation and answered questions about the program at their September 22nd Council meeting, with specific focus on the 6 trees to be removed in Mathison Park.
Work to remove, replant, and restore native forests is scheduled to start in 2026 and continue through mid-2027. Since March 2025, the Port has been working closely with Burien and SeaTac staff to minimize disruption and ensure program compliance with their respective municipal codes, both for tree removal and replanting. We will continue to keep you updated as the program progresses.
Port of Seattle’s Community Planting Event – Saturday, November 22nd
It’s almost time once again for the Port of Seattle’s Community Planting Event. Held once or twice a year, the Port invites its partners and community members to plant native trees to help our urban forests. The late fall event will be held on Saturday, November 22nd from 10:00am to 12:30pm. Participants will plant trees and shrubs at a Port site previously overtaken by blackberry and ivy. The trees planted will increase native forest cover with a native shrub understory. The planting location is on 18th Avenue South in SeaTac, south of S. 200th Street, with parking at the SCORE Jail facility parking lot located at 20817 17th Avenue South in Des Moines. Volunteers can register at Community Tree Planting Event • RSVPify. The Port will provide snacks, hot drinks, gloves, and tools. Clothes and shoes appropriate for working outdoors are recommended. This event is family-friendly, and no experience is necessary. Please share this information with your community, and come join us!
Bees Thrive in Overlooked Pockets of Puget Sound (including SEA Airport)
The Washington State University Insider has noted a study of bee populations in “marginal lands” around Puget Sound, including the old Tyee Golf Course property that the Port utilizes for safety and environmental purposes. Beginning in 2014, the study identified 118 confirmed species of bees (15 to 35 different species at a site in any particular year). The WSU Insider article can be found HERE. The study itself can be found HERE.
Activity at SEA
The average number of passengers passing through TSA checkpoints daily for the week of November 9th was 51,600. That was up substantially from the 48,800 daily average during the week before. The numbers were up slightly from the 50,200 per day during the same week in 2024, down from the 53,600 per day in 2023, up from the 45,700 per day in 2022, up substantially from the 38,100 per day in 2021, up from the pandemic-addled 18,200 per day in 2020, and down slightly from the 52,600 that passed through checkpoints in 2019 (98.1% of 2019 counts). The number of aircraft operations (takeoffs and landings) was 1,090 for that week, that’s up from the 1,070 the week before. Previous counts include 1,070 per day in 2024, 1,140 per day in 2023, 1,080 per day in 2022, 1,050 per day in 2021, 830 per day in 2020, and 1,210 per day in 2019. You can find activity measures at the Port’s website and statistics for each week of the of the past few years, as well as the weekly statistics for 2025, HERE. The statistics are updated once a week and cover the week beginning two weeks prior.
Upgrade SEA
The airport’s Main Terminal was designed to process 30 million passengers, and (pre-pandemic) served more than 50 million people. Nearly 46 million passengers used the airport in 2022, nearly 51 million passengers used the airport in 2023, and over 52 million passengers used the airport in 2024.
Upgrade SEA is the capital projects campaign that focuses on major projects and construction happening around the airport. We want passengers to be comfortable and have an efficient passenger experience while having all the comforts necessary without the long lines. We want travelers to be able to spend their time discovering the latest services and amenities the airport has to offer as well as enjoying the plethora of dining and retail options.
In addition to the major capital programs that develop or significantly modernize facilities, the airport manages nearly 100 additional projects that improve the travel experience and help airlines implement their own customer service programs. Improvements at checkpoints, baggage claim, gate waiting areas, shops and restaurants, and restrooms are currently underway.
Here’s a rundown of some of the projects currently under construction, in planning, or coming up for environmental review this year.
Roadway Improvements
As anyone who has visited SEA in the past few years knows, traffic routinely backs-up on the airport drives, particularly when picking up arriving passengers or entering the parking garage. The Roadway Improvements Project (aka Widen Arrivals Roadway Project) will create a more efficient throughway and help improve safety and relieve congestion. Existing lanes will be rededicated for efficient traffic flow and two additional lanes will be added to create dedicated lanes for parking and shuttles/courtesy vehicles. Creating these dedicated lanes will help get commercial vehicles and shuttles off the path of passenger vehicles in order to help minimize congestion and queueing for guests needing access to the Departures and Arrivals Drives curbside. Major construction is progressing, with lane restrictions to allow for the work to be done. Arrivals Drive lanes will be shifted temporarily to the new lanes while they regrade and pave the two existing lanes. This phase of the project is anticipated to be completed in Q2 2026.
South 188th Street Tunnel Improvements
For the past few years, the Port and City of SeaTac have been working to make safety improvements to the South 188th Street Tunnel. The Port owns the structure, and SeaTac owns the roadway and sidewalks. SeaTac completed a paving project with some stormwater improvements in 2022, and signs have recently been posted that prohibit hazardous materials from transiting the tunnel. The Port’s project will improve lighting, signage, fire detection, monitor carbon monoxide, repair cracks and spalls, traffic signals, emergency communications, security measures, and emergency power. Construction is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Note that there will be periodic lane closures on S. 188th Street during the course of the project.
SEA Gateway Project
The SEA Gateway Project (aka North Main Terminal Redevelopment Project-NMTRP) will redevelop the Ticketing level (known as Zones 6 and 7), where Alaska Airlines has its ticketing counters. The project will improve passenger processing with ease access to the security checkpoints and update/upgrade the passenger experience at the north end of the main terminal with new technology and improved check-in and bag drop process. Bag Tag Stations (BTSs) and Automated Bag Drops (ABDs) have opened on the Bridge Level, as well as multiple on the north end of the Ticketing Level. The checkpoint at the northernmost end has been closed to accommodate the work in that area and will reopen later in November 2025. Major construction to be completed in Q1 2026. Full project is anticipated to be completed in mid-2026.
A Concourse Building Expansion for Lounges
The Port of Seattle has developed a plan to meet existing lounge and concessions deficiencies on the south end of SEA. This project will add 52,000 square feet of additional space at the end of the A Concourse. A new two-level Delta Air Lines lounge was added as well as a newly reimagined Club SEA Lounge. The current Club SEA will get a huge redesign and double in size with this project. Delta Air Line’s build-out of DeltaOne and DeltaSkyClub opened on June 25th. The Club SEA project is expected to completed in Q3 2026.
C Concourse Expansion
The C Concourse Expansion Project will add additional floors to the current C1 Building (located next to C Concourse and Main Concourse) and provide additional space for dining, retail, and lounge options for passengers. As with other areas of the dated Main Terminal, there is a lack of space to meet current demand for passenger dining options. The building will add four floors to the existing structure, providing for two floors of dining and retail, improved space for the TSA, additional office space, and lounge space. Most major construction has been completed. Construction of twelve airport dining & retail tenant projects is scheduled to begin in the next week or two. The project is anticipated to be substantially completed in mid-2026.
S Concourse Evolution (SCE)
Formerly known as the South Satellite Renovation & Renewal Project. The project includes significant structural (seismic, HVAC, and utility) upgrades to the 52-year-old structure, as well as reprogramming space in the building for more dining and retail options, due to the shift of the Federal Inspection Service to the International Arrivals Facility (IAF) and the Delta Air Lines Lounge relocating to the A Concourse. A non-SAMP project, there will be no new gates added to S Concourse; the focus of this project is on making the existing building more safe and more welcoming for international passengers and airlines. Design work is underway for the facilitating projects needed to accommodate this multi-billion-dollar project. The Final SEPA Determination of Non-Significance was posted September 30, 2024 and can be found HERE. Facilitating projects will begin in 2025 and 2026. Major construction is expected to begin in 2026 (after the FIFA 2026 World Cup), and the project completed in 2036.
Post-IAF Realignment
With the International Arrivals Facility (IAF) open for a few years now and the A Concourse swing gates installed to accommodate both narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, a number of airlines will be shifted over to the B Concourse. The Post-IAF realignment will see United Airlines and others shifted over to B Concourse, and gates on A Concourse converted to Delta Air Line use. United Airlines will begin shifting to over to the B Concourse on November 9th, with the full move expected to be completed by November 14th. Airline specific improvements (including ticket counter improvements) are anticipated to be completed by the end of Q1 2026, and HVAC work after the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Q3 2026.
Baggage Claims 15 and 16
Two of the older baggage claim carousels will be replaced and upgraded to more modern equipment. Baggage Claim 16 has been completed, and the replacement of Baggage Claim 15 is now underway. Baggage Claim 15 replacement is expected to be completed by mid-November 2025.
Baggage Optimization
This is a multiphase project to go from six aging baggage handling systems to one unified system. Moving to one system from multiple systems will improve the timely delivery of baggage for all airline passengers, in a much more efficient manner. Phase 3 of the project is now under construction. All phases of the project are expected to be completed by 2029.
SEA Underground Controls Replacement
The SEA Underground (aka Satellite Transit System – STS) is getting an upgrade to its Automatic Train Control (ATC) system. Critical components are being replaced and the software system is getting an upgrade to help make the train system run more efficiently. This project is planned for four phases, with the first phase beginning this year. A complex project, nighttime closures have begun, with more major closures anticipated for the coming years.
Meditation and Sensory Rooms
These rooms will provide quiet space for passengers looking for space to pray, meditate, and to accommodate those who need a peaceful environment due to sensory-related challenges. A similar facilities are planned for the C and S Concourses.
SEA Signage and Wayfinding Masterplan
Wayfinding is one of the Airport’s key indicators of the level of service and opinions from our travelers indicates that SEA’s wayfinding scores low relative to our peer airports. The Signage and Wayfinding Masterplan is intended to provide recommendations and standards that, when implemented, will improve the ability of the passengers to navigate the airport environment. The overall plan has been under development for the past few years. The scope includes signage inside the terminal, on the drives, and in the garage. The Port has been working collaboratively with the City of SeaTac on roadway signage at City access points. New directional signage, Flight Information Boards, and other signs have been installed in Baggage Claim. Expect to see more sign upgrades in the months and years to come.
Landscaping Masterplan
The Landscape Masterplan (completed in 2019) focuses on providing an over-arching landscape design concept that applies to the Airport campus’s public areas that are experienced and seen by visitors and customers. The concept promotes a colorful, unified aesthetic that gives visitors a sense of place and reflects the Pacific Northwest region.
Both the Landscape Master Plan (Landscape Standards), and Wayfinding Master Plan (SEA Signage Standards) can be found at Port’s Design Standards and Guidelines webpage