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This February 2025 operations overview from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) reviews 2024 performance and looks ahead to 2025, including the summer international flight season. In 2024, SEA handled over 52.6 million total passengers—a 3.4% increase over the prior year—along with 434,321 total aircraft operations, up 2.8% from 2023. The document provides monthly breakdowns of both passenger traffic and aircraft movements, with peak activity occurring during the summer months of June through August.

The Port of Seattle launched a Sound Insulation Repair and Replacement Pilot Program to assess the effectiveness of previously installed noise insulation packages in homes near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Authorized under Commission Order 2024-04 with a $6.5 million tax levy-funded budget—$5 million of which is reserved for design and construction—the program involved community outreach, property owner surveys, and acoustic testing throughout 2024. Properties were prioritized using an equity index to ensure underserved communities were considered, with design and construction work expected to begin in 2025.

The Aviation Noise Working Group met on February 10, 2025, to review operational trends at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and discuss noise reduction efforts. Key topics included the Aviation Near-term Noise Action Agenda, potential airfield noise monitoring, and an assessment of the Sound Insulation Repair and Replacement Pilot Program. The meeting was organized by the SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART), which facilitates cooperation between the Port of Seattle and neighboring communities.

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Noise Working Group met on February 10, 2025, to review ongoing noise management initiatives, including quarterly updates to the Late Night Noise Limitation Program, which voluntarily monitors takeoff and landing noise levels between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. The program tracks noise exceedances against established decibel thresholds at four runway monitor locations and contacts airlines when those thresholds are exceeded. The meeting also covered late-night runway usage trends for 2025, aircraft go-around activity for December and January, and a summary of public noise complaints received in December.

The StART Aviation Noise Working Group met in February 2025 to review Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Late Night Noise Limitation Program, which tracks aircraft noise between midnight and 5 AM and found 8% of operations exceeded thresholds in Q4 2025. The group decided against expanding the program to cover 11 PM–midnight, as most flights in that hour already use quieter aircraft and the change would triple monitored operations with little noise-reduction benefit. Additional updates covered a significant drop in propeller aircraft turns over Burien, progress on the Sound Insulation Program, and action items including a new 5–6 AM operations analysis and a multi-year trends chart.

The City of Des Moines, WA is proposing the formation of a permanent Airport Advisory Committee to advise the City Council on matters related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including review of the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), potential interlocal agreements with airport partners, and the city's strategy with the Port of Seattle. The committee would consist of at least three Des Moines residents, including at least one City Council member, and would meet quarterly to evaluate airport-related issues and provide recommendations. Staff submitted the proposal for Council approval at the February 6, 2025 meeting, following a unanimous Council vote in October 2024 to establish such a committee.

The Highline Forum held its first 2025 meeting on January 22 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, hosted by the Port of Seattle, focusing on state and federal legislative issues affecting the Highline area. The hybrid meeting covered topics including community co-chair selection, a StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) update from the Airport's Managing Director, and opportunities for public comment via email, Microsoft Teams, or in person. Six additional meetings are scheduled throughout 2025, hosted by local municipalities and institutions including the cities of Federal Way, Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, and Highline College.

The Highline Forum held its first 2025 meeting on January 22, hosted by the Port of Seattle at SEA Airport, focusing on 2025 state and federal legislative issues affecting the Highline-area communities surrounding Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The hybrid meeting included a StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) update from the Airport's Managing Director and covered administrative matters such as Community Co-Chair selection. Six meetings are scheduled throughout 2025, hosted in rotation by local jurisdictions including Federal Way, Burien, Highline College, Des Moines, and SeaTac.