Flying from Seattle: what you need to know
Seattle-Tacoma is Alaska Airlines' fortress hub, and that dominance shapes everything about fares here. Alaska controls roughly half of SEA's gates and competes fiercely on West Coast domestic routes. Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix are all priced aggressively.
The Asia-Pacific market from Seattle is stronger than most people expect. Delta runs nonstops to Tokyo and Seoul, plus seasonal service to Osaka and Shanghai. Korean Air and Hainan Airlines add competition. The Tokyo route has dropped below $500 roundtrip during early-year sales.
For Europe, this is where Seattle gets interesting. Icelandair and Condor offer budget transatlantic options, while Delta and British Airways handle nonstops to London, Paris, and Amsterdam. The Icelandair route via Reykjavik is often the cheapest path to Europe — $400 roundtrip to most European capitals if you don't mind a quick layover.
Hawaii is Seattle's leisure powerhouse. Alaska, Hawaiian, Delta, and Southwest all compete on the Honolulu and Maui routes, pushing roundtrips below $250 in the spring and fall. It's one of the best airports in the country for Hawaii deals.
Canada is practically next door. Vancouver is a 3-hour drive, but flying is cheaper than you'd think — SEA to YVR drops under $100 roundtrip. Some travelers use YVR for cheaper Asian routes since Canadian departure taxes are lower.
Peak travel from Seattle: summer (June-August) when the Pacific Northwest finally gets sun. Cheapest windows are January-February and late October-November.