Press release:

A record total of passengers spent a record amount of money eating and shopping last year at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.



More than 33.2 million passengers passed through Sea-Tac in 2012, the second straight year the airport surpassed its all-time record.

International passenger traffic increased 8.8 percent while overall traffic went up 1.2 percent. 

Airport concessions business benefitted with a record $180 million in sales, including a record $14 million in duty-free sales.

Sales per boarded passenger rose to $10.91, a six percent increase from 2011. The Port of Seattle collected $25 million in revenues which go directly back to airport improvements.



“Sea-Tac Airport continues to advance as a leading tourism and business gateway for our entire region,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “These numbers point out the tremendous value of the airport as an economic engine to bring jobs and continued growth in business and tourism.”



The total 2012 passenger figure of 33,223,111 beat the previous record set in 2011 of 32,823,220 – an increase of nearly 400,000 passengers or 1.2 percent. International passengers increased by more than 263,000 to 3,248,069 or 8.8 percent.

These increases came despite a 1.7 percent drop in operations (takeoffs and landings) of 309,597 compared to 314,947 in 2011.



“This growth is an encouraging sign as we pursue the port’s Century Agenda goal of 100,000 new jobs generated by seaport and airport operations,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Tom Albro. “Our aim is to grow sustainably, increasing the economic contributions of the port while reducing our environmental footprint.”



Cargo also saw an increase for the second time in the last three years with a 1.4 percent increase. The 2012 total of 283,500 metric tons is the largest total at Sea-Tac since 2008.