SEA airport hopes to open Concourse C expansion in time for FIFA World Cup fans

For more than two years now, people traveling through Concourse C at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) have had to navigate around construction walls with signs that read "Upgrades in Progress."

When the walls come down sometime in late May or early June, travelers will see that the old concourse's footprint constraint problem (i.e., there was no room to spread out) has been creatively solved via four new floors on top of what was once a cramped single-story concourse.

SEA has not quite set an opening date for the Concourse C expansion, as they want "to get it all pretty and right before opening," according to airport spokesperson Perry Cooper.

But, as with a lengthy list of other recent airport improvements and upgrades, the goal is to have the Concourse C expansion open and fully operational when Seattle welcomes an estimated 750,000 fans for the FIFA World Cup between mid-June and early July.

What's in store at SEA's expanded Concourse C?

The $399 million project creates an expansive new space that's almost three times the size of the previous concourse: It'll grow from about 81,000 square feet to over 226,00 square feet. Travelers can expect plenty of new dining venues, retail spots, art and amenities. There will even be a rooftop solar photovoltaic array that will generate nearly 15% of the building's energy.

The concourse will feature an enclosed outdoor viewing deck. Eventually, it will house a two-story Alaska Airlines lounge — including a new premium club for long-haul business-class flyers and high-level elite status members.

The multi-tiered space will have large windows offer views out to the airfield and the Olympic Mountains beyond. Plus, there's a central hub area with stadium seating beneath a tree-shaped sculpture appropriately called the "Tree at C."

The upper levels also offer restaurants and a glass-enclosed lookout deck that provides views and fresh air.

Putting it all together is the design team of The Miller Hull Partnership and Woods Bagot, along with Turner Construction.

The expanded concourse will bring about a dozen new dining, drinking and retail options to the airport. Western Washington will get its first outpost of the international restaurant chain, Chili's, as well as a Port of Subs and a Buffalo Wild Wings.

But most other outlets will be branches of, or new offerings from, well-loved local and regional brands such as Bite Society (gift cookies and snacks), Great State Burger, Nanny's BBQ, Olympia Coffee, Seattle Macaron Co, and Taco Street, which won a coveted spot through SEA's Sparks Incubator Program.

Additional amenities in the Concourse C expansion include an interfaith prayer and meditation room, a nursing suite, a pet relief area and a live music stage.

SEA already has an extensive and eclectic public art collection, and the Concourse C expansion only adds to it. This project will bring in new work by nine artists. It'll include video wall art, table art for the Tree at C grand stairs and an installation of blown glass bears by Crystal Worl, the Alaska Native artist who designed the livery for Alaska Airlines' Xaat Kwaani (salmon people) aircraft.

What about airline lounges?

Alaska Airlines is building a two-story, 40,000-square-foot lounge in Concourse C that will be the largest in Alaska's lounge network and among the largest in the country. Slated to open in late 2027, the lounge plans include approximately 700 seats, multiple bars, showers, and a la carte dining with chef-curated seasonal menus.

Both levels of the lounge will have views of the Olympic Mountains and the surrounding airfield, but each level will welcome a separate set of passengers.

The main level will be open to Alaska Lounge members, day-pass guests and eligible first-class passengers. The upper level will be reserved for international long-haul passengers flying in the Suites and lie-flat seats, as well as eligible Atmos Titanium members flying internationally.

In the meantime, all passengers will be able to take advantage of all the amenities and the splendid views in SEA's Concourse C extension after passing through security.

Related: Delta's stunning new Seattle business-class lounge is its most unique one yet

Nonticketed passengers can access Concourse C and other postsecurity areas at SEA by applying for a SEA visitor pass, which issues 300 passes a day to people who do not have plane tickets but want to meet an arriving passenger, accompany someone to the gate or just dine, shop, listen to live music, see great art or plane spot at the airport.

In anticipation of this summer's FIFA World Cup games in Seattle, SEA has recently completed a slew of other projects that all passengers can enjoy, Cooper noted. This includes a new Checkpoint 1 on the baggage claim level, the SEA Gateway and its expanded Checkpoint 6, plus roadway improvements.

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