SeaTac airport expects busy summer travel season

With Memorial Day over, the summer travel season has begun. If recent data from Sea-Tac airport is any indication, it will be a busy one.

Passenger traffic at Sea-Tac has been steadily going up each month for the past year. While it's still not back to where it was before the recession, it's only slightly below where it peaked in 2008. And the number of people flying in and out of the airport is ahead of projections.

So, just how many people are enduring long security lines in order to fly off for business or vacation? By the Port of Seattle's count, total passengers last year exceeded 31.5 million. On an average summer day, there are nearly 100,000 travelers coming and going.

Keep in mind that August is usually the busiest month of the year at the airport. In fact, it far outpaces November or December, when families travel for the holidays.

If you are going someplace this summer, Sea-Tac airport says you should arrive at least two hours before your flight. You can also sign up at the Port of Seattle website to get updates via text message on the status of your flight. And if you're traveling internationally, you can speed up the process of getting through customs by enrolling in something called Global Entry. A five-year membership costs $100.

On the web:

Summer travel tips from the Port of Seattle