Going from here to there.
Even though Washington is in the upper left corner of the United States, getting from here to virtually anywhere in the world is a snap. Nonstop flights from international airports and major interstates connect you to your favorite destinations, plus a few more that aren’t that convenient to get to from any other point in the U.S.
By Air
Seattle-Tacoma International is the main airport passengers use. Approximately 50 million people travel through the airport each year, making it one of the busiest in the nation.
The airport is about 30 minutes from Seattle or Tacoma. Light rail connects the airport with downtown Seattle, the University District and the Northgate area to the north.
Europe and Asia are only nine hours by air. International flights are offered by the following international carriers. Several offer nonstop flights to Amsterdam, Dubai, Doha, Dublin, Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Mexico City, Montreal, Paris, Reykjavik, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, Toronto and Vancouver.
- Aer Lingus
- Aeromexico
- Air Canada
- Air France
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Alaska
- American
- ANA
- Asiana
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Condor
- Delta
- Emirates
- EVA Air
- Finnair
- Hainan Air
- Icelandair
- Japan Air
- Korean Air
- Lufthansa
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- Volaris
- WestJet
About Washington
Other carriers at Sea-Tac include Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit and Sun Country, which also provide nonstop connections to major U.S. cities. Alaska offers additional service from Paine Field’s terminal, which is about 40 minutes north of Seattle.
On the east side of the state, Spokane International is the major hub, providing connecting service to Sea-Tac as well as direct service to major cities throughout Washington and the U.S. Many smaller airports in the state offer connecting service to these two airports.
Domestic Flight Times (non-stop)
- Seattle to Las Vegas: 2 1/3 hours
- Seattle to Los Angeles: 2 1/2 hours
- Seattle to Chicago: 4 hours
- Seattle to New York: 5 hours
- Seattle to Miami: 5 1/2 hours
By Land
Washington’s main highway is I-5, which runs north to south from the Canadian border to California. Just north of Seattle, I-405 serves as a connector to the Eastside and rejoins I-5 near Sea-Tac International Airport.
Highways 2, 20 and 12 and Interstate 90 connect Western and Eastern Washington, traveling through several mountain passes in the Cascades. I-90 terminates on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. Smaller highways connect communities along the Pacific Coast and in Central Washington to the major freeways.
Along I-5, US 2 and parts of I-90, electric vehicle drivers will find fast-charging stations every 40 to 60 miles. The network covers 276 miles of the state’s highways.
Approximate Drive Times
- Seattle to Portland: 3 1/2 hours
- Seattle to Vancouver BC: 3 hours
- Seattle to Spokane: 4 1/4 hours
- Seattle to the Pacific Ocean: 3 hours
- Seattle to Tri-Cities: 3 1/2 hours
A light rail system connects downtown Seattle to Angle Lake to the south, just beyond the airport. It is undergoing a massive expansion and will eventually terminate in Lynnwood to the north, Federal Way to the south and Bellevue and Redmond to the east, with trains running every four minutes.
A ferry system serves many of the island communities around the Puget Sound area. This includes scheduled service to the Kitsap Peninsula, Bainbridge Island, Vashon Island, Whidbey Island and the San Juans. The state’s 22 ferries transported more than 24 million passengers and 10.5 million vehicles last year. Floating bridges connect the Eastside of the greater Seattle area (Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland) with Seattle.
Amtrak provides passenger train service to Vancouver B.C., California and the rest of the country. The main train station is located in downtown Seattle.
Many communities provide scheduled bus service. This is particularly true in urban centers where more people take transit than cars these days. Passenger-only ferries connect many communities to Seattle.
office hours
M-F: 8am - 5pm
Address
2001 Sixth Ave., Suite 2600, Seattle, WA 98121
Phone
(206) 256-6100