Parking near Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA)
Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) boards about 25 million passengers a year, based on rounded FAA figures, ranking 2nd of the 50 airports Wins Parking tracks. We estimate 15 off-airport lots compete near SEA at roughly $24 a day, which puts a paved acre within 10 miles at about $409,530 in gross revenue a year.
Written by John Davis, Content WriterOwn land within 10 miles of SEA?
Landowners, investors and developers near Seattle-Tacoma International: send your parcel and we will return a written feasibility with a SEA-specific revenue model, paving budget and lease or revenue-share options.
Where does off-airport parking near SEA cluster?
Mostly along the I-5 corridor feeding Seattle-Tacoma International. The strongest sites sit within 10 miles of the terminal with visibility and permittable curb cuts.
Last updated September 2026. Enplanements are rounded FAA passenger-boarding figures. On-airport acreage, daily rates, competitor counts and revenue per acre are Wins Parking estimates, confirmed only in a site-specific feasibility.
How busy is SEA compared with other West Coast airports?
SEA is the 1st-busiest of the 6 West Coast airports on this list, with about 25 million annual enplanements, or roughly 43% of the boardings across those 6 airports. It operates 3 runways and is run by Port of Seattle.
| Airport | City | Annual enplanements (FAA, rounded) | Est. daily rate | Est. off-airport lots | Est. gross per acre / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA (this page) | Seattle, WA | 25,000,000 | $24 | 15 | $409,530 |
| SAN | San Diego, CA | 12,000,000 | $27 | 12 | $460,721 |
| PDX | Portland, OR | 8,500,000 | $17 | 9 | $290,084 |
| SMF | Sacramento, CA | 5,800,000 | $18 | 7 | $307,148 |
| OAK | Oakland, CA | 5,400,000 | $19 | 9 | $324,211 |
| GEG | Spokane, WA | 1,900,000 | $13 | 4 | $221,829 |
Enplanements: FAA passenger boarding data, rounded. Daily rates, lot counts and revenue per acre are Wins Parking planning estimates (85 spaces per acre, 55% blended occupancy).
Passenger volume sets the size of the parking market, but it is not the whole story. The table compares SEA with nearby West Coast airports on the measures a landowner should weigh: boardings, the typical daily rate and how many off-airport lots already compete for those travelers.
What kind of travelers park at SEA?
SEA leans toward business travel: short trips, weekday peaks and travelers who value speed over price. Off-airport lots near Seattle compete on shuttle frequency and fast exit rather than the lowest daily rate.
Business-heavy demand at SEA is steadier across the year than at resort airports, which makes it easier to finance a paved lot against a predictable weekday occupancy curve.
Wins Parking's read on the SEA market: Top-10 airport with Alaska-feeder volume and chronic off-airport demand.
How much could an acre near SEA earn as parking?
About $409,530 a year in gross revenue per paved acre, as a planning estimate. The math is 85 spaces per acre × $24 average daily rate × 55% blended occupancy × 365 days. That is about 30% above the West Coast median of $315,680 per acre on this list.
The $24 rate is about 60% above the $15 median across all 50 airports we track. At that rate, a 3-acre lot near SEA models to about $1,228,590 gross and a 10-acre lot to about $4,095,300, before shuttle, labor, insurance, technology and property tax. Operating costs usually take 35–50% of gross, so the owner's share depends on the deal structure.
How crowded is the off-airport parking market near SEA?
We estimate 15 active off-airport operators near SEA, or about 1,666,667 annual boardings per lot. The West Coast median on this list is about 886,508, so SEA has more travelers per competing lot than most peers, a sign of room for new supply.
Most off-airport traffic near Seattle arrives via I-5. Parcels with direct visibility from that corridor and a drive of under 10 minutes to the terminal curb are the strongest candidates. Competitor counts are estimates from listings and site visits and change as lots open and close.
What would it cost to pave a parking lot near SEA?
In Washington, Wins Parking's planning estimate for asphalt is $3.60–$8.40 per square foot, or about $156,816–$365,904 to pave one acre before design and permitting. Against $409,530 of modeled gross revenue per acre, the paving outlay equals roughly 5–11 months of gross revenue.
A gravel overflow lot costs far less up front ($0.60–$3.00 per square foot in Washington) but needs annual regrading and does not meet ADA rules for accessible stalls, so it usually serves as phase-one or peak-season overflow near SEA rather than the main product.
Who controls on-airport parking at SEA?
Port of Seattle controls the on-airport garages and surface lots at Seattle-Tacoma International. We estimate about 480 acres of on-airport parking, or roughly 52,083 annual boardings per on-airport acre. The higher that ratio, the more often official lots sell out on peak days and push travelers to private lots.
On-airport parking management contracts at SEA are awarded through Port of Seattle procurements. Wins Parking responds to those solicitations for parking management, shuttle and revenue control, and separately partners with private landowners off airport property.
Which other West Coast airport parking markets should owners compare?
Owners weighing a parcel near SEA often compare it with other West Coast airports, where boardings, daily rates and competition differ. Each airport page carries its own revenue model and a written feasibility offer for land within 10 miles of the terminal.
What sources back these figures?
Public sources for the facts on this page are listed below. Anything not backed by a listed source is labeled as a Wins Parking estimate.
- Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports — Federal Aviation Administration. Supports: SEA annual enplanements (rounded).
- Airport data for SEA — FAA Airport Data and Information Portal. Supports: runways and airport facilities.
- Seattle-Tacoma International official website — Port of Seattle. Supports: on-airport parking products and procurement.
- Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) — State of Washington. Supports: I-5 corridor and access permits.
- National Highway Construction Cost Index (NHCCI) — Federal Highway Administration. Supports: construction cost trend behind paving estimates.
Wins Parking is headquartered in Edwards, Colorado, in the Vail Valley, and works with airport-area landowners nationwide. Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) is one of our longest-running airport operations.
What do landowners near SEA ask most?
Planning-grade revenue runs about $409,530/acre/year at SEA, based on an estimated $24/day average rate, about 85 paved spaces per acre and about 55% blended occupancy. These are estimates; binding numbers come from a site survey.
Wins Parking pursues on-airport and off-airport opportunities at Seattle-Tacoma International and partners with property owners within 10 miles of the terminal.
Paved or pavable lots of 1–20 acres within 10 miles of the terminal, with visibility from I-5 and permittable curb cuts, are the strongest candidates.
A Wins Parking partner reviews the submission within one business day, runs a desktop feasibility, and follows up with a written proposal.
Yes. Wins Parking responds to Port of Seattle RFPs and competitive procurements for on-airport parking management, shuttle, and revenue control.
About 25,000,000 passengers board at Seattle-Tacoma International each year, based on rounded FAA passenger-boarding data. That ranks SEA 1st among the 6 West Coast airports Wins Parking tracks.
SEA is classed as a business market, so demand is steadier than at resort airports, with peaks around holidays and weekday business travel.
Most successful off-airport lots sit within a 10-minute shuttle ride of the terminal. Near Seattle, parcels along I-5 with a clear route to the terminal curb can work at longer distances if the daily rate undercuts on-airport parking.
Ready to talk about land near SEA?
Send the form above or call (970) 279-1744. Written reply within one business day. Figures on this page are planning estimates.
Ready to Unlock Your Parking Revenue?
Request a proposal. Tell us about your property and we'll show you what's possible.
Or call us directly at (970) 279-1744
Wins Parking is a privately owned and operated parking facility and is not owned, operated, endorsed by, or affiliated with Eagle County Government or the Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE).