SEATAC, Wash. — People flying out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport saw longer-than-usual security lines for the second day in a row.
Travelers were warned of extended wait times around 9:40 a.m. on Monday. At least 56,000 travelers were expected.
Travelers on Monday were told to expect wait times of nearly an hour. That includes Tracy Goggins, who was trying to get back to New York with her family after a cruise to Alaska.
"They're way faster in JFK, fifteen, twenty minutes tops," Goggins said. "Not fifty-six minutes."
The warning to travelers followed wait times that reached up to at least an hour on Sunday. TSA reported approximately 28,000 passengers passed through security between 6 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Sunday saw roughly 60,000 travelers.
The longest wait time the Port of Seattle recorded was 90 minutes, according to the airport's media relations manager, Perry Cooper. However, TSA said wait times did not pass 60 minutes. Travelers say they waited more than two hours.
TSA said there were no staffing shortages Sunday and some staff worked mandatory overtime. Twenty-seven of the 29 security lanes were open during the peak period, which was 8:15 am. to noon.
The TSA and Port of Seattle pointed to arriving cruise ships as part of the reason for the spike in passengers. Roughly 4,000 cruise ship passengers were dropped off every hour on Sunday, according to TSA.
On Monday, security lines were clearing up by the afternoon, with the official TSA app showing wait times around fifteen minutes.
Still, the Port of Seattle advises passengers continue to arrive two hours early. The Port encourages travelers to use the SEA Spot Saver, which allows travelers to save a spot in the security line.