New Airport Planned for West Central Washington

Sea-Tac International Airport will reach capacity in 2050, according to Washington state aviation officials.

Friday, October 28, 2022 at 04:23 PM ET

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Washington state aviation officials say Sea-Tac International Airport will reach capacity in 2050. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Washington state is actively seeking a location for a new airport to alleviate projected capacity issues at Sea-Tac International Airport by 2050.
The Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC) has narrowed its search to three potential sites in rural Pierce and Thurston counties, south of Seattle.
These proposed new airport locations face significant local opposition from residents and county officials due to environmental concerns, impact on infrastructure, and quality of life issues.
The CACC is also considering adding capacity to existing airports like Snohomish County-Paine Field and will make a final recommendation by June 2023.

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The year 2050 seems a long time away—unless you are using it as a metric for when a critical piece of infrastructure, such as an airline hub and city airport, will reach capacity.

That’s what state aviation officials in Washington are saying will happen to Sea-Tac International Airport (KSEA), and they are actively looking for a location to build a new airport to help alleviate the growing congestion.