Alaska Airlines has made some significant improvements to their lounges over the past couple of years, including adding new locations, renovating existing locations, and mixing up their food & drink selection.
Historically the Alaska Lounges in Seattle have been pretty overcrowded, given what a big hub it is for the airline. In 2017 a new Alaska Lounge opened in Seattle, and today Alaska’s latest lounge opened, which will be their new flagship lounge.
I first wrote about the opening of the new lounge a couple of weeks ago, so figured I’d share an update as the lounge formally opened today.
In this post:
New Alaska Lounge at SeaTac now open
A new Alaska Lounge has opened today at SeaTac’s North Concourse. The new lounge is over 15,800 square feet, making it the biggest Alaska Lounge ever. The lounge is located on the Mezzanine level, above gates N13-18. That means it features great views of the apron, runways, and Olympic Mountains.
Alaska Airlines has now shared some actual pictures of the lounge, which looks gorgeous:
With the opening of this lounge, the current Alaska Lounge in the concourse (located between gates N1 & N2) is closing.
SeaTac Alaska Lounge locations
With this lounge open, there are three Alaska Lounges at SeaTac:
- The Alaska Lounge in Concourse D (beyond the security checkpoint), open daily from 4:30AM until 8PM
- The Alaska Lounge in Concourse C (near gate C16), open daily from 5AM until 12AM
- The Alaska Lounge in Concourse N (above gates N13-18), open daily from 5AM until 11PM
How to access Alaska Lounges
While the Alaska Lounges in Anchorage, Los Angeles, New York, and Portland, belong to Priority Pass, the lounges in Seattle don’t. If you’re looking to access the Seattle lounges, you have a few options:
- Book a paid first class ticket on any Alaska flight (awards and cash tickets qualify, while upgrades don’t)
- Buy an Alaska Lounge annual membership, which ranges in cost from $295-450, depending on your status
- Admirals Club members get access to Alaska Lounges when flying Alaska or American same day, and the best card for an Admirals Club membership is the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, which has a $595 annual fee and offers an Admirals Club membership (learn more about the best credit cards for earning American miles)
Bottom line
I remember back when I lived in Seattle, the Alaska Lounge situation was pretty depressing. The airline has come a long way, and this new 15,000+ square foot lounge looks fantastic, with great views.
SeaTac is an airport that has experienced an incredible amount of growth the past decade, and the lounge situation really hasn’t kept up with that. I feel like Alaska has been talking about opening this lounge for years and years, so it’s nice to see this lounge is finally open.
If anyone has the chance to visit the new Alaska Lounge, please report back with your experience!
I was sooooooo disappointed when I was rudely refused access to the Alaska Lounge at Sea-Tac. I always fly Ist class from San Jose Ca to Sea-tac…..NOW, my trip is LABELLED too short! Really disappointing, after a 3 hour car ride to the airport!!!!! Even my Priority Club Card was again, rudely rejected. Guess it is time to fly another airline!
If you use your AS Visa card and pay for the day pass, can you bring in your one travel companion?
Stopped by today, very friendly and accommodating Staff, great view of takeoff Strip and mountains in background, good selection of food and comfortable chairs. A lot of people, but very quiet. There was a line up to the doors, but attendants did a great job getting everyone in quickly.
Great job !
Reading all the crybaby replies only confirms why I don’t interact with other passengers. If you want all the amenities then fly NetJets or Flex Jet, I do. I fly first class when I need to due to unforeseen scheduling. I’m amazed by the self entitled first class passengers. You are not special. Suck it up or pay to fly smarter and charter.
@Tim,
Because Alaska has a lot of global partners, one might be arriving in S and then taking an Alaska flight out of N 3 hours later. In that case, it would be nice to be able to take a shower. Clearly not as good of a situation as Delta. Delta has showers at both their lounges. But for those who could take advantage of it, it would be nice. Alaska's focus isn't intercontinental though, so I wouldn't expect their lounge to cater to that.
Re: Showers. I think it would be a waste of space at N gate since it is only accessible by train. All international flights arrive S gate, so your would need to have your connecting flight be at N gate to be worthwhile. Any international flight departing from N gate (BA, Eva, etc) wouldn’t have access to AS lounge anyways?
@Tom:
Then why don't you pack a fresh pair of undies, socks, and a new shirt in your carry-on that way you have something clean to change into? Not a difficult concept.
My vote is also for no showers, given that they take a lot of space.
The only time I've taken a shower at an airport is in Europe upon arrival. Showering and then putting the same clothes back on feels odd to me as well
Is the elderly lounge agent from pic no. 2 the one sitting at the bar later with her back turned to the camera (the pic no. 6)?
Guess her job must be stressful.
Jo, I don't disagree, but it seems like the problem is whatever news app suggested this post to you as if it were a general interest story?
Also some other reason showers are helpful, besides the stereotypical businessperson going straight to a meeting:
When you are connecting from a longhaul flight. You just spent half a day on the plane from Asia and you feel gross, and now you have a couple of hours in...
Jo, I don't disagree, but it seems like the problem is whatever news app suggested this post to you as if it were a general interest story?
Also some other reason showers are helpful, besides the stereotypical businessperson going straight to a meeting:
When you are connecting from a longhaul flight. You just spent half a day on the plane from Asia and you feel gross, and now you have a couple of hours in the airport before your flight home.
When you arrive in the morning and won't be able to check into your hotel yet. Eg I flew overnight to Tokyo last year, landed at 5am, showered in the airport, left my luggage in a train station locker, and then went out for the day.
Just visited the new lounge. Its fabulous. What a view and so much space. I love it.
Jo, Why do you post here if you know nothing about the blog, or lounges and don't fly much. It seems all you want is to whine here? Mission accomplished! Useless post of the day award. So, go complain to Google morons for sending you here. Oh that was your choice wasn't it...
I came here because this article was somehow on my Google feed. I don't frequent airport lounges because I don't live that life. My travel is limited to whatever few trips I can manage to pay for out of pocket, that's about it.
What I'm explaining he is that it's only my curiousity and interest in aviation that made me read this and I didn't get much out of it.
I thought there...
I came here because this article was somehow on my Google feed. I don't frequent airport lounges because I don't live that life. My travel is limited to whatever few trips I can manage to pay for out of pocket, that's about it.
What I'm explaining he is that it's only my curiousity and interest in aviation that made me read this and I didn't get much out of it.
I thought there would be more real photos but it just looks like another press release.
And you guys in the comments section are even worse. For the 95% of people whose lives aren't regularly spent in airport lounge, trying to read your saturated use of acronyms is beyond confusing. I need a Rosetta stone to figure out what PP, C, N and everything else are.
In short, this is basically NOT any kind of news story. It's basically a discussion forum (or more realistically an echo chamber) for jet setters and business travelers to chime in on services that the vast majority of fliers will never have access to.
For the record, I can't imagine being at the airport so long that I'd need a shower. In fact most travelers shower at home or at the hotel, but I actually can understand that a small percentage of 24-7 business travelers whose schedules would be helped by adding such a service between landing and their work venue ( travelers flying international and going straight to work, for example)
Anyway, Just my 2 cents, from an outsider.
One thing I like about the Alaska lounges (full disclosure: I've only frequented the D lounge as I've been flying American the last 8 years) is that their bartenders do not and will not accept tips. It's not that I'm stingy, but often I don't have singles, or any cash for that matter, and other lounges make me feel guilty not tipping at the bar.
@Ryan -- yes, Citi World Elite gets you into the...
One thing I like about the Alaska lounges (full disclosure: I've only frequented the D lounge as I've been flying American the last 8 years) is that their bartenders do not and will not accept tips. It's not that I'm stingy, but often I don't have singles, or any cash for that matter, and other lounges make me feel guilty not tipping at the bar.
@Ryan -- yes, Citi World Elite gets you into the lounges (with up to two guests), but unlike the Admirals Club, only if you are the primary cardholder. Authorized users traveling without you do not get access (much to the chagrin of my wife).
fwiw I would never shower in an airport lounge, but I suppose I'm not the target audience for that as I never go straight to business meetings from the airport.
As a Seattle native and a 35+ year Alaska loyalist and stockholder (buy local right?), I have been disappointed by Alaska for the last 2 years (lost luggage, unfriendly and unhelpful flight attendants, overcrowded lounges with lousy food and screaming children running amok). I finally switched everything to Delta few months ago including all my credit cards which gains me access to their Sky clubs which seems to control things a little bit better reducing...
As a Seattle native and a 35+ year Alaska loyalist and stockholder (buy local right?), I have been disappointed by Alaska for the last 2 years (lost luggage, unfriendly and unhelpful flight attendants, overcrowded lounges with lousy food and screaming children running amok). I finally switched everything to Delta few months ago including all my credit cards which gains me access to their Sky clubs which seems to control things a little bit better reducing the overcrowding and out-of-control children issues. Food options are much better as well. As a stockholder I feel guilty using Delta, but the Delta experience is far more pleasant, especially when I'm tired. I'm hoping in the next few years Alaska will continue to step up their game but until then it's Delta for me.
Just notice. This is in concourse N? Like, the-place-that-you-must-catch-train-to concourse N? And it's the flagship lounge? Why can't they update the lounge in D instead? You know, the one that's accessible to everyone.
All that said, I hope they upgrade their food game. The pancakes were fun first time, sure, but pretty much very boring afterward. The soup is just boring regardless of which time you get it.
Lounge situation in Seattle sucks. Centurion constantly overcrowded. Alaska not granted access to PP anymore. 'The Club' for most of the international carriers is simply nasty. The BA lounge, especially the F section, is underwhelming at best.
15000 sqft sounds comparable to the nice Skyclub in SeaTac, but the lack of showers as mentioned above is a bummer.
I'll be there August 27, flying First on Alaska although I also have the Citi Advantage Executive card.
Also have AmEx Plat, @Lucky would this be preferable to the SeaTac Centurian Lounge?
I agree, the new lounge format, demonstrated at C terminal, has the same limited food and still limited seating during peak times. The D terminal lounge is getting old and I hear will go into refurbishment once N opens. That will really put a strain on C making it unaccessible for much of the time. N lounge is only accessible via train so unless you are leaving from N, it is a pain to access.
I agree, the new lounge format, demonstrated at C terminal, has the same limited food and still limited seating during peak times. The D terminal lounge is getting old and I hear will go into refurbishment once N opens. That will really put a strain on C making it unaccessible for much of the time. N lounge is only accessible via train so unless you are leaving from N, it is a pain to access.
PP people need to take a long hike to the end of A or the train to S... huge pain and those lounges are crowded now too. In my last visit to A this week there was a constant line of about 6 parties trying to get in.
Or you could just fly first class on a payed Alaska ticket. Which you didn’t mention.
No showers.
If AS are expecting to provide feed and onward travel for their long haul partners, not having showers in their lounges is a pathetic joke.
Lucky As a long time AS flyer (mm) their lounges are far from "significant" improvements. Yes the new lounge at SEATAC is very welcome to us you still have issues elsewhere and have been for years. for me I dropped my membership several years ago after 15 years choosing to use my PP when available, I do fly mostly FC so I get in anyway.
The improvements are welcome to all of us that are long time FF on AS.
Can AA World Elite Mastercard authorized users access these lounges?