Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport pilots new digital queuing program for TSA traces

You may be able to skip those long safety lines the next time you fly out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The airport announced this week that it is piloting a new virtual queuing program and touchless check-in kiosk system to optimize the customer experience, improve physical distancing efforts, and reduce congestion at peak times.

With the new “SEA Spot Saver” program, travelers can make digital reservations for TSA security checkpoints for general checks either at their terminal or 24 hours before the online flight. Once in the virtual queue, passengers can drop off their bags, have a coffee, or say goodbye to loved ones while waiting for a notification letting them know it’s their turn to do the screening.

“We can use technology to make the travel experience more rational and intuitive,” Port of Seattle commissioner Sam Cho said in a press release. “Contactless solutions reduce the stress for today’s travelers, but are innovations that will make the airport safer and more efficient in the years to come.”

The new service, which is free for all passengers, is only available daily at checkpoints 2 and 5 from 4 a.m. to 12 p.m.

At checkpoint 2, passengers scan a QR code with their phone and follow the text message instructions that give them their estimated waiting time. At Checkpoint 5, the process is slightly different for passengers traveling on Alaska Airlines. These passengers can register for a screening appointment either online or on site.

Travelers go through security screening at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on November 29, 2020 in SeaTac, Washington.

David Ryder / Getty Images

The program can serve up to 50% of passengers who go through a general security clearance at these times, according to airport officials. Passengers with TSA PreCheck or CLEAR should continue to contact their dedicated checkpoints for their expedited experience.

Sea-Tac found it was one of the first in the country to test the new virtual queuing technology. Several airline representatives spoke out in favor of the new program, which will make travel innovative and relaxing after the lows of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These are the innovations and ideas we love to make our guests more comfortable and stress-free, especially as more people fly again,” said Charu Jain, senior vice president of merchandising and innovation, Alaska. “With very little effort, guests can rely on technology to go through the security process faster.”

The program runs until August 31st. It then checks to see if it can improve efficiency and see extensions to all control points.

And that’s not the only new technology revamping airport travel after the pandemic: New touchless kiosks for check-in and baggage are being tested for passengers flying with jetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Korean Air, Volaris, Air Canada and Frontier . The new technology called Happyhover detects a finger that hovers over the electronic screen, so that contact is no longer necessary and hopefully germs can spread.