Sea-Tac Airport really wants you to stop calling it that
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport continues to urge people to call the airport "SEA" for short instead of "Sea-Tac." But … who actually does that?
- Definitely not us.
Why it matters: The mini-debate over the airport nickname reflects a broader Seattle tension: As the region increasingly markets itself as a global destination, locals (like us) may not be fully on board.
The latest: The airport reignited the debate on social media this week, posting on X: "Still calling us Sea-Tac? Whoops… it's SEA."
- An accompanying video shows "SEA" labels around the airport, while playing Meghan Trainor's "Whoops" in the background.
Catch up quick: While the airport's full name isn't changing, using SEA helps avoid confusion with the surrounding city of SeaTac, airport spokesperson Perry Cooper told Axios.
- Many travelers looking for lost luggage were mistakenly contacting SeaTac city officials, who would have to redirect those complaints back to the airport, Cooper wrote in an email.
- The airport decided to make "SEA" its preferred secondary moniker in 2020, matching its international airport code, he wrote.
What they're saying: "SEA is a global airport now," Cooper wrote, noting that the three-letter code appears on almost 53 million tickets per year and more than 30 million pieces of luggage annually.
- The airport is reupping its "SEA" campaign ahead of this summer's FIFA World Cup matches, when it expects a surge of international visitors, Cooper said.
Yes, but: Airport officials acknowledge in an online FAQ that locals will likely continue using the Sea-Tac nickname — "and that's great," they write.
The bottom line: SEA may be the name on the glossy branding campaign — but you can pry "Sea-Tac" out of our cold, dead hands.
Your turn: Do you actually say "S-E-A" when referring to the airport? Why or why not? Email us to let us know — and feel free to share your scorn (or praise) about the branding change.