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Seattle-Tacoma

Seattle, Washington, United States

Travelers use the AMC Seattle-Tacoma International Gateway inside Sea-Tac Airport, a civilian commercial airport in Seattle, for Space-A flights. Official AMC pages describe Patriot Express processing at main-terminal ticketing counters, with the AMC office on the baggage-claim level. This is an AMC commercial gateway, not a base passenger terminal. It is distinct from the McChord Field terminal at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Terminal contact

Address
17801 International Blvd Seattle, WA 98158
Hours
0700 - 1600 & evenings on nights of departures.
Commercial
(253) 982-3504
DSN
382-3504
Recording
(253) 982-0555
Sign-up email
seattle.gateway@us.af.mil
Official webpage
https://www.amc.af.mil/AMC-Travel-Site/Terminals/CONUS-Terminals/Seattle-Tacoma-International-Gateway/

Departing Space-A Flights

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Terminal FAQ

Last verified 27 August 2026. Hours, fees, and presence rules change. Confirm with this terminal’s official page before you travel. Pop’s is unofficial.

Where is the passenger terminal?

AMC SeaTac Gateway, 17801 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98158.

Two published locations on the AMC page (Wayback latest 200: 16 Jun 2026; live snippets 27 Aug 2026):

  • Office: baggage-claim level, between carousels 4 and 5
  • Ticketing counter: ticketing level next to TSA checkpoint 2. Ticketing is open only during flight processing hours.

Conflict: The SeaTac AMC Gram PDF still says check-in/ticketing counters are adjacent to Hawaiian Airlines on the departure level. The live terminal page says TSA checkpoint 2. Use the page. Confirm on the 72-hour board’s “Counters Open” line the night you fly.

How do I get on base / which gate should I use?

You do not enter a military installation for this gateway. It is a commercial airport. Use Port of Seattle / SEA public roads and parking. No JB Lewis-McChord gate is required to reach the AMC counters.

TSA checkpoint rules are airport rules, not printed on the AMC page. The AMC office on baggage claim is outside the sterile area; the ticketing counters are on the ticketing level.

What are hours, phone, DSN, and email?

Hours: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and evenings on nights of departures. The page warns: “Please note we are not open 24hrs.” The commercial airport itself operates on Port of Seattle hours, which is not the AMC desk.

Service counter: (253) 982-3504 24-hour flight recording: (253) 982-0555 DSN: 382-3504 / 382-0555 — DSN only; do not dial AMC’s (312) prefix as a commercial area code. Email: seattle.gateway@us.af.mil

Live AMC directory (27 Aug 2026) matches (253) 982-3504 / 0555 and that email. Workbook listed only 3504; the page also publishes the recording line.

How do I sign up for Space-A?

Email a copy of your travel documentation to Seattle.Gateway@us.af.mil, or use the HQ AMC Space-A email form and select Seattle-Tacoma IAP WA. HQ AMC’s Self-Signup Tool for AMC locations.

Active-duty members must be within their chargeable leave dates. The terminal wants leave paperwork, EML form, and other necessary documents. Dependents: Space-Available travel letter and EML form (if using). HQ AMC does not process sign-up. Print confirmation and bring it.

How and when do I mark present?

Space-A passengers may be marked present no earlier than 24 hours before roll call. Mark present at the ticketing counter during processing hours or at the office before. Processing hours are on the 72-hour schedule. You must be marked present NLT 1 hour prior to roll call.

Selection is by category and date/time of sign-up. The time you mark present does not change seniority. Remote sign-up is not “present.”

The Gram states early check-in is not provided at SeaTac due to limited storage. All passengers and baggage must be present at check-in. AMC does not interline/transfer luggage.

When is roll call?

At the AMC ticket counter, 3 hours prior to departure, unless the 72-hour schedule says otherwise. The page recommends arriving one or two hours prior to roll call for processing.

Verify exact “Counters Open” and roll-call times on the 72-hour icon. All flights can change or delay without notice. Do not treat unofficial “0430 winter / 0530 summer” blog times as official.

When should duty / PE passengers check in?

Duty (orders): last six counters on the ticketing level, next to TSA checkpoint 2. Counters open 6 hours prior to departure. Be in line NLT 3 hours 20 minutes prior to scheduled departure. Late arrivals go to Customer Service for rebooking (or as PCS orders instruct).

Check the 72-hour schedule for “Counters Open” times. Bring a physical copy of current travel orders for AMC to keep. A copier is not always available.

Does this terminal operate Patriot Express flights? If yes, to where?

Yes. This is an AMC PE gateway. The official page: flights serve bases in Japan, Korea, and Guam exclusively. That is a route family, not a promise those missions operate this week.

Duty/PCS passengers are booked through the transportation office; Space-A rides leftover seats. Many flights are fully booked or close to it; standby duty passengers take priority over Space-A. There is no way to predict Space-A selection.

Where is short-term and long-term parking, max days, and pass rules?

Not published on the AMC SeaTac page. This is commercial airport parking (Port of Seattle). The AMC page does not print a military long-term lot, max days, or a terminal parking pass.

Do not invent a JBLM lot as “SeaTac parking.” Ask the service counter only if they publish a local exception; otherwise use airport parking products and read Port of Seattle rules yourself. Nightly/daily rates are not published here.

What lodging is nearby on-base and off-base?

On-airport Air Force Inns: None. AF Inns at https://af.dodlodging.net/ has no Sea-Tac / SEA Airport property. Do not list Joint Base Lewis-McChord lodging as this gateway’s inn — that is a different AMC terminal.

Off-base: The AMC SeaTac page does not print a hotel list. Book commercial Seattle/Tukwila/airport hotels yourself. Nightly rates are not published here. No rooms are promised.

Is there a USO, food, Wi-Fi, showers, lockers?

USO Northwest – Sea-Tac International Airport Center (official USO page, checked 27 Aug 2026): Main Terminal mezzanine, one level above the Southwest Airlines ticket counter, outside security. https://northwest.uso.org/sea-tac · +1 206-246-1908

USO-published hours (confirm before you rely on them): Sun 0800–2000; Mon 0800–0400 next day; Tue 0800–0000; Wed 0800–0400 next day; Thu 0800–0000; Fri 0800–0000; Sat 0800–0400 next day. Amenities listed: snacks/beverages, luggage storage, bunks, Wi-Fi/computers, family room, bathrooms. USO is not DoD.

The AMC page itself does not document terminal Wi-Fi, showers, or lockers. Most airport eateries are past TSA; the AMC page does not list them. Staging/test AMC pages that still say “USO NW is under construction / parking garage” are not the live gateway page — do not use them.

What documents are required?

Duty / space-required: Physical copy of current travel orders for AMC to keep. Movement-ready: FCG / country rules or you may be denied.

PCS to Korea and Japan after 09 JAN 2026 (page banner): Active-duty eligible dependents, DoD civilians, and their eligible dependents are no longer authorized to travel on tourist passports on PCS orders. Special Issuance Passport (SIP) is MANDATORY for eligible dependents of active-duty members on PCS. DoD civilians and their eligible dependents MUST travel on Official Passports. Travel after 09 Jan 2026 will be denied without the SIP. See the 23 Sep 2025 message linked from the page.

Space-A: Physical copies of leave paperwork, Space-A travel letter, and/or EML forms. Eligibility under DoDI 4515.13.

Guam leisure: Passport or a State Enhanced Driver’s License. Without one you will be denied. If using an Enhanced DL, you need it and your birth certificate to leave Guam. Minor children without a DoD ID: DEERS printout with their DoD ID number.

Korea: Some passport holders need a K-ETA before departing SeaTac (https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/newapply/index.do). U.S. (including Guam) is on the page’s 2026 exempt-country list; if your passport country is not listed, obtain K-ETA before departure.

100% disabled veterans (excluding retirees) without a DoD ID marked Retired: limited IAW DoDI 4515.13 Table 3 #47. From SeaTac, the page states the only authorized destination for those travelers is Guam — not Japan or Korea. The terminal reports veterans being denied at the counter for Japan/Korea.

Unaccompanied minors: space-required PE only, ages 10–18; AMC Form 1004 required; under 10 not permitted unaccompanied; Space-A is not authorized for unaccompanied minors.

What are baggage limits and Space-A/PE fees if published?

Bags (AMC page): 2 bags, 70 lb each / 140 lb total IAW JFTR / DoDI 4515.13, 62 linear inches. One carry-on plus one personal item that fits under any aircraft seat. Excess baggage on a duty passenger reduces seats. Passengers on orders with excess baggage are charged $125 per extra bag.

Gram (linked from the page; treat as dated pamphlet): Space-A travelers are not authorized excess baggage. Space-A head tax printed $22.90 per person; pet 0–70 lb $125, 71–140 lb $250, higher weight bands also printed. Conflict: other 2026 AMC Grams (e.g. Norfolk) print PE head tax $23.40. SeaTac’s live HTML page does not reprint the dollar figure. Use the counter’s current tariff; do not treat $22.90 as locked.

Arrive-side: all passengers must claim luggage. AMC does not transfer bags to other airlines. TSA-approved locks encouraged. Hazmat: https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe

Can I travel with pets from here?

Yes on missions that accept them (typically PE), with tight rules. In-cabin (page): only one in-cabin pet space per ticketed traveler, not to exceed two pets per family (DTR Part 1). Carrier must not exceed 18” L × 11” W × 10½” H, must fit under the seat, cannot be hard plastic, and must meet carrier pet limits.

The page also links destination-specific pet PDFs (Guam, Japan, Korea). You own microchip, shots, border rules, and forms. Space-A pet space is not something this FAQ can promise. Wheelchair assistance for the international-arrivals walk is available with advance notification.

Where are schedules posted?

On the official AMC SeaTac page icons:

  • 72-hour schedule (SEA_72hr.pdf on the 16 Jun 2026 capture)
  • Roll Call (SEA_RollCall.pdf)
  • 30-day (SEA30day.pdf)
  • SeaTac AMC Gram
  • SeaTac PE Travel Video
  • SEA_faq.pdf

The 16 Jun 2026 page stamp: “Information is current as of 16 Jun 2026 @ 0620L” / “ALL MISSIONS ARE RUNNING ON SCHEDULE” — that sentence is not a 27 Aug 2026 live quote. Refresh the page. All flights are subject to change without notice.

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Is this the same as the McChord / JBLM passenger terminal?

No. JBLM (McChord Field) is a separate AMC CONUS terminal with its own page, phone, and on-base AF Inns. SeaTac is the PE gateway at the civilian airport.

Do I need a CAC to reach the AMC counter?

No installation gate. You still need whatever ID TSA and the AMC agents require for check-in and boarding.

Where do I stand for duty check-in?

Last six counters, ticketing level, next to TSA checkpoint 2 (page). Ignore older “Hawaiian Airlines” Gram wording unless the live page changes back.

Can I check bags the night before?

Gram: early check-in is not provided (limited storage). All bags must be present at check-in. Plan to hold your own luggage (USO luggage storage is a USO amenity, not AMC).

I just arrived on PE — how far is immigration?

The page: be prepared to walk from the satellite terminal (S Gates) to the International Arrivals Facility. About 5–10 minutes, worse with small children. No AMC carts until customs / exiting the IAF. Airport porters charge per bag, cash. AMC assistance is limited. Wheelchair: advance notice.

Can a 100% DAV fly Space-A to Osan or Yokota from here?

The SeaTac page says no for that ID category: Guam only, not Japan or Korea.

Do dependents on PCS to Japan still use a tourist passport?

Not after 09 Jan 2026. SIP (dependents) or official passport (DoD civilians) is mandatory or travel is denied.

Is there an Air Force Inn in the airport?

No. Not on https://af.dodlodging.net/ Do not plan on walking to an AF Inn from baggage claim.

Are uniforms required on PE?

Gram: unless the Foreign Clearance Guide or your service says otherwise, uniform wear on AMC PE is not required. Confirm FCG for the destination.

Non-SOFA into Iwakuni?

The page: Non-SOFA personnel cannot enter Japan through Iwakuni MCAS. Pick a SOFA-capable port or do not plan that hop.

Card vs cash at AMC?

The SeaTac HTML page does not print a cash/card rule. The Gram’s fee table does not say “card only.” Bring a card anyway; do not invent a cash-only or card-only policy.

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For general Space-A questions, see the Space-A FAQ.