SEATTLE, October 2, 2026 — The FAA put Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) under a ground delay program on Friday, October 2, citing construction. The airport’s center runway remains closed, and the FAA lists the closure as running through November 15.
What happened
With Runway 16C/34C out of service, Sea-Tac is working with two of its three parallel runways. When arrival demand exceeds what two runways can take, the FAA meters inbound flights by holding them at their departure airports. That happened again on Friday, according to Rus Tourism News. The same outlet reported a similar program on September 25, which was cancelled once traffic eased; delays that day were 15 minutes or less.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Runway closed | 16C/34C (center runway) |
| Work under way | Concrete repair, electrical upgrades and runway safety area work |
| Earlier phase | Night-only closures, midnight to 6 a.m., through September 5, 2026 |
| Closure listed through | November 15, 2026, 3:59 p.m. Pacific |
| Average delay on October 2 | TBA (not published) |
| Airlines affected | All carriers; none singled out |
The end date comes from the FAA’s operations listing and could move if construction runs long.
What it means for non-revs
- Delays hit at the origin. A ground delay program holds Seattle-bound flights at their departure airport, so your flight to SEA can be late even in good weather.
- Pad your connections. One source suggests avoiding connections under 90 minutes at SEA while the runway is closed.
- Misconnects fill later flights. When revenue passengers miss connections, they are rebooked ahead of standbys, so afternoon and evening departures can tighten quickly.
- Morning flights are the safer bet. Delay programs tend to build as the day’s traffic stacks up.
- Plan on this through mid-November. Treat Sea-Tac as a two-runway airport until the closure is lifted.
Sources
- Rus Tourism News — “FAA Delays Hit Seattle and San Francisco as Las Vegas Faces Staffing Restrictions”: rustourismnews.com
- Rus Tourism News — “Seattle and San Diego Hit by FAA Ground Delay Programs as Flights Slow”: rustourismnews.com
- Deep Arrival — “Sea-Tac Keeps Its Center Runway Closed Through November 15”: deeparrival.com
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