After 4 years, SEA’s N Gate upgrade completed with new marketplace

SEATAC, Wash. — After four years and millions of dollars, N Gate construction at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is finally complete.

It is the first major expansion and renovation for the North Satellite in its 44 years of existence.

The airport is celebrating the completion Thursday, with a new marketplace open to the public and offering travelers eight more gates to use as well as more places to eat and shop.

Travelers Isaac and Cheryl Diaz of Kauai, Hawaii, said the new marketplace area is ideal for passing time on their layover.

Natural light from the 80-foot-tall ceilings and big windows lets them view Seattle.

“I think it just looks welcoming. I mean, it’s nice getting off a plane. You’re tired. (It’s) a nice place to hang out,” Isaac Diaz said.

“It’s nice to see the fog coming in,” Cheryl Diaz said.

Before the modernization and upgrades to LED lighting, sustainable architecture and local restaurants, the N Gate felt much different to fliers.

Tina Barber from Ferndale described the old gate as dull, with a few fast-food options and worn carpet that needed replacing.

“It was just a place to catch a flight because there was nothing here and you’d spend as much time in C gates as you could before coming over here,” said Barber.

Even representatives from SEA agree.

“(It was) dark, dreary. We did the best we could with it that we could at the time. But now, we’re talking about stepping into (the) modern day,” SEA spokesman Perry Cooper said.

Another addition at SEA is a stage in the middle of the north concourse that was specifically designed for live music.

Before the pandemic, you could see live performances daily throughout the airport.

The new installation is a step toward bringing those back.

“We’re known for our music here in the Pacific Northwest. People get a chance to soak that in as they’re here waiting,” said Cooper.

Because of the pandemic, some stores and restaurants that have committed to the North Satellite have delayed construction. Airport officials said soon travelers will be able to grab a frosty at Wendy’s and buy a beanie at Filson.

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