Phoenix PHX to Seattle SEA Flights: Nonstop Guide

Phoenix to Seattle is a nonstop of about 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes, and the time difference depends on the season: Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, so Seattle is 1 hour behind Phoenix from November to March and on the same clock from March to November. As of recent schedules, Alaska, American, Delta and Southwest fly Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) to Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) nonstop. Check the airline's timetable for your dates.

Who flies Phoenix to Seattle nonstop

• Alaska, Seattle's home airline, flies from PHX Terminal 3.
• Delta, which also runs a Seattle hub, flies from Terminal 3.
• American flies from Terminal 4, where Phoenix is one of its hubs.
• Southwest, whose largest Phoenix operation is in Terminal 4, flies the route as well.

With big operations at both ends, the route has departures spread through the day.

The Arizona time quirk, explained

Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year (the Navajo Nation is the exception). Seattle switches between Pacific Standard Time and Pacific Daylight Time. In practice:

• From early November to mid-March, Seattle is 1 hour behind Phoenix. A flight that leaves Phoenix at noon and takes 3 hours lands around 2 p.m. Seattle time.
• From mid-March to early November, both cities show the same time, so the same flight lands around 3 p.m.

Check arrival times in local time on your booking, and be careful with calendar invites around the clock-change weekends, when phones and schedules can briefly disagree.

Leaving from Phoenix Sky Harbor

PHX has two active terminals, 3 and 4, linked by the free PHX Sky Train, which also runs to the rental car center and to the 44th Street station for Valley Metro Rail. Terminal 4 is by far the busier one, handling American and Southwest. In summer, morning departures avoid the hottest part of the day, when extreme heat can occasionally slow operations. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (AZA) in the East Valley is a second airport, served mostly by Allegiant; check whether it has a flight to the Seattle area for your dates before you count on it.

Seattle-Tacoma or Paine Field

As of Paine Field's current destination list, Alaska flies from Phoenix to Paine Field (PAE) in Everett, about 25 miles north of downtown Seattle. Its small terminal has short lines and suits Everett, Lynnwood and the north end of the region. For downtown Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma and the south, SEA is closer.

At SEA, every flight uses one main terminal for baggage claim. Gates are spread over Concourses A to D and the North and South Satellites, the satellites reached by underground train, so check your gate in the airline app. To get into the city:

• Link light rail (1 Line) runs from SEA Airport station to downtown in about 40 minutes.
• Taxis and rideshare pick up on the third floor of the parking garage.

See our SEA airport guide.

Flying to Seattle for a cruise

Seattle is a home port for Alaska cruises in the spring-to-fall season, sailing from Pier 66 downtown and Smith Cove at Pier 91. If you are flying from Phoenix to board a ship, plan to arrive the day before: a late or cancelled flight on sailing day can mean missing the ship, and cruise lines do not wait. Taxis and rideshare from SEA reach both piers, and many cruise lines sell their own airport transfers.

REAL ID for Phoenix and Seattle

No passport is needed, since this is a domestic flight. TSA has enforced REAL ID since May 7, 2025, so an Arizona license needs the gold star, or you can show a US passport, passport card or another accepted ID. Washington also issues enhanced driver's licenses, which TSA accepts. Without an accepted ID, TSA ConfirmID is a paid identity check that adds time; check the fee on tsa.gov. Our REAL ID guide lists every option.

Bags and cheapest fares

Pack layers: leaving 100°F Phoenix for a 60°F Seattle summer day is common. Alaska's Saver fare and American and Delta basic fares include a carry-on; Southwest includes one on every fare but has charged for checked bags on most fares since May 2025 and assigned seats since January 27, 2026. See basic economy explained and airline baggage rules.

Best time to fly between Phoenix and Seattle

This route has two peaks pulling in opposite directions. In winter, Seattle residents head south for the sun, and in February and March the Seattle Mariners hold spring training in Peoria, in the West Valley, so southbound flights from Seattle fill around Cactus League weekends. In summer, Phoenix residents escape the heat to the Pacific Northwest, which is dry and mild from about July to September, the busiest months in Seattle. April, May and October are often the quietest. Thanksgiving and the winter holidays are busy both ways.

Flying back: Seattle to Phoenix

The southbound flight is about the same length. In winter you set your watch forward 1 hour on landing in Phoenix; in summer there is no change, so a 3-hour flight that leaves Seattle at 9 a.m. lands around 1 p.m. in January and around noon in July. If you are flying home from a Mariners spring training trip, book the return early, since Sunday flights out of Phoenix fill on Cactus League weekends.

Tips for this route

• Remember the season: Seattle is 1 hour behind Phoenix in winter, the same time in summer.
• Check Paine Field on Alaska if you are staying north of Seattle.
• Flying to a cruise? Land in Seattle the day before you sail.