Seattle skyline with the Space Needle and Mount Rainier, seen from Queen Anne Hill. Flights from Detroit to Seattle

Route guide

Cheap Flights from Detroit to Seattle

Search partner fares from Detroit Metro (DTW) to Seattle-Tacoma (SEA), and check whether your airline leaves from the McNamara or Evans Terminal.

DTW to SEA · 1,922 mi · 4h 40m est.

DTW to SEA
1,922 miles
4h 40m nonstop (estimated)
5 airlines in our fare results

Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Detroit to Seattle flight insights

Average flight time

~4h 40m (estimated)

DTW → SEA

Cheapest cached price

$220

Checking live fares…

Prices shown may not be current. Last checked: Oct 19, 2026.

Planning a trip from Detroit to Seattle? The average flight time on this route is ~4h 40m (estimated). The lowest fare we recorded on this route recently was $220 (last checked Oct 19, 2026); today's live fare for your dates can differ.

Detroit to Seattle covers a straight-line distance of about 1,922 miles. Based on that distance, a nonstop flight would take approximately ~4h 40m (estimated). Actual flight time varies by airline, aircraft and routing.

Detroit to Seattle at a glance

DTW to SEA is about 1,922 miles in a straight line. The curved line is an illustration; the route your airline flies may differ.

Route Quick Facts

Quick facts for flights from Detroit to Seattle on Eazair
Origin	Detroit (DTW)
Destination	Seattle (SEA)
Average Flight Time	~4h 40m (estimated)
Current Lowest Fare	$220
Fares Last Checked	Oct 19, 2026
Distance	1,922 miles (DTW to SEA)
Time in Seattle	3 hours behind Detroit
Airlines in our fare results	5

Local time in Seattle is 3 hours behind Detroit. Detroit is on Eastern Time, Seattle on Pacific Time.

Flight deals from Detroit to Seattle

On this page, fares start at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) and end at Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA). Southwest, American, United and Delta each feature in EazAir's fare checks for the route. DTW has two separate terminals: Delta uses McNamara, while American, United and Southwest use Evans. At Sea-Tac, Delta and United are at the S and A gates, according to the airport's train guide, and other airlines should be checked on the boarding pass.

Some boarding passes show the McNamara Terminal as EM and the Evans Terminal as WE, DTW says. Detroit Air Xpress, SMART Route 125 and FAST Michigan Route 261 stop at both terminals, SMART Route 280 at Evans only, and Michigan Flyer and AirRide coaches come in from Ann Arbor. Inside McNamara, the ExpressTram runs the mile-long Concourse A between three stations. DTW lists CLEAR lanes at both McNamara checkpoints but does not publish checkpoint hours.

The S concourse connects to the rest of SEA only by the SEA Underground train, and a Yellow Line shuttles between the A and D stations. Into the city, the Link light rail 1 Line runs on a line from Federal Way to Lynnwood through downtown Seattle, and SEA puts the downtown ride at 38 minutes. A free Train-to-Plane shuttle runs to the station from 5 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, and a fare applies on the train.

EazAir's first 2 fare checks for DTW to SEA, made from 28 Sep to 14 Oct 2026, each looked for the lowest one-way economy fare for one adult, departing 30 days later. The highest result was less than one and a half times the lowest; with just 2 checks, that is no pattern. Delta says every passenger can bring one carry-on and a personal item free. Search your own dates, and check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

Airports for Detroit to Seattle flights

Departure · Detroit

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)

Eastern Time

Arrival · Seattle

Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA)

Pacific Time

About Seattle

Areas to know in Seattle

Capitol Hill
Ballard
Fremont

Weather in Seattle

Mild, wet winters and dry, mild summers. The Pacific Northwest's rainy reputation is strongest from October through April.

Detroit to Seattle: airport and fare guide

Checked on 17 Oct 2026 against the airport, airline and transit pages listed under Sources. Airports and airlines change these details, so confirm them with your airline before you fly.

Paine Field (PAE) in Everett, north of Seattle, is a separate airport with its own passenger terminal. Check that your ticket says SEA if you plan to use Sea-Tac.

Leaving from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)

Airline	DTW terminal
Delta	McNamara Terminal
American	Evans Terminal
United	Evans Terminal
Southwest	Evans Terminal
Other airlines	Check your boarding pass or airline app.

Detroit Air Xpress, SMART Route 125 and FAST Michigan Route 261 stop at both terminals, and SMART Route 280 at Evans only. DTW advises confirming your airline's terminal before you board.
Michigan Flyer and AirRide run to DTW from Ann Arbor, and Michigan Flyer also from East Lansing.
DTW lists checkpoints in the McNamara ticketing lobby on Level 3, on the McNamara bridge from the parking garage on Level 2, at the Westin hotel and in the Evans ticketing lobby.
DTW says access to all airline gates is through the security checkpoint areas, and CLEAR lanes are at both McNamara checkpoints.
DTW says the TSA PreCheck office is in the McNamara Terminal's domestic baggage claim area. DTW does not publish checkpoint hours.

Arriving at Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA)

Airline	SEA gates
Delta	S and A gates
United	S and A gates
Other airlines	Check your boarding pass or airline app.

From SEA's SEA Underground guide dated 2 Sep 2025, which says Delta, United and almost all international airlines use the S and A gates. Gates can change, so check your boarding pass.

SEA has one terminal with six concourses: A, B and S at the south end, and C, D and N at the north end.
The N and S concourses are not connected to the other gates, so you reach them on the SEA Underground train. SEA says a train arrives every three minutes.
The Blue Line links the S, B and A concourses, the Green Line links N, C and D, and the Yellow Line shuttles between the A and D stations only.
SEA says every security checkpoint gives access to all gates.

Getting from SEA	Where to board	Where it goes
Link light rail 1 Line	From baggage claim, go up to the fourth floor, cross the skybridge to the parking garage and follow the signs to SeaTac/Airport station. A free Train-to-Plane shuttle runs from 5 a.m. to midnight. A fare applies on the train.	Downtown Seattle, with the line running from Federal Way to Lynnwood. SEA says the ride from downtown Seattle takes 38 minutes.
Rideshare (Lyft, UberX)	3rd floor of the parking garage. Cross a skybridge, one level below ticketing and one level above baggage claim, then go down one level.	Wherever you booked.
Uber Black and other premium rides	The baggage claim level door you choose in the app.	Wherever you booked.
Taxis	3rd floor of the parking garage, at the north and south curbs.	Metered taxis have three-digit numbers and one color. Flat-rate taxis charge by zip code and have four-digit numbers and two colors.

What the lowest fares include

Fare	Carry-on	Checked bag	Seat	Changes
Delta Main Basic	Delta says every passenger can bring one carry-on and one personal item free.	Delta charges for checked bags on domestic flights unless you qualify for a waiver, such as Medallion status or an eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express card.	Assigned after check-in. You may be able to buy a seat ahead of time for a fee.	Refunds are not allowed after the 24-hour risk-free cancellation window. Delta says a change or cancellation may be possible for a fee, with any value left as an eCredit.
American Basic Economy	Included, plus a personal item.	Not included, except for some AAdvantage status members and eligible cardmembers.	A free seat is assigned at check-in, or you can pay to choose one.	Generally not allowed. American describes a 24-hour window and some credit options on its Basic Economy page.
United Basic Economy	Not included on domestic flights. One personal item only, unless you are a MileagePlus Premier member, travel with one, or hold a qualifying MileagePlus card.	Not included; check United's bag fee calculator.	Assigned by United before boarding.	Changes may not be allowed. Refund if cancelled within 24 hours of booking, under United's 24-hour policy; after that, partial travel credit.
Southwest Basic	Southwest's policy allows one carry-on and one personal item.	Checked bag fees apply to Basic fares.	A free Standard seat is assigned at check-in. Preferred and Extra Legroom seats cost extra.	Only by upgrading to a Choice fare or higher. Cancelling at least 10 minutes before departure gives a flight credit, which for Basic expires 6 months from booking.

Based on the airlines' own pages, checked on 17 Oct 2026. Fees are left out because they change often. Check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

How EazAir measured fares on this route

EazAir's first 2 fare checks from Detroit to Seattle ran from 28 Sep to 14 Oct 2026. For the return direction, Seattle to Detroit, EazAir's first check was on 14 Oct 2026. Each check asked partner travel sites for the lowest one-way economy fare for one adult, departing 30 days after the check. Results can include connecting flights. The highest result was less than one and a half times the lowest. With only 2 checks, this cannot show a pattern. Search your own dates for current prices.

Sources

DTW: Airline directory (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DTW: Public transportation (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DTW: Security checkpoints (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Michigan Flyer (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: Security screening and checkpoints (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: All aboard the SEA Underground (September 2, 2025, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: Terminal overview (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: Public transit, Link light rail (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: App-based rideshare (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: Metered and flat rate taxis (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Sound Transit: 1 Line, Lynnwood to Federal Way (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Delta Main Basic (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Fares and discounts (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Carry-on baggage (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Bags (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
American Airlines: Basic Economy (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
United: Basic Economy FAQ (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Fare information (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Assigned seating (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Carry-on baggage policy (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Fare types and benefits (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
EazAir fare checks for DTW to SEA, 28 Sep 2026 to 14 Oct 2026; SEA to DTW, 14 Oct 2026 to 14 Oct 2026

Frequently asked questions

Which Detroit terminal do I fly from?

DTW lists Delta at the McNamara Terminal, and American, United and Southwest at the Evans Terminal. Some boarding passes show McNamara as EM and Evans as WE.

How do I get between McNamara and Evans?

The Terminal to Terminal/Westin Shuttle links the two, leaving about every 10 minutes from each Ground Transportation Center and the Westin Hotel entrance.

How do I get from SEA to downtown Seattle?

Take the Link light rail 1 Line from SeaTac/Airport station. SEA puts the ride from downtown at 38 minutes, and a free Train-to-Plane shuttle runs from 5 a.m. to midnight.

Where are the Delta and United gates at Sea-Tac?

SEA's train guide dated 2 Sep 2025 puts Delta and United at the S and A gates. The S concourse is reached only on the SEA Underground train.

Do the lowest fares on this route include a carry-on?

Southwest allows one carry-on, Delta says every passenger can bring one free, and American Basic Economy includes one. United Basic Economy allows only a personal item on domestic flights, with some MileagePlus exceptions.

How far apart are DTW and SEA?

DTW and SEA are about 1922 miles apart in a straight line. Flight times vary by airline, direction and routing, so check the scheduled time shown with each result.

Airline bag fees

Baggage allowances differ significantly between fare classes (Basic/Light vs. Standard/Flex) and can change over time. Always verify the exact allowance for your specific fare with the airline before you fly.

Checked bag fees from each airline's own website
Airline	Carry-on, basic economy	1st checked bag	2nd checked bag	Source
American Airlines	Included	$45	$55	aa.com, Sep 24, 2026
United Airlines	Not included	$40	$50	united.com, Sep 24, 2026
Delta Air Lines	Included	$45	$55	delta.com, Sep 24, 2026
Southwest Airlines	Included	$45	$55	southwest.com, Oct 27, 2026
JetBlue	Included	$45	$59	jetblue.com, Sep 24, 2026
Alaska Airlines	Included	$45	$55	alaskaair.com, Sep 24, 2026
Frontier Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	flyfrontier.com, Sep 24, 2026
Sun Country Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	suncountry.com, Sep 24, 2026

Domestic US fees per bag, each way, when paid online in advance. "Varies" means the airline prices bags by route and date.

Travel tips

Arrive early for domestic flights

TSA generally recommends arriving at least 2 hours before a domestic departure, more at larger hub airports during peak travel periods.

Pack a mixed carry-on

Keep a change of clothes, chargers, and any essentials in your carry-on rather than only your checked bag, in case of a delay or a bag that doesn't arrive with you.

Ease jet lag on longer routes

On longer cross-country flights, adjusting your sleep schedule a day or two before departure and staying hydrated in flight can reduce jet lag on arrival.

Screenshot your confirmation

Save a screenshot or PDF of your booking confirmation and boarding pass before you travel, in case you lose signal or battery at the airport.

Check in online when it opens

Most airlines open online check-in 24 hours before departure. Checking in early can help with seat selection and, on some airlines, boarding group assignment.