How do I navigate from the 5th-floor shuttle drop-off area near the 'spinning circles' back to the airport ticketing area or to Ground Transportation and the Link Light Rail?
Verified: 2026-06-27
At a glance
From the 5th-floor shuttle drop-off, walk past the 'spinning circles' artwork and take the escalator down one level to the 4th-floor skybridge. Cross the skybridge to enter the terminal. For ticketing, continue straight to the main escalators. For Ground Transportation or Link Light Rail, take the terminal escalators down to the 3rd floor and exit through the doors on the south end.
What to know
Topic-specific long guide — no rental shuttle/CFC boilerplate
In-depth guide
What to expect on your trip
- From this drop-off point, navigating back into the airport or to ground transportation is straightforward but requires attention to the correct escalators and skybridges.
- First, walk past the spinning circles and locate the escalator immediately adjacent to the drop-off zone.
- Take this escalator down exactly one level to the 4th floor.
- Here, you will enter the covered skybridge that spans roughly 500 feet across the airport roadway directly into the main terminal building.
- Once you cross the skybridge, you have two primary navigation choices.
When returning your rental vehicle at the SeaTac Rental Car Facility, the shuttle bus will drop you off on the 5th floor of the main terminal garage, right next to the iconic kinetic 'spinning circles' sculpture. From this drop-off point, navigating back into the airport or to ground transportation is straightforward but requires attention to the correct escalators and skybridges. First, walk past the spinning circles and locate the escalator immediately adjacent to the drop-off zone. Take this escalator down exactly one level to the 4th floor. Here, you will enter the covered skybridge that spans roughly 500 feet across the airport roadway directly into the main terminal building. Once you cross the skybridge, you have two primary navigation choices. If you need to reach the airline ticketing counters or departures, simply continue walking straight ahead past the terminal's main bank of elevators and take the ascending escalator up one level to the 5th-floor departure level. However, if you are heading to Ground Transportation, ride-share pickup, or the Link Light Rail station, you will want to proceed to the south end of the terminal. Take the descending escalator down to the 3rd floor (Baggage Claim), walk past the baggage carousels, and exit through the doors marked 'Ground Transportation / Link Light Rail'. The Link Light Rail station is located approximately 200 feet south of the terminal exit doors, easily accessible via a short covered walkway.
Similar cars to consider
- Central Terminal vs Concourse installations: Central hosts large-scale suspended works visible pre-security; concourse galleries rotate temporary exhibits tied to Pacific Northwest themes.
Honest heads-up
Temporary exhibits rotate — verify current installations on portseattle.org day-of-travel; construction in 2026 may reroute gallery walkways.
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