Coping with Thanksgiving crowds at Sea-Tac and beyond

If you're flying out of Sea-Tac airport today and over the weekend, be ready for a crowd. The number of passengers is expected reach 100,000 today and 101,000 Sunday, then drop back down to about 90,000 on Monday and Tuesday, said airport spokesman Perry Cooper.

That means not just the airport terminal but Sea-Tac airport roadways — and the parking garage — can be congested, so give yourself extra time getting to and from the airport. Before you go to any airport over this Thanksgiving period, be sure to check for flight delays with your airline. Delays at any major airport in the U.S. can boomerang through the air-travel system. For Sea-Tac, you also can check real-time flight information online for Sea-Tac at http://hosting.portseattle.org/fids/flightinfo.aspx Or get a text-message update on your Sea-Tac flight sent to your cellphone; see www.portseattle.org/seatac/traveler/index.shtml for details.

To avoid some of the lines at the airport, check in online and print your boarding pass at home. If you're traveling with carry-on luggage only, you then can go straight to the airport security checkpoint line.

Pack with airport security in mind. Remember, the restrictions on liquids in carry-on bags still apply (three-ounce or smaller containers of liquid or gel that must fit in 1 quart-sized plastic bag); get details at www.tsa.gov, the Web site of the Transportation Security Administration.

If you're driving, check road conditions at www.wsdot.wa.gov. And road travelers can check on highways statewide by calling 511.

Expect Interstate 5 and other highways to be busiest from about noon today into the early evening. The worst time could be midafternoon: Travel time on I-5 between Seattle and Federal Way is expected to take as long as 90 minutes at 4 and 5 p.m. today

If you're traveling by train, Amtrak Cascades is operating one extra round trip between Seattle and Portland today through Saturday and two additional round trips on Sunday. Get information at www.amtrakcascades.com

Information from Seattle Times reporter Kristin Jackson and The Olympian in included in this report.