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Washington airport information for drivers

To ensure a smooth airport experience for you and your passengers, make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules below. Tap each link to jump to detailed instructions on each section:
The following information applies to all airports:
Airport officials will issue administrative citations to drivers who do not follow the rules. You are responsible for paying any tickets you receive for violating airport rules and regulations.
Note: The time you spend waiting in an airport queue won’t be counted towards the 12-hour limit.
Lyft emblem
  1. Keep your Lyft emblem displayed in your lower right hand (passenger side) of your front windshield at all times while giving Lyft rides.
  2. If you are giving a non-Lyft ride at the airport, make sure to remove your emblem before entering airport property.
  3. If you’ve just been approved to drive, you should receive your Lyft emblem shortly. If you didn't get one or need a new one, place an order in your Dashboard. While waiting for it to arrive, you may print a temporary emblem.
Image of the Lyft emblem.
Conduct at the airport
  1. Do not stop or pull over in crosswalks.
  2. Do not park in red zones or taxi/shuttle areas unless otherwise specified in the rules above.
  3. Always follow instructions given by airport personnel.
  4. If you run into any trouble, like a regulatory citation, contact us. We're here to help 24/7.
Waybill
Airport authorities may ask you for a waybill, which shows your latest ride. Click here to learn how to access your waybill.
Permitted Airports
Drivers on the Lyft platform are responsible for knowing and following all airport regulations in order to avoid receiving administrative citations from the airport. Lyft is available at the following airports in Washington:
Paine Field (Snohomish County Airport) (PAE)
Map of Paine Field Snohomish County Airport
Note: You can pick up and drop-off all passengers with special needs or mobility challenges curbside.
Pickups:
  1. Pick up passengers from the parking next to the Ground Transportation Building as pictured in the map above.
  2. Do not pick up passengers at the curbside terminal entrance.
  3. Short ride bump: If you receive a request for a short ride from the airport after waiting in the queue, you may qualify for a higher queue position after you drop off your passenger. You'll receive an SMS after dropping off to let you know you have the option to return to the staging area for a preferred spot in the queue. Please note, if you give a ride before returning to the staging area, you may still qualify for a preferred spot in line.
Drop-offs:
  1. Drop off passengers at the parking next to the Ground Transportation Building as pictured in the map above.
  2. Do not wait at the airport terminal or accept additional ride requests after drop-off.
Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (PUW)
Map of Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport
Waiting for requests:
  1. Wait for passenger requests in one of the 3 spaces in the rental car/employee parking.
  2. If the staging area is full, you must leave the airport. You may not wait for requests anywhere else on airport property or use any other parking lots while in driver mode.
Pickups:
  1. Pick up passengers from the terminal curbside pictured in the map above.
  2. Do not pick up passengers at the curbside terminal entrance.
  3. Do not wait or circle back at the airport if the passenger is delayed when picking up. Head to the Cell Phone Lot and wait there.
Drop-offs:
  1. Drop off passengers at the terminal curbside pictured in the map above.
  2. Do not wait at the airport terminal or accept additional ride requests after drop-off.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Map of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
This image shows decal placements, airport requirements, and pickup area info for Seattle.
MPG Requirement:
  1. Sea-Tac Airport has a strong commitment to being environmentally friendly. As part of this goal, the Port of Seattle will only allow Lyft vehicles with a blended MPG rating of 40 or higher to pick up passengers at Sea-Tac. If your vehicle does not meet this requirement, you will not be added to the FIFO queue and you'll need to leave the staging area immediately.
  2. If your car's MPG rating is lower than 40, you can continue dropping off passengers at Sea-Tac as usual — just avoid entering the airport pickup queue so you don't risk deactivation. Remember: Following airport regulations is as important as following traffic laws, and you're responsible for knowing them.
  3. Click here to check your MPG rating.
Seattle airport staging area
Waiting for requests:
  1. Wait in the designated staging area. Drivers can wait in two locations to be added to the queue:
    1. The Staging Area: The Ground Transportation Lot can be found at 3069 S. 160th Street, SeaTac, Washington 98188.
    2. The Assignment Area: This is the zone that covers the broader neighborhood east of the SEA airport terminal, stretching from south of where the 518 and 42 Ave meet, to South 200th St past Angle Lake.
  3. The queue is first in-first out. The driver who has been waiting within the staging area and the assignment area in driver mode the longest gets the next request. Your physical location within the staging area and assignment area does not affect your spot in the queue, but if you exit the staging area and assignment area, or log out of driver mode, you will lose your spot.
  4. If the staging area is full, you can wait in the assignment area. You may not wait for requests anywhere else on airport property, but you can wait anywhere within the assignment area while in driver mode to keep your spot in the queue.
  5. Drivers in the assignment area can receive non-airport ride requests. Drivers who enter the assignment area will be eligible for both airport and non-airport pickups. Drivers can continue to access the existing staging area to join the queue for airport pickups only.
  6. Passenger cancellations don't affect your place in line. If your passenger cancels on you, head back to the staging area or assignment area. As long as you're back within 15 minutes, you'll be placed at the front of the queue.
  7. Driver cancellations and missed requests do affect your place in line. You can miss or decline up to 3 rides before getting placed at the back of the queue.
  8. You can view your place in line in the app. Learn how to view your position in the queue here.
Map of SEA garage for the 'Washington airport information' article
Pickups:
  1. Follow signs for Arrivals, then keep left for Ground Transportation - Authorized Vehicles Only to pick up passengers inside the parking garage.
  2. Look for the TNC/Rideshare signs to locate your passenger in the designated pickup area.
    1. The Lyft app moves the passenger's pin to an approved pickup area. If you're having trouble finding each other, make sure you have both gone to the pin's location and are on the correct level of the airport.
  4. You must not pickup at SeaTac airport unless you have your For-Hire permit with you and your TNC vehicle decal displayed. Ground Transportation staff will issue you a citation if you do not have these items.
  5. Express Match Zone: While waiting for requests, you may receive an in-app notification directing you to head toward the garage. While en route, you may receive a ride request. If you don't, you are permitted to wait in Stalls 19 - 34 (primary waiting area) until you're matched to a rider. All drivers looking to do an airport ride should still start at the staging area or assignment area. Do not go straight to the curb unless directed to do so by the app.
  6. Do not pick up passengers at the curbside terminal entrance.
  7. Do not wait or circle back at the airport if the passenger is delayed when picking up. Instead, wait at the designated pickup area inside the parking garage.
  8. Important Note: You are only permitted to wait 15 minutes in the parking lot for your passenger.
  9. Short ride bump: If you receive a request for a short ride from the airport after waiting in the queue, you may qualify for a higher queue position after you drop off your passenger. You'll receive an SMS after dropping off to let you know you have the option to return to the staging area for a preferred spot in the queue. Please note, if you give a ride before returning to the staging area or assignment area, you may still qualify for a preferred spot in line.
Drop-offs:
  1. Drop off passengers curbside the terminal entrance on the Departures (upper) level, at your passenger’s carrier of choice.
  2. Do not wait at the airport terminal or accept additional ride requests after drop-off. Proceed to the staging area or assignment area instead.
Map of the rematch route at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Rematch at SEA:
  1. Rematch is a feature enables you to be matched with additional passenger(s) shortly before or after completing a drop-off at SEA airport. This means you can receive a pickup request up to 1 minute after dropping off a passenger without returning to the staging area or assignment area.
  2. Please refer to the map above to see the route you should take from the departures level to the parking garage in the event that you are rematched.
  3. When you get to the “STOP” sign (1), proceed through in the far right lane, under “Terminal Direct Parking”. Proceed up the helix to the 3rd floor, and find the App Based Rideshare pickup areas in sections G-J.
  4. In the event that you are not rematched, you must leave airport property. You may go to the designated airport staging area (3069 S. 160th St), or the assignment area in the neighborhood east of the airport terminal, if your vehicle qualifies for SEA airport pickups.
  5. Your vehicle does not need to meet the MPG requirement in order to be eligible for rematch rides.
Safety Rules at SEA:
  1. Keep your headlights on at all times.
  2. Obey the 10 mph speed limit.
  3. Stop at crosswalks for pedestrians.
  4. Do not load or unload in thru lanes.
  5. Do not remain in the loading area for more than 10 minutes.
  6. Review our anti-discrimination policies.
TNC decal and For-Hire Permit at SEA:
This image shows where to place the TNC Decal in your vehicle in Washington state (WA).
In addition to displaying your Lyft emblem, drivers giving rides at SEA must also display their TNC Decal and carry their For-Hire Permit.
When you receive your For-Hire Permit from King County, you'll also be given a TNC Decal. All drivers at SeaTac Airport are required to display their TNC vehicle decal and have their For-Hire Permit on them at all times while in driver mode. Failure to do so may result in citations.
Spokane International Airport (GEG)
Map of Spokane International Airport
Waiting for requests:
  1. Wait for passenger requests in the Staging Area in the Cell Phone Lot pictured above. Only drivers within the designated staging area (TNC Lot pictured above) are added to the queue.
  2. You may see multiple airport staging lots in the app. You can choose any available lots and it won't affect your place in the queue. The app will show how many drivers are waiting in each staging lot.
  3. The queue is first in-first out. The driver who has been waiting within the staging area in driver mode the longest gets the next request. Your physical location within the staging area does not affect your spot in the queue, but if you exit the staging area or log out of driver mode, you will lose your spot.
  4. If the staging area is full, you must leave the airport. You may not wait for requests anywhere else on airport property or use any other parking lots while in driver mode.
  5. Passenger cancellations don't affect your place in line. If your passenger cancels on you, head back to the staging area. As long as you're back within 15 minutes, you'll be placed at the front of the queue.
  6. Driver cancellations and missed requests do affect your place in line. You can miss or decline up to 3 rides before getting placed at the back of the queue.
  7. You can view your place in line in the app. Learn how to view your position in the queue here.
Pickups:
  1. Pick up passengers from the designated pickup zones pictured in the map above.
  2. Do not pick up passengers at the curbside terminal entrance.
  3. Do not wait or circle back at the airport if the passenger is delayed when picking up. Head to the Cell Phone Lot and wait there.
  4. Short ride bump: If you receive a request for a short ride from the airport after waiting in the queue, you may qualify for a higher queue position after you drop off your passenger. You'll receive an SMS after dropping off to let you know you have the option to return to the staging area for a preferred spot in the queue. Please note, if you give a ride before returning to the staging area, you may still qualify for a preferred spot in line.
Drop-offs:
  1. Drop off passengers at the drop-off zones pictured in the map above.
  2. Do not wait at the airport terminal or accept additional ride requests after drop-off.
Tri-Cities Airport (Pasco) | PSC
Map of Tri-Cities Airport
Waiting for requests:
  1. Wait in the designated staging area. Only drivers within the designated staging area (pictured above) are added to the queue.
  2. The queue is first in-first out. The driver who has been waiting within the staging area in driver mode the longest gets the next request. Your physical location within the staging area does not affect your spot in the queue, but if you exit the staging area or log out of driver mode, you will lose your spot.
  3. If the staging area is full, you must leave the airport. You may not wait for requests anywhere else on airport property or use any other parking lots while in driver mode.
  4. Passenger cancellations don't affect your place in line. If your passenger cancels on you, head back to the staging area. As long as you're back within 15 minutes, you'll be placed at the front of the queue.
  5. Driver cancellations and missed requests do affect your place in line. You can miss or decline up to 3 rides before getting placed at the back of the queue.
  6. You can view your place in line in the app. Learn how to view your position in the queue here.
Pickups:
  1. Pick up passengers from arrivals.
  2. Do not pick up passengers at the curbside terminal entrance.
  3. Do not wait or circle back at the airport if the passenger is delayed when picking up. Head to the Cell Phone Lot and wait there.
Drop-offs:
  1. Drop off passengers at departures.
  2. Do not wait at the airport terminal or accept additional ride requests after drop-off.
All Other Permitted Airports
The rules below for pickups and drop-offs apply to:
  1. Bellingham International Airport | BLI
  2. Bellingham Cruise & Ferry Terminal
  3. Boeing Field | BFI
  4. Olympia Regional Airport | OLM
  5. Pangborn Memorial Airport | EAT
Pickups:
  1. Pick up passengers from Arrivals, at your passenger’s carrier of choice.
  2. Do not wait or circle back at the airport if the passenger is delayed when picking up.
Drop-offs:
  1. Drop off passengers curbside at the terminal entrance, at your passenger’s carrier of choice.
  2. Do not wait at the airport terminal after drop-off.

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