The Port of Seattle Commission voted to build and operate an airport in 1942 and two years later a United Airlines plane made the first official landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

In just ten years the airport's passenger count passed the one million mark and has been rising ever since. American Airlines established the first regular scheduled jet service to the airport in 1959.

Seattle's position as a leading seaport became another factor in the growth of Washington state's premier airport. In 1983 the two joined forces to initiate a Sea-Air cargo service, with cargo brought in from Asia by ship then being flown on to Europe. Cargo continues to play a vital part in the airport's success.

The de-regulation of air travel in the US gave the airport its biggest single boost when the number of airlines using Sea-Tac more than doubled - from 12 to 26.

By the early 1990's it was clear that traffic was set to outstrip Sea-Tac's capacity and, after abandoning the search for another airport site, authorization was given for a third runway. That project is now part of the airport's expansion plans for the early part of this century.

While business has boomed Sea-Tac can also make a cultural claim - it was one of the firt airports to create and show a quality art collection.

Where Sea-Tac led, over 30 years ago, many have followed.