Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can I bring my pet with me?

2. Can I bring my bicycle?

3. I have a snowboard I am bringing with me. Is there an extra charge?

4. I have a small child traveling with me. Do they need to be in a carseat?

5. My child will be traveling alone, is that allowed?

6. Is a reservation necessary?

7. Why is there a fuel surcharge?

8. My husband is in a wheelchair. Do I need to make a reservation in advance?

9. I will be traveling between Yakima and Seattle in January. What is your policy if the pass closes?

10. My flight just landed and my shuttle is scheduled to leave in a few minutes, can you hold the bus for me?

11. I would like to pay cash for a ticket when I arrive at SeaTac, is someone there that can help me with this?

12. There will be six of us traveling together. Do you offer a group discount?

13. I will be traveling back and forth to SeaTac quite often. Do you have any type of frequent traveler program?

14. I have to travel with oxygen. What is your policy on transporting oxygen canisters?

15. What is your policy on service animals?

16. I live just around the corner from one of the stops in Anacortes. Can the driver take me to my house?

17. We are going on a cruise out of Seattle. Does your company offer service to the piers?

18. I need to transport a suitcase from / to the airport. Do you do this?

19. I’m handicapped and am unable to walk long distances. Is the driver able to drop me off at my airline?

20. Is parking available at all of your stops?

21. I am a travel agent and would like to use your service. Do you offer discounts?

22. Do you offer any discounts other than the commuter ticket?

23. I’d like to go to downtown Seattle. Do you make any stops there?

24. I’d like to go between Bellingham and Anacortes. How often do you go and how long will it take.

25. I would like to go to the Amtrak station in Seattle. Do you stop there?

26. I will be arriving on the San Juan Ferry and need to go to SeaTac. What is your policy if the ferry is late? Can the driver wait for me?

27. If, due to bad weather, you are unable to pick-up/drop-off at the north county stops do I get a partial refund on my ticket?

28. If I cancel my reservation and request a refund how long does it take until the money is back on my credit card? If I paid cash how long does it take?

29. Do I need an actual physical ticket to board the Airporter Shuttle?

30. What happens if I schedule for a certain time and then my plane is late?

31. What happens if I pay for a reservation and then my plans change and I don't need to use the reservation, do I lose my money?

32. Can I make a reservation for another person and pay for it with my credit card?

33. Do I have to make prepaid reservations?

34. How can I make a prepaid reservation?

35. How long before my flight do I need to be at SeaTac Airport?

1. Can I bring my pet with me?

All animals (with the exception of certified service animals) must be in an airline approved hard-sided kennel and ride in the luggage compartment. Kennels larger than 32” x 22” x 23” or animals weighing over 70 lbs are not accepted.

2. Can I bring my bicycle?

Bicycles are not considered standard luggage but are accepted with a fee of $10 each direction and must be in a box (approx. 8”w x 24” h x 60”l max.). We need to know this at the time the reservation is made so the driver is aware and in the correct size bus.

3. I have a snowboard I am bringing with me. Is there an extra charge?

Skis, snowboards, golf clubs, surfboards (under 6’) and gun cases are accepted as 1 of the 2 pieces of luggage you are allowed in the luggage compartment. Items weighing more than 70 lbs or over 6’ cannot be accepted.

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4. I have a small child traveling with me. Do they need to be in a carseat?

We highly recommend that carseats be used for all children under the age of 8 yrs old. Although not all of our buses are equipped with seat belts, for the ones that are it is required by law that everyone be buckled. Even on our buses that do not have seat belts, it would be safer for the child to be buckled into a carseat than not at all.

5. My child will be traveling alone, is that allowed?

We do allow children between the ages of 12 yrs and 15 yrs to travel unaccompanied as long as we have a Minor Release form. This must be filled out, signed and on file in our office before a reservation will be made. A copy of the Minor Release form also needs to be given to the driver when the child boards the bus. Children under the age of 12 yrs cannot travel without a parent or guardian. A copy of our Minor Release form can be obtained here on our website or at our Ferndale or Burlington offices. Instructions for filling out the Minor Release form can be obtained here.

6. Is a reservation necessary?

A few of our stops are reservation only but generally reservations are not required. It is, however, a good idea to make a reservation so you are guaranteed a seat on the shuttle at the time you would like to ride. Reservations are prepaid with a credit/debit card over the phone, or online or you may pay by cash or check at our locations in Burlington and Ferndale or at certain Travel Agencies that are registered with us.

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7. Why is there a fuel surcharge?

This is a fee that is regulated by the state, which fluctuates monthly according to fuel prices.

8. My husband is in a wheelchair. Do I need to make a reservation in advance?

A minimum of 24 hours notice is needed to insure that we have the proper vehicle assigned to the time you want to ride. We also need to know the combined weight of the chair and passenger along with the width and length of the wheelchair/scooter to make sure it is compatible with our equipment. The maximum combined weight our equipment can handle is 500 lbs. The maximum width is 28” and a maximum length of 45”.

9. I will be traveling between Yakima and Seattle in January. What is your policy if the pass closes?

As long as the pass remains open our buses will run. We may experience delays due to road conditions and having to chain up the buses so please allow plenty of time before your flight. In the event that the pass closes we will hold at Ellensburg or Cle Elum until notified that the pass has reopened. If the pass remains closed for more than a few hours we will consider canceling the run and if so will return the passenger to their pick-up points. If the run is canceled the passenger may receive a full refund or they can leave the reservation open and use it at a later time.

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10. My flight just landed and my shuttle is scheduled to leave in a few minutes, can you hold the bus for me?

In an effort to give our customers the best on-time service we can only hold the bus for up to 5 minutes past the scheduled departure time. We do depart from SeaTac 11 times a day on our I-5 corridor runs and 5 times a day for our Central Washington route and we would be happy to change your reservation to the next available shuttle at no charge.

11. I would like to pay cash for a ticket when I arrive at SeaTac, is someone there that can help me with this?

On most days we have an agent at SeaTac just to the right of door “00” from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm that would be happy to sell you a ticket. You may also purchase a ticket from your driver if the agent is not available. The drivers and our agent cannot accept any bills larger than a $50 and they cannot accept checks. We also have a phone just behind the agent kiosk that you can use to reach us directly if you would like to pay by credit card.

12. There will be six of us traveling together. Do you offer a group discount?

We do offer a 10% discount for groups of 4 or more (paying passengers – free infant does not count). All passengers must travel together on the same ticket and it must be prepaid in order to receive the discount. The group discount applies to both the I-5 corridor and CWA. Cash tickets sold by drivers or our agent at SeaTac do not qualify for discounts.

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13. I will be traveling back and forth to SeaTac quite often. Do you have any type of frequent traveler program?

We do offer a Commuter ticket for frequent travelers on our I-5 corridor routes. The commuter ticket gives you 6 round-trip tickets for the price of 5. Commuter tickets are paid in advance and never expire. NOTE: This program does not apply for our CWA (Yakima-SeaTac) service.

14. I have to travel with oxygen. What is your policy on transporting oxygen canisters?

Portable oxygen and respirators may travel with you. You may carry up to 2 oxygen canisters – 1 on board the bus and 1 in the luggage compartment. Canisters stored in the luggage compartment must be in a protective case with a safety cap on the valve. The maximum size for the canister may not exceed 4.5” in diameter and 26” in length.

15. What is your policy on service animals?

Our passengers with service animals are always welcome onboard. The service animal is the responsibility of the owner and must be under control of the owner at all times. Please use a leash or harness on your service animal while on the bus. The service animal rides on the floor at your feet, not in a seat, the aisle or your lap.

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16. I live just around the corner from one of the stops in Anacortes. Can the driver take me to my house?

Unfortunately we are not licensed for door-to-door service. State regulations only allow us to load/unload at our pre-approved, designated stops. At the same time we must consider the safety of the area and where we take our buses. Tree branches alone have caused $1000’s in damage.

17. We are going on a cruise out of Seattle. Does your company offer service to the piers?

Our Central Washington Airporter (CWA) division offers service to/from the piers. We offer this service seven days a week during the cruise season on our 5am & 8am westbound runs from Yakima and 11am & 2pm eastbound runs from SeaTac. The drop-off times at the piers would be approx. 9:15 am and 12:15 pm. We would pick-up from the pier at approx. 10:00 am and 1:00 pm. Our I-5 corridor service does not go to the piers but does stop several times a day at the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle. You may catch a taxi from here to the piers.

18. I need to transport a suitcase from / to the airport. Do you do this?

Yes, we can take baggage to/from the airport for you. If this is being paid for by the airlines they will set this up by calling our dispatcher. If you are paying for this you will need to make a prepaid reservation. Baggage cannot be over 70 lbs or measure more than 70” overall (LxWxH). Someone must meet the bus at the destination and pick it up from the driver.

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19. I’m handicapped and am unable to walk long distances. Is the driver able to drop me off at my airline?

Port of Seattle regulations state that we can only unload passengers in designated “Bus Unloading Zones”. There are two of these zones on departure level at SeaTac. If you need further assistance to reach your airlines you may call SeaTac airport or your airlines and arrange for a representative to meet you on departure level with a wheelchair, or the driver may be able to flag down a skycap for you. Our driver cannot leave the bus or go inside while on departure level.

20. Is parking available at all of your stops?

Most of our stops allow you to park your vehicle there while you are gone. They vary in price and some are by reservation or on a space available basis. Your reservation agent will be able to give you the information for the stop you are departing from.

21. I am a travel agent and would like to use your service. Do you offer discounts?

We do offer a discount for travel agents that have an account with us. If the travel agent would like to make a reservation for themselves they pay youth rate and at the time they board must present a business card to the driver along with their valid IATA card. If they want to go “stand-by” they ride free as long as a seat is available and again they must present a business card to the driver along with their valid IATA card. If a travel agent would like to set up an account with us please have them call Bea at 360-543-9371 or 866-235-5247 ext. #113 and she will take care of it.

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22. Do you offer any discounts other than the commuter ticket?

Yes, we offer a 10% discount for passengers over 60 yrs and for military personnel/dependents with a current military ID. Please present your military ID to the driver upon boarding the bus. This discount is not currently available for our Central Washington Airporter.

23. I’d like to go to downtown Seattle. Do you make any stops there?

Our I-5 corridor Airporter makes several stops a day at the Washington State Convention Center. Reservations are required for this stop. Our Central Washington Airporter stops at Amtrak King St station in Seattle. This is also a reservation only stop.

24. I’d like to go between Bellingham and Anacortes. How often do you go and how long will it take.

We have 11 runs a day leaving Bellingham headed south to SeaTac airport. All of our buses stop at our transfer station in Burlington before continuing on. This is where our north/south buses meet up with our east/west buses and hand over transfers going to/from Anacortes. Sometimes, depending on the time schedule, there is a delay of an hour before the next bus arrives headed to Anacortes / Bellingham.

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25. I would like to go to the Amtrak station in Seattle. Do you stop there?

Our Central Washington Airporter makes stops at the King Street station in Seattle. This is a reservation only stop. The driver will not stop here if there are no reservations. We have five times a day available for pick-up/drop-off at Amtrak.

26. I will be arriving on the San Juan Ferry and need to go to SeaTac. What is your policy if the ferry is late? Can the driver wait for me?

Our departure time from the ferry terminal is :05 minutes past the hour. If there are prepaid reservations that have not checked in the driver will check the building and wait until :10 minutes past the hour before departing. In an effort to give our customers the best on-time service we will not be able to wait any longer than this. We can, however, change your reservation to the next available shuttle for you at no charge.

27. If, due to bad weather, you are unable to pick-up/drop-off at the north county stops do I get a partial refund on my ticket?

Yes we will refund the difference in price with no fee.

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28. If I cancel my reservation and request a refund how long does it take until the money is back on my credit card? If I paid cash how long does it take?

Credit card refunds can take up to 10 days before showing on your account. We will process a “same day” cancel when the tickets for that day are reconciled. Other cancels can be processed immediately, but we have no control over how long it takes your bank to post it to your account. If you paid by cash/check we need a current mailing address and refunds are paid by company check within 10 days.

29. Do I need an actual physical ticket to board the Airporter Shuttle?

No. Your Confirmation Number is your boarding pass. Please keep this number with you for boarding the bus or for making any changes to your reservation.

30. What happens if I schedule for a certain time and then my plane is late?

There is no charge to change to another shuttle although you will be riding space-available.

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31. What happens if I pay for a reservation and then my plans change and I don't need to use the reservation, do I lose my money?

No, there is no charge to change it to an "Open" ticket to use at another time within a year from the date of purchase OR you may cancel the reservation for just a $4 processing fee.

32. Can I make a reservation for another person and pay for it with my credit card?

Yes, however, we must charge the card when the reservation is made, so one passenger is not able to make a reservation and then have another person call in later with the credit card information.

33. Do I have to make prepaid reservations?

Prepaid reservations at least 24 hours in advance will guarantee seating. Prepaid reservations may be made up until departure time as long as there is seating available. A passenger may pay cash to the driver and board space available at any of our stops not indicated by a "*" as prepaid-only stops.

34. How can I make a prepaid reservation?

A prepaid reservation can be made a) online via our reservations page; b) over the phone with a credit or debit card; c) through a contracted travel agent with cash or credit cards; d) by check sent to our office 2 weeks prior to departure; e) by cash or credit card at our Ferndale, WA office.

35. How long before my flight do I need to be at SeaTac Airport?

SeaTac Airport recommends passengers arrive 2 hours prior to departure for domestic flights, 3 hours prior to departure for international flights.

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