The sunny winter day allowed for terrific views such as this from near and atop the Space Needle! Photo by: Evan Berman

As mentioned in my previous article, I arrived in Seattle at 11:30am PDT and my next flight was not until 7:30pm PDT. I had to finish up some work as I was about to take PTO– this was a pure vacation, no working while abroad this time! I also wanted to check out the lounges at Sea-Tac Airport before departure. That left me with roughly 3 hours to explore Seattle. That might not seem like much, but I made it work! 😉

This review of my time in Seattle is part of the Eastern European Experience. For more information on this trip, follow these links:

Intro

Flight: United Economy Class B737-800 CHS-ORD-SEA

6 Hours in Seattle (This Article)

Centurion Lounge, The Club SEA, and United Club: SEA Lounges

Flight: Turkish AIrlines Business Class B787-9 SEA-IST

Istanbul Airport’s Famous Turkish Airlines Business Class Lounge

Flight: Turkish Airlines Business Class B737 MAX 8 IST-BUD

2 Days in Budapest

Dining in Budapest

Hotel: Ramada by Wyndham Budapest City Center

SkyCourt Lounge, Plaza Premium SkyCourt, and Platinum Lounge (Schengen): BUD Lounges

Flight: Lufthansa Economy Class A320-200 BUD-MUC and A321-200 MUC-ZAG

24 Hours in Munich

Starkbierfest Munich

Hotel: H+ Munchen (Wyndham)

Lufthansa Business Class Lounge MUC

Flight: Croatian Airlines Economy Class Dash 8 and ATR 72-600 (Twin-Prop Plane) ZAG-SPU-ZAG-SJJ-ZAG-BEG

2 Days in Split, Croatia, the Beauty of the Adriatic

Delicious Food in Split

Hotel Vestibul Palace in Split, Croatia, a Small Luxury Hotel of the World (Hyatt)

Primeclass Lounge ZAG

6 Hours in Zagreb

Wine Tasting and Learning about Croatian Feelings

2 Days in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Restaurants in Sarajevo

Hotel Aziza Sarajevo (AABooking)

Business Lounge SJJ

Air Serbia Premium Lounge and Business Club: BEG Lounges

Flight: Swiss Airlines Economy Class Embraer E190-E2 and A220-300 BEG-ZRH-LJU

2 Amazing Days in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Food Scene in Ljubljana

Day Trip around Slovenia: Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, Bled Castle, and Lake Bled

Hotel Emonec Ljubljana, Slovenia (Rocketmiles)

Flight: Air Serbia Economy Class ATR 72-600 and A319-100 LJU-BEG-SKP

1.5 Days in Belgrade, Serbia

Restaurants in Belgrade

Hotel: Hyatt Regency Belgrade (Hyatt)

3 Hours in Skopje, North Macedonia

Primeclass Lounge SKP

Flight: Wizz Air Economy Class A321-200 SKP-MXP

14 Hours in Milan and Monza, Italy

Hotel de la Ville Monza, Italy, a Small Luxury Hotel of the World (Hyatt)

Sala Montale and Emirates Lounge MXP

Flight: Emirates First Class A380-800 MXP-JFK

Conclusion

Trip Summary:

Seattle is a world-renowned city. My favorite TV show is Frasier (is anyone else a bit disappointed that they are bringing it back without Niles & Daphne?), which is one of many examples of references to the Emerald City. From the Space Needle and Grunge Music to coffee and Pike Place Market, there is reason for almost anyone to visit. As an East Coast resident, I haven’t had the opportunity to visit Seattle in a while but was glad to do so, if briefly!

The weather is known to be… gloomy but I had terrific luck (as would be the case with the majority of this trip) and caught a rare sunny day! The highlights of the trip were:

• Viewing the city and surroundings from atop the Space Needle
• Tasting some of Pike Place Market’s famous (and delicious) Asian food
• Visiting the Art Museum

Flight Info:

I flew United Airlines from Charleston to Seattle via Chicago-O’Hare on flights UA 2333 and UA 748. The first flight was roughly 2 hours, while the second was just over 3 hours. While I slept through the first one, the second flight afforded views of our beautiful country, such as the Rockies as we headed west.

Read more details about the flights from Charleston to Seattle here.

Price: The one-way flight from Charleston to Seattle cost $166.69.

Points Earned: 833 AmEx Membership Rewards Points and 1,240 Avianca LifeMiles.

Lodging Info:

As this was just a day trip and positioning for my long-haul international flight, I did not stay in a hotel.

Price: N/A

Points Earned: N/A

Airport Details:

As mentioned above, I flew into Seattle, Washington’s Sea-Tac International Airport, the main international airport in Seattle. This international airport has 103 gates in 3 terminals. There is a main terminal with 4 concourses, A-D, and a North and South Satellite Terminal. The terminals are divided both by airline alliance and international vs. domestic flights.

I will review SEA in a separate article. Per Flight Connections, the main airlines that fly there are Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines, while American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest AIrlines, Frontier Airlines, Air Canada, JetBlue, and Aer Lingus also fly multiple routes. In total there are flights to 126 destinations in 26 countries. SEA is the 11th busiest airport in the US as of 2022 and it’s likely that you will fly through this airport at some point if you head to or live on the west coast.

There are quite a few lounges at SEA. I have visited 3 of them– the Centurion Lounge in Concourse B, the United Club in Concourse A, and The Club SEA in the South Terminal– and while the Centurion and Club impressed, the United Club did not!

Transportation Details:

The main transportation method to get to downtown Seattle, roughly 17 miles away, is Uber/Lyft. While there is Light Rail transportation which takes you to Westlake Station, that takes 40 minutes, compared to the 15-25 minutes via rideshare. I was going during peak hours (2pm and 5pm), so the fares were elevated, though I was able to walk to most attractions once dropped off and only needed rides to and from the airport.

Price: $135.16

Points: 1,352 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points (10x on Lyft with Chase Sapphire Reserve)

Food & Drink:

I was only in Seattle for a few hours. Due to the time spent in the city and the fact that I had already eaten lunch in the Centurion Lounge, I was only interested in a small snack.

Mee Sum Pastry:

Pike Place Market is a wonderful place that everyone should visit. They have everything from fresh fish to homemade pasta ready to eat. After smelling all the wonderful flavors, I became hungry and decided to eat at Mee Sum Pastry, a Taiwanese café and tea shop. I opted for the BBQ Pork and Curry Beef Pork Buns and boy was I happy! In fact, writing this is making me hungry…

Price: 10

Points: 40 (4x on Dining with AmEx Gold)

Activities:

Space Needle

The Space Needle is one of the most iconic features of the city. Originally unveiled for the World’s Fair in 1962, it is a must-see attraction for most visitors to Seattle. If it’s at all sunny, definitely go to the top!

One thing to note: I was carrying my suitcase and backpack. While the backpack fit into a free locker on-site, they refused to take the liability of holding onto the suitcase while I went up. I eventually went next door to the Children’s Museum where they were able to hold it in the luggage room as I went up. If you are ever in a situation where you have a large bag, check with the museums as they are more likely to accomodate you than the attraction itself!

Price: $39.38

Points Earned: 78 Capital One Venture Miles (2x Everywhere with Capital One Venture X Card)

Seattle Art Museum:

I love a well-designed museum. Art is something I really appreciate and I love how every museum has a different style/design. While I mostly enjoy the classics, from antiquities to Renaissance art and even the French Impressionists, I don’t find the modern and post-modern works (most art from the 1950s onward) as enticing. As such, my thoughts on the experience were mixed. On the one hand, there are many beautiful paintings and displays.

However, a large portion was dedicated to modern “art” that I simply did not understand. Can anyone explain the below display? I can wax poetic about how the height represents the achievements of a collective group working together to advance the goals of the community and though we are all different, each person brings a unique and valuable piece to the table, but at the end of the day it is still a stack of fabrics, right?

Price: $32.99

Points: 66 Capital One Miles (2x Everywhere with the Capital One Venture X Card)

Pike Place Market:

This is a mix between an activity and food, but a walk through Pike Place Market is terrific. An iconic market, there are restaurants and bars as well as all sorts of vendors. Seriously, whether you are looking for candy and flowers for Valentines Day (or just to treat yourself!), fresh fish, or produce, you can find it here! The market is massive, spanning two floors and countless shops. Even if you buy nothing (as I did), it’s worth a walk-through.

Price: N/A

Points: N/A

Photo of the Trip:

Starbucks is undoubtedly one of the most famous things to come out of Seattle. The original Starbucks, shown here across the street from Pike Place Market, had a lengthy line the entire time I was nearby. I freely admit as a (heretical) non-coffee drinker that this place holds no meaning to me, but I know that many do love their “cup of joe.” Would you visit the original Starbucks if in Seattle?

Total:

Price:

Food and Drink: $10

Transportation: $135.16

Flights: $166.69

Hotel: N/A

Activities: $72.37

Total Price: $384.22

Points Earned:

Food and Drink: 40 AmEx Membership Rewards Points

Transportation: 1,352 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

Flights: 833 AmEx Membership Rewards Points and 1,240 Avianca LifeMiles

Hotel: N/A

Activities: 144 Capital One Venture Miles

Total Points: 873 AmEx Membership Rewards Points, 1,352 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points, 144 Capital One Venture Miles, and 1,240 Avianca LifeMiles

I had a great time in Seattle, thanks to a rare (mostly) sunny day. While I spent only 3 hours in the city, it was enjoyable with terrific food, a view of the area from atop the Space Needle, and a visit to the art museum. At just before 5pm, I hopped into a Lyft back to the airport. Next up: a review of the Centurion, United Club, and The Club SEA (South Terminal) lounges at Sea-Tac!