The Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) is one of the airports we fly through most often. When I had a 9-hour layover recently, I had the opportunity to spend time in 3 different lounges.

I first made my way to the Delta SkyClub near A11. I’ve visited this lounge before, and knew it has a shower, so I wanted to put my name on the shower waiting list. I’ve never showered in an airport lounge before, as there aren’t that many that have that amenity. I wanted to make sure I could use that benefit and start the day fresh.

Luckily, I was #3 and the guy before me was a no-show, so I didn’t have to wait long. It was my impression that they allot each person 30 minutes, and then they spend 15 minutes cleaning the shower room between each guest. It didn’t disappoint. Indeed it was fantastic.

I already liked this lounge from prior visits, because it’s rarely crowded, well stocked, and you can see Mount Rainier on clear days. The shower was the icing on the cake!

My next stop was the Delta SkyClub near A1. Considering this SkyClub is located very close to security, I expected it to be the more crowded of the two, and I was correct. It was crowded and loud, but it was still possible to find a seat. The food and beverages were decent. The bartender was really attentive and friendly. Overall not bad a lounge, but not among my favorites. It does have a view of several gates, so try to catch a chair by the windows if you enjoy planespotting.

The last lounge I visited this day before heading to Europe, was the American Express Centurion lounge. The funny thing is that I’ve tried to visit this lounge before, but that time I had a really short layover and it’s in such a quirky location that I didn’t find it. This time I was more persistent. It’s actually located on a mezzanine level above some of the stores in the main departures area, and the entrance is kind of tucked into a corner. This lounge was crowded as Centurion lounges usually are. In fact, I was the last one to enter before they had people wait to enter.

The Centurion lounge is really cool! It sorta feels like being at a market in southern Europe. There’s a bar area with seating that resembles a courtyard. Around the corner, there’s a coffee counter that has a corner coffee-shop feel to it. The room where you find the food buffet looks like an old-school restaurant or American diner. It definitely has the cool-factor, but unfortunately Amex has been too generous with their lounge eligibility, so it was indeed crowded.

If I have another long layover at SEA, I’ll be visiting lounges again, but my first choice is to make the long walk to the SkyClub at A11. Bon voyage!