Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 7, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
21.7 mi
35 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tacoma, WA
Wikimedia Commons
SeaTac, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Tacoma to SeaTac is 21.7 miles and takes about 32 minutes via I-5 and State Route 509, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Washington's Pacific Coast region, making it a straightforward commute rather than a destination in itself. Expect a mostly highway experience that's efficient for getting from point A to point B. It's a practical choice if you're connecting between these two locations without needing extensive sightseeing.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 16 mi | 19m |
| State Route 509 | 1 mi | 1m |
| I 705 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| International Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 28th Avenue South | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 26th Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South 176th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 32nd Avenue South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 100 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~7,083 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~816 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and SeaTac, WA.
Start on South 11th Street
Turn right onto Market Street
Turn left onto South 13th Street
Turn right onto I 705 SB Ramp
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 705
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 5
Take the exit
Continue on WA 509
At end of road, turn right onto 24th Avenue South
Continue on 26th Avenue South
Continue on 28th Avenue South
Turn right onto South 188th Street
Turn left onto WA 99
Turn right onto South 176th Street
Turn left onto 32nd Avenue South
Turn left
Turn right
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 21.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Market Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto South 176th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto 32nd Avenue South
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$4.57 one way
$9.14 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.56 | $4.75 | $9.49 |
| premium | $5.76 | $4.92 | $9.84 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $4.78 | $9.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.90 | $0.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Tacoma on Sunday
Local time
5:41 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Clear
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 24 at 4:38PM PDT until August 26 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Destination
Evening in SeaTac on Sunday
Local time
5:41 PM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Clear
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 24 at 4:38PM PDT until August 26 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is predominantly highway, with 82% of the 21.7 miles on freeways like I-5. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of highway at 16 miles on I-5. The route transitions from highway to surface roads as you approach SeaTac. Be prepared for frequent exits and merging traffic as you navigate the urban and suburban areas.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and State Route 509. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Market Street.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 21.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
600 ft
Total Descent
417 ft
Highest Point
456 ft
~12.4 mi in
Elevation Range
439 ft
Founded 1875
Tacoma, a major port on the Puget Sound, is the third-largest city in Washington State, with about 220,000 residents. It has a dynamic art scene and a great ballet.
Top landmarks
Founded 1990
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 21.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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