Airports to Use for Bumbershoot

Sometimes music festivals are held in rural locations far from a big city, and that’s when figuring out what airport to even look up in order to reach them can take a bit of research. But even when you hear that a festival is in a big city like Seattle, that doesn’t mean that you only have one option as far as flying to that festival.

Bumbershoot is just north of downtown Seattle, but the airport that bears the city’s name is actually about 15 miles south of Seattle. So while it’s still the closest airport to Bumbershoot, that doesn’t mean it’s the only one to consider if you’re flying in for the festival.

Flying into a different area airport could potentially save you money, and as long as you won’t spend more than what you’re saving getting from an airport further from Seattle then it’s worth looking. And it’s especially worth looking if you’re planning to make a longer vacation out of it – there are some excellent road-trip-worthy places in the Pacific Northwest that are lovely in late August and early September, making them great options either before or after you go to Bumbershoot.

>> Bumbershoot takes place each yer over Labor Day weekend 

Seattle Sea-Tac International Airport

Seattle’s Sea-Tac International Airport (SEA) lies, as mentioned, roughly 15 miles south of the city, between the two cities that give the airport its name (Seattle and Tacoma). It’s the biggest airport in the region, and has a good selection of flights coming in from all over the world. Some of the budget airlines flying into Seattle are Horizon Air, Frontier, AirTran, JetBlue, and Southwest.

>> Find cheap flights to Seattle

Portland International Airport

Portland’s International Airport (PDX) is about a 3-hour drive south of Seattle, and it’s smaller overall so has fewer flights coming and going, but it’s served by many of the same airlines – so it’s definitely worth checking to see if they’re offering better deals on flights to Portland than Seattle. And flying in and out of Portland for Bumbershoot gives you the perfect excuse to make a longer trip out of it so you can explore both cities for a few days. Budget airlines serving Portland include Alaska/Horizon Air, Frontier, Southwest, US Airways, and JetBlue.

>> Find cheap flights to Portland

Vancouver International Airport

If you prefer your road trips with a little more international flair, then consider flying into the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in Canada’s province of British Columbia and driving south to Seattle from there. It’s in the neighborhood of a 2.5-hour drive, and if you fly into Vancouver a few days early you can enjoy this incredibly cosmopolitan city before heading south to Bumbershoot. Some of the budget airlines that fly in and out of Vancouver are Alaska Air/Horizon Air, Air Canada Jazz, and US Airways.

>> Find cheap flights to Vancouver

Spokane International Airport

The Spokane International Airport (GEG) is another option for trips into Washington state, although it’s a 4.5-5.5 hour drive across the entire state. It’s definitely a different kind of terrain than you’d get on a road trip from either Portland or Seattle, and depending on where you’re flying from you might find some good deals on flights. Budget airlines flying into Spokane include Horizon Air, Frontier, Southwest, and US Air.

photo by Chas Redmond