Seattle: Boeing Factory Tour and Future of Flight
About This Experience
This one adds the piece of the story the standard factory run leaves out. Before heading north, it stops at the Lake Union site where Boeing built and launched its very first airplane, the B&W, in 1916 - marked today by a centennial plaque beside the water and the floating homes that grew up around it.
From there the coach runs up to Paine Field for the Boeing Everett factory tour itself: about 80 minutes inside the largest building in the world by volume, on a balcony above the 767, 777 and 777X assembly bays. Groups on this operator are capped at 20 per bus, which makes the commentary easier to follow than on a full-size coach.
Back at the Future of Flight Aviation Center you get the gallery and the Strato Deck, the outdoor platform over the Paine Field flight line where Dreamlifters and newly built jets come and go. En route the guide also points out the Everett apartment building with a retired 747 fuselage built between its two towers, an odd local landmark most visitors drive straight past.
It is a new listing, so it does not yet carry the review history of the longer-running Seattle departure. The itinerary and inclusions are the reason to choose it, not the ratings.
Highlights
- Stops at the Lake Union site where Boeing launched its first aircraft in 1916
- Boeing Everett factory tour admission, with a Boeing guide inside the building
- Small groups - no more than 20 passengers per bus
- Strato Deck plane-spotting over the Paine Field flight line
- Sees the Everett apartment building with a 747 fuselage set between its towers
What's Included
- ✓ Round-trip transport from downtown Seattle to the Boeing Everett factory
- ✓ Visit to Boeing's historic 1916 launch site on Lake Union
- ✓ Boeing Everett factory tour admission
- ✓ Entry to the Future of Flight gallery exhibits
- ✓ Strato Deck access for plane-spotting
- ✓ Bottled water
- ✓ No additional fees on the day
Not Included
- Meals
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup away from the Howell Street meeting point
What to Bring
- Photo ID
- Comfortable walking shoes
- A layer for the factory floor and the open Strato Deck
Good to Know & Caveats
- No photography, video, phones, cameras or bags on the factory floor - the same Boeing rule applies on every operator's tour.
- Minimum height 4 feet (48 in / 122 cm) for the factory portion.
- This is a newly listed departure and has not accumulated GetYourGuide reviews yet.
- The drop near the Space Needle at the end is offered if time allows, not guaranteed.
- The factory walk includes 21 stairs and roughly 500 m on foot.
Not Suitable For
- Children under 4 feet (122 cm) tall
- Travelers who cannot manage stairs
Meeting Point
Hyatt Regency Seattle, 808 Howell Street - pickup on the 8th Avenue side of the hotel. Returns to the same point, with a drop near the Space Needle if time allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this tour include that other Boeing factory tours don't?
The stop at Boeing's original 1916 launch site on Lake Union, marked by the centennial plaque, plus the Everett apartment building with a 747 fuselage between its towers. Most Seattle departures go straight up I-5 to Paine Field and back.
How big are the groups?
The operator caps this departure at 20 passengers per bus.
Why does it have no reviews?
It is a recently added listing. The factory tour it includes is the same Boeing-run tour as every other operator; what has no track record here is this particular operator's departure, so weigh the itinerary rather than the star rating.
Where does it pick up?
The Hyatt Regency Seattle at 808 Howell Street, on the 8th Avenue side. It returns to the same place, sometimes with a drop near the Space Needle if the schedule allows.
Is bottled water provided?
Yes, bottled water is included - though you cannot carry it onto the factory floor.
