SEATTLE — Now that the University of Washington has advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, many Seattleites will be trying to make last-minute trips to see the game in person on Jan. 8.
Quite a few fans purchased their tickets and flights in advance once UW qualified for the College Football Playoff back in early December. However, for those who are still looking to make, here's what you should know.
First and foremost, expect to spend a significant premium for the trip. Houston is an easier city for travel than New Orleans was for the Sugar Bowl, but it is still a trek from the Seattle area.
The current cheapest flights from Seattle to Houston are well over $1,000 and most will require a layover. The prices should continue to increase significantly as fans book their trips for the big game.
Alaska Airlines, which took quite a bit of heat over its limited availability for New Orleans flights from Seattle for the Sugar Bowl, announced Tuesday morning that it had added over 1,700 seats on flights to Houston for the CFP National Championship. However, a search through Alaska's website about an hour after their announcement on social media showed no direct flights with seats available from SEA Airport to either major airport in Houston.
Delta also announced Tuesday that it added flights for fans of both teams competing in the national championship, with a direct route available from SEA to George Bush Intercontinental Airport that would depart on Sunday, Jan. 7 and return Tuesday, Jan. 9.
The flights will likely end up being the cheap part of the trip for most Husky fans. UW offered up its allotment of tickets for the national championship game in early December when the team officially secured its spot in the CFP.
Priority for all of UW's tickets will first go to season-ticket holders and the biggest donors to the school's athletic department. On the secondary market, Ticketmaster, the official ticketing partner of the CFP, has its cheapest current seat for the game at $1,350 - before taxes and fees.
On other ticket resale sites, there are options for $1,392 (before taxes and fees) at SeatGeek and $1,126 (before taxes and fees) at VividSeats.
Houston is one of the largest cities in the U.S., but expect hefty upcharges on hotels and home rentals in the area.
Overall, it will be an exceedingly expensive weekend for any Husky fan making the trip. However, it could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the Huskies win their first national title since 1991.