Boeing tour rules

What can't you bring on the Boeing factory tour?

No bags, purses, backpacks or waist packs, no electronics of any kind, and no pens, pencils, notebooks or binoculars. No food, drinks, weapons or vapes either.

Boeing's visitor guidelines list it all:

• Bags: purses, handbags, backpacks and waist packs.
• Electronics: phones, cameras, tablets, LiDAR and video equipment. A smartwatch is electronics too; leave it in the locker.
• Writing tools: pens, pencils, notebooks. Binoculars sit on the same list.
• Always banned: weapons of any kind, smoking and vaping, outside food and drink.

Small purses are not exempt. A September 2026 guest on the coach tour was caught out: “we were also not told when booking that we would be turning over phones (it’s the camera), and exceptionally small clutch purses [...] to a coded locker during the actual factory tour.” Wear clothes with pockets for your car key and a tissue, nothing more.

Are there lockers at Boeing Future of Flight?

Yes. Free lockers in the lobby hold everything you can't take on the tour. Guests describe them as coded lockers, so there is no key to carry.

Boeing gives no locker size, so leave large luggage in the car or at the hotel. If you arrive by transit or rideshare, travel light.

Guests on an older tour put it well: “The locker is a great idea to put all your gear in as you cannot take anything into the areas you are viewing.” Load the locker at least 30 minutes before your tour time, after a last look at your phone.

Can you take photos on the Boeing factory tour?

No. Photos and video are banned on the tour itself. They are allowed in the gallery and on the Sky Deck, for personal use.

The ban covers the bus, the tunnel and the balcony. Since your phone is in the locker anyway, the question solves itself. Boeing's FAQ adds that commercial use of any photo taken at Future of Flight needs its written consent.

For your own pictures, go up to the Sky Deck after the tour. You get Paine Field, the factory and, on clear days, the North Cascades, plus whatever is taking off. A HeraldNet reporter on the tour in December 2025 found the deck view distant enough to note that “Binoculars would have helped” (HeraldNet). They are banned too.

Is there a height or age limit on the Boeing tour?

There is a height limit, not an age limit: every visitor must be at least 4 feet tall (48 inches, 122 cm), with no exceptions. Under-16s must be with an adult, and you can't carry a child.

The rule is about safety on the stairs and the balcony, and Boeing applies it without exceptions. A tall 5-year-old can go; a short 8-year-old can't. Children under 4 feet can still enjoy the Kids' Zone, the gallery and the Sky Deck on a General Admission ticket, which is $7 for ages 6 to 15 and free for 5 and under.

The coach tour from Seattle repeats the rule in its listing and adds that there is no child care at Future of Flight. Families should read the Boeing tour with kids before booking.

Is the Boeing factory tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, with notice. An alternate route skips the stairs, and a wheelchair-accessible vehicle can be booked at least 48 hours ahead on +1 (800) 464-1476.

The standard tour is about 0.3 miles (0.5 km) of walking round trip. Boeing's accessibility page sets out the routes:

A few free wheelchairs are on loan at the ticket desk; bring ID. Service animals are welcome on the tour, but emotional support animals and pets are not. Sign language interpreters need two weeks' notice. Personal translation devices work in the building but not on the tour.

Pace is a fair worry. A guest on an older tour felt the group was hurried through the tunnel and wrote that the “average age of group was over 65 and got hard time to follow tour guide”. Ask for the alternate route when you check in if stairs or speed are a concern.

How early should you arrive for the Boeing tour?

At least 30 minutes before your tour time. Boeing says late arrivals may forfeit the reservation.

Those 30 minutes go fast: parking, the desk, the lockers, a restroom stop. Driving from Seattle, add a buffer for I-5. Coming early costs nothing, because your ticket includes the gallery all day.

Running late? Call +1 (800) 464-1476. Boeing lets you reschedule up to 2 hours before, and asks for at least an hour's notice in an emergency. Coach tour guests don't need to worry about this; the driver times the arrival.

A driver who knows the check-in drill gets you there on time. Hyatt Regency departure, factory ticket included.

★ 4.5 · 4.5 hours · from $135

Explore the shared tour from Seattle → Tour details

Can you eat, drink or use the restroom on the Boeing tour?

No to all three. There are no restrooms during the 80-minute tour, and no food or drink, not even water, inside Future of Flight.

Go to the restroom right before you board. The tour takes 80 minutes from the bus out to the bus back, and there is no stop. Changing tables are in both men's and women's restrooms.

Food is the odd one. Boeing bans outside food and drink, including water, but the Paper Plane Café inside the building sells both and needs no ticket. Baby bottles are allowed. Eat a proper breakfast before you leave Seattle.

Do you need ID for the Boeing factory tour?

Bring a photo ID. Boeing's visitor guidelines say valid photo ID may be required to pick up tickets or to enter, and that guests and bags may be screened.

No passport rule applies to the public tour, and many visitors are never asked. Still, carry a driver's licence or passport, because a phone ticket is useless once the phone is in a locker and the desk may need to find your booking. Borrowing a free wheelchair also needs ID.

Boeing reserves the right to inspect personal items and turn away anyone who won't comply. Tickets bought from unauthorised resellers can be cancelled. Buy from Boeing or a tour you trust, and keep the confirmation email printed or in your pocket, on paper.

Frequently asked questions