I grew up in Wenatchee so I have an affinity for this airport. I remember when it was a small…read moreone-room terminal for Cascade Airlines; a plane so small you couldn't stand up inside and they had to seat you evenly throughout the plane to properly distribute the weight.
I also remember the excitement of a new terminal being built, a real terminal! They've also recently expanded their runway, hopefully, so smoother jets can fly in, like Alaska's Embraer E175. For now, it's only Bombardier Q400 that fly in and out.
It's important to know that the folks behind the Alaska counter do EVERYTHING! It's actually fun to see the person who confirmed your seat assignment and took your luggage also be guiding the plane to its unload spot. That means the counter does close 20-30 minutes before your flight takes off. Just because it's a small airport doesn't mean you still shouldn't get there an hour before your flight leaves.
Now let's talk about the TSA side of the operation. Honestly, they are hit and miss. I have TSA PRECHK, which I'm happy to say Wenatchee does somewhat honor. Before my last trip, you stood in line with everyone else but didn't have to take your shoes off. Now, they have a special line, which nobody was using during my last trip. However, every time I fly out of Wenatchee, I've been called for a secondary screening. They say it's random, but if that's true, I which they had a lottery machine inside the waiting room. I've never been called for a secondary screening at any other airport where I've used TSA PRECHK.
For the most part, the TSA agents are friendly, but it's also hit and miss. Some are super nice, others act like they're on a power trip, but that can be any airport.
Also, EVERY time I leave EAT, they inspect my luggage. I can honestly say, in the past 10 years of flying out of Wenatchee, they have opened my bag and placed a little flyer inside letting me know it was inspected. This is the only airport this happens, and I live in California where I can fly out of a variety of airports.
The cafe was closed during my last visit, I assume because of Covid. Hopefully, they'll be allowed to open soon as they also have a small selection of sundries and snacks. There are no snacks or drinks served on the short flight to Seattle, so if you're hungry, bring your own.
I was disappointed during my last trip that the tables in the waiting area had been removed. I loved being able to pull out my laptop and get a little work done. The free wi-fi is a nice touch for a small airport.