SEATAC, Wash. - It's pretty much a given when you go to the airport you'll have to stand at the ticket counter, but that is all about to change.  The "airport of the future" is now officially up and running.  

Things have changed at Sea-Tac International Airport.  No longer do you have to wait in long lines at the ticket counter.  Alaska and Horizon airline customers will now find kiosks and customers checking in themselves. 

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Alaska and Horizon airline customers will now find kiosks and customers checking in themselves.

Workers are dismantling the old ticket counters and replacing them with kiosks and computers.  The patented design replaces traditional ticket counters with so-called customer friendly islands and bag check stations.  

The space is now much more open, with the counters eliminated.  What makes this possible is the Internet.  Most people now buy tickets and print their boarding passes online.  The kiosks will now allow customers to do that at the airport.  

Passengers are grateful for anything that makes air travel easier. 

"You have your code and punch it in.  It's fast," said Lee Craft, air passenger.  "The lines are short.  If you don't check baggage, it's easy." 

"It took us literally one minute.  Walked up, scanned everything, punch the buttons and that was it," said Cynthia Clark, air passenger. 

"Any thing they can do to streamline it, make it faster will help," said Bruce Ammerman, air passenger. 

There are 50 check-in kiosks and 56 bag check points.  This $18 million makeover started in October, so many customers have already been using the new system.  But now, there is no more choice.  Everyone will have to check in online or here at the kiosks. 

Airport employees who used to work behind the counters now work in the baggage check-in areas.  

Alaska reports since opening, customers wait times have been cut in half.