Joe McConnell
Portland International Airport (PDX) in Portland, Oregon, is undergoing a much-needed $2.15 billion renovation.
Although construction has been underway since at least 2020, visitors will likely feel like the wait was worth it when, on August 14, the airport’s temporary walls come down to reveal the next (and best) part of the project.
Visitors will soon be able to admire a spacious, redesigned main terminal, with a dramatic wooden roof, the latest check-in and security technologies, living trees and plants, and an abundance of artwork, shops, restaurants and inviting gathering places.
Wondering what to expect? Here’s a first look at what passengers and the public will see at PDX.
Is this an airport?
As you enter the new main terminal, just past the check-in area, you’ll notice a massive forest-like hall, featuring more than 70 living trees, more than 5,000 plants, nearly 50 skylights, and a towering 9-acre roof made entirely of Douglas fir wood harvested from all types of sustainably managed farms in Oregon and Washington.
The check-in experience
The airline check-in counters are grouped into four carpeted islands perpendicular to the entrance. Passengers flying Alaska Airlines with bags to check in will find the latest version of the airline’s self-service bag drop system here. The self-service system encourages passengers to scan their boarding passes, print and attach bag tags, weigh their bags, pay a checked bag fee (if applicable) and check in their bags.
Shops, restaurants and public spaces
On the main floor, you’ll find about a dozen pre-security shops and restaurants (some in pop-up form for now). Current options include Hello From Portland, Steven Smith Teamaker, Orox Leather Co., Paper Epiphanies, The Country Cat, and Powell’s Books.
This area of the main terminal features two rows of stadium seating with hardwood benches perfect for relaxing before a flight. This space also has a stage for live performances. During our visit, we noticed a grand piano ready to be placed.
The Return of the PDX Carpet
At the top of each row of stadium seats are lounges with seating areas. Underfoot, you’ll notice carpeting that brings back the beloved teal and purple pattern that inspired thousands, maybe millions, of shoe selfies.
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The pattern and colors of the original carpet, installed throughout the airport in 1988 and replaced in 2015, have been carefully recreated for installation in these lounges and several other locations in the new main terminal area.
Mezzanine restaurant with view
Loyal Legion, a popular local brewery, will occupy the mezzanine level of the pre-security main terminal area. In addition to serving more than 90 Oregon beers on tap, the venue will offer great views of the surrounding landscape, including the airport, as well as a perch to observe the lively activity in the main lounge.
New and improved security checkpoints
PDX’s new main concourse features two identical Transportation Security Administration checkpoints equipped with the latest security screening technology. Above each checkpoint is a 120-foot-long video wall that features short films about some of the airport’s art, as well as images inspired by Oregon’s landscapes. The content on the screens is designed to provide “positive distraction” and changes based on the time of day, the weather, and, to some extent, the number of people in the terminal.
At carpeted checkpoints, travelers will find TSA officers using credential authentication technology to scan travel documents. This means passengers will only need to show a photo ID, not a boarding pass, when they pass through.
In six automated screening lanes for general travelers (not TSA PreCheck), three passengers at a time will be able to load their belongings into trays. That should speed things up, as should the fact that liquids and electronics will not be removed from bags.
As for the passenger screening process, each checkpoint is equipped with five of the latest Advanced Imaging Technology body scanners, which use millimeter wave technology. These machines are wider than previous models and allow passengers to keep their hands on their hips, rather than above their heads. According to the TSA, these machines can be used for people who have metal hips, knees, or metal pins in their bodies, as they are not metal detectors.
An intriguing round wooden “hut” at each PDX checkpoint serves as a private screening room for travelers who require additional screening and request that it be done privately.
In conclusion
Portland International Airport passengers are about to discover a gleaming new terminal, a long-awaited innovation for this Alaska Airlines hub and one of the busiest airports in the Pacific Northwest.
From local touches to revamped public spaces, the terminal’s renovation brings a mix of technological advancements and aesthetic improvements.
Classic details like the iconic PDX carpet are also part of the reimagined space. Fans of the original feature will notice a new version that connects the old terminal to the updated one.
As airports across the United States unveil long-awaited new terminals and facelifts, PDX may join the ranks of airports that actually Want spend time at.
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