A look inside the tree-lined new main terminal at Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport (PDX) in Portland, Oregon is undergoing a much-needed $2.15 billion renovation.
While Construction is underway At least for 2020, travelers will likely feel the wait was worth it when the airport’s temporary walls are removed on August 14 to reveal the next (and best) part of the project.
Coming soon, travelers will experience a spacious and redesigned main terminal with a high wooden roof, the latest in check-in and security technology, trees and plants, and a variety of artworks, shops, restaurants and inviting places to gather.
Wondering what to expect? Here’s a first look at what passengers and the public will see at PDX.
Is this the airport?
As you enter the new main terminal, just past the check-in area, you’ll find a giant forest-like atrium with more than 70 living trees, over 5,000 plant species, nearly 50 skylights, and a nine-acre roof made entirely of Douglas fir harvested from a variety of sustainably managed farms in Oregon and Washington.
Check-in experience
The airline’s check-in desks are arranged in four carpeted islands perpendicular to the entrance. Alaska Airlines passengers with bags to check will find the latest version of the airline’s automated bag drop system here. The self-service system encourages passengers to scan their boarding passes, print and tag their bags, weigh their bags, pay checked baggage fees (if applicable), and drop their bags off en route.
Shops, restaurants and public spaces
On the main floor, you’ll find about a dozen pre-security shops and restaurants (some currently pop-up). Current options include Hello From Portland, Steven Smith Teamaker, Orox Leather Co., Paper Epiphanies, The Country Cat, and Powell’s Books.
This main terminal area features two rows of stadium seating with solid wooden benches perfect for resting before a flight. The space also has a stage area for live performances. During our visit, we spotted a grand piano ready to be put into place.
The Return of PDX Carpet
At the top of each row of stadium seats are concourses with seating areas. Underfoot, you’ll find carpeting that recalls the beloved teal and purple pattern that inspired thousands, perhaps millions, of shoe selfies.
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The patterns and colors of the original carpet, installed throughout the airport in 1988 and replaced in 2015, have been carefully recreated for installation in these concourses and several other locations in the new main terminal area.
Mezzanine restaurant with view
Loyal Legion, a popular local brewpub, will occupy the mezzanine level of the main terminal area before security. In addition to serving more than 90 Oregon draft beers, the location will also feature stunning views of the surrounding landscape, including the airport, as well as a perch to watch the action in the main lobby.
New and improved security checkpoints
The new main lobby at PDX features two identical TSA checkpoints equipped with the latest security screening technology. Above each checkpoint is a 120-foot-long video wall that shows short clips of some of the airport’s artwork, as well as images inspired by the Oregon landscape. The content on the screens is designed to provide “positive distractions” and changes based on the time of day, the weather, and, in a way, the number of people currently in the terminal.
At carpeted checkpoints, travelers will see TSA officers using Fingerprint Verification Technology to review travel documents. This means passengers will only need to present photo identification, not a boarding pass, when passing through.
At the six automated general passenger screening lanes (not TSA PreCheck), three passengers can load their belongings into trays at a time. That should speed things up, as will the fact that liquids and electronics won’t be removed from bags.
For passenger screening, each checkpoint has 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 arms at their sides, rather than above their heads. According to the TSA, these machines can be used for people with metal hips, knee replacements, or metal studs in their bodies because they are not metal detectors.
A funky log “hut” at each checkpoint at PDX serves as a private screening room for travelers who need additional screening and request to be screened separately.
The last line
Passengers at Portland International Airport are about to experience a shiny new airport terminal, a highly anticipated development at the Alaska Airlines hub and one of the busiest airports in the Pacific Northwest.
From local features to refreshed public spaces, the station renovation offers a mix of technological advancements and aesthetic improvements.
Even classic details like PDX’s iconic carpet are part of the reimagined space. Fans of the original feature will notice its new version ties the old terminal to the updated one.
As airports across the US are announced long-awaited new and upgraded terminalPDX could join the ranks of your airports Actually want to spend time at.
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