Everything about Portland International Airport’s new main terminal is a reflection of the Pacific Northwest, from the local timber and people that built it, to the shops inside.
Portland, OR (August 14, 2024) – Today, arriving and departing travelers at Portland International Airport (PDX) will see the new main terminal for the first time. Built and designed by more than 30,000 local craftspeople, the new PDX has double the capacity, but keeps the heart and character of the airport that consistently ranks among travelers’ favorites.
“Our focus throughout this entire project was: How do we reflect the pride and love we all have for the region, in the new PDX? And that question drove every decision. To work with locally-owned small businesses using local materials, to fill the new PDX with local art and shops from our favorite neighborhoods—and, of course, to bring back the iconic carpet,” said Curtis Robinhold, Executive Director for the Port of Portland. “It was a lot of local love for the Pacific Northwest that made it all happen.”
Eating, drinking, and shopping local
Both pre- and post-security, travelers will find more places to eat, drink and shop that reflect the community. In fact, all the new brands are local, and 60 percent include woman or minority ownership. From the feminist stationery and gift shop Paper Epiphanies, to the handmade pasta counter Grassa, the 20 new brands and returning PDX favorites are a mix of permanent retail locations and temporary kiosks—with even more local spots to come in Phase 2 of construction.
“We are ecstatic to bring the donut party back to the new PDX, and to give travelers passing through a delicious taste of what Oregon has to offer," says Katie Poppe, Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Star Donuts. "As a women-led business, we're proud to join such an incredible lineup of local shops that make up this vibrant airport community."
A walk in the forest
The neighborhood vibe isn’t the only thing travelers will find familiar. Throughout the new terminal, there are also touches of the region’s signature greenery and landscapes. There are towering live trees and plants galore, and soft daylight filters through the wooden roof, almost like light filtering through a forest canopy.
“Every part of the new terminal design aims to enhance the traveler journey and reduce stress,” said ZGF Managing Partner Sharron van der Meulen. “Travelers are immediately greeted with expansive views to the airfield, abundant natural light, and lush interior landscapes that create a sense of wonder and delight and evoke a walk through a Pacific Northwest forest.”
An easier trip
Improvements to the traveler journey go beyond making the space more beautiful and light-filled, and include technical upgrades as well. That means wider TSA checkpoints with new equipment (and more of it) to make the screening process more efficient. Plus, travelers now check in at airline ticket counters arranged in four “islands” to better accommodate future growth.
“Our deep collaboration and joint investment with the Port of Portland on its new world-class terminal highlights our focus on improving how our guests travel,” said Shane Jones, Senior Vice President of fleet, revenue products and real estate at Alaska Airlines. “I’ve been fortunate to be involved in large airport development projects across the country, and this one by far stands out for how it combines breathtaking design elements, a signature Oregon feel, and modern technology and efficiency.”
What’s still ahead
The $2.15 billion expansion is being completed in two phases. The next and final phase, to construct permanent exist lanes, meet and greet areas, and even more local shops and restaurants, starts Aug. 15 and will be complete by early 2026.
See for yourself! Photos of the new PDX are available on PDXNext.com, where you can also read more about the big story behind the project.
Want even more proof points of how locals make PDX the local-est airport yet?
-
Plane spotters and airport greeters, rejoice! Loyal Legion is pouring 96 Oregon beers on tap with a clear view of the runway—no ticket required.
-
The goods at Paper Epiphanies, PDX's new feminist stationery and gift shop, are 100% made by women to empower women. And it’s one of the 60% of new concessions that include woman or minority ownership.
-
Portland artist Yoonhee Choi’s 56-foot glass walls—her first public art commission, and first glasswork—mixes colorful, whimsical shapes with intentional blank space to keep it open to interpretation. One source of inspiration? The blue and green speech bubbles around texts.
-
Combining six PNW-inspired landscapes with video vignettes from local artist Ivan McClellan, two video walls spanning the TSA checkpoints sync with real-time data (time of day, weather, passenger volume) to create a 24-hour show that’s different every day.
-
By the end of construction, there will be more than 5,000 living plants in the new PDX, suspended from the ceiling and below the trees to mimic the look and feel of a PNW forest.
-
The iconic carpet is back, and it had to be just right: the dye colors were adjusted multiple times to match the hue of the original 80s carpet fiber.
-
Instead of carpet, high-traffic areas now have terrazzo and hardwood flooring, which are easier for roller bags and wheelchairs to navigate. The hardwood? Those are tiles—100,000 tiles, to be exact—made from Oregon white oak grown, harvested, and milled in the Willamette Valley.
-
All the wood for PDX was sourced from within 300 miles of the airport, and the ceiling lattice specifically can be traced back to 11 family-owned, non-profit, and Tribal forests—all of which practice ecological forestry or are FSC certified.
-
Sankofa Lumber—one of more than 125 local small businesses that helped build PDX—upcycled wood from the airport’s own roof into wall panels for the concessions in the main terminal.
-
49 skylights not only help recreate the feeling of ‘a walk in a PNW forest,’ but also help reduce the need for electrical lighting: PDX is doubling its capacity while cutting its energy use per square foot in half.
.jpg)
.jpg)
