Travelers at Portland International Airport move through the remodeled main terminal on its opening day, Aug. 14, 2024. The remodel cost a little over $2 billion and features skylights, a ceiling made of Northwest-sourced lumber, and two 120-foot-long video walls featuring scenes from around the Northwest.
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People line up to go through security at Portland International Airport, beneath one of the new 120-foot-long video walls. Each of the two walls serves as a round-the-clock art installation, featuring scenes inspired by the beauty of the Northwest.
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The silhouettes of travelers at Portland International Airport are seen through a new glass wall created by Portland artist Yoonhee Choi, next to the TSA security line.
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People go through the Delta ticketing line at Portland International Airport on opening day of the new terminal. The white construction walls will remain in place as renovation begins in the old ticketing area.
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A person walks on the upper mezzanine of Portland International Airport's remodeled main terminal, which features large glass walls.
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Chris Carlisle, right, works on his laptop in the newly remodeled mezzanine sitting area. Carlisle arrived on a flight from Indianapolis earlier in the day, and chose to stay in the airport while waiting for a travel companion to arrive on another flight. "I would have gone somewhere else," he says, "but it's so welcoming here!"
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Travelers enter the TSA security checkpoint. According to the Port of Portland, the remodels will nearly double the airport's capacity.
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Gary Shepard, left, takes a picture of the remodeled main terminal at Portland International Airport. "I've been coming to this airport since the '60s," he says. "I'm very impressed with what they've done." Shepard is not traveling today and came to the airport just to see the remodel.
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Port of Portland Executive Director Curtis Robinhold on the upper mezzanine of Portland International Airport's remodeled main terminal on opening day.
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Ben Katz, left, holds up son Robbie Katz, age 3, to the arrivals and departures board at Portland International Airport, Aug 14, 2024. The family is not traveling today, but came to the airport just to see the remodeled terminal, in large part because Robbie is "obsessed" with airplanes.
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Pianist Paul Herman, center, performs at Portland International Airport on opening day. Herman is one of more than twenty volunteer musicians on the roster for the airport's PDX Music program.
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The remodeled main terminal of the Portland International Airport on opening day, Aug. 14, 2024.
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Maryanne Erb, left, points out details of the remodeled main terminal at Portland International Airport to Karen Thomas, right. Thomas and Erb say they're here at the airport often, whether to pick up friends and relatives or for their own travel. "It's so beautiful and soothing now," says Erb.
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After years of construction, the first phase of the most expensive public works project in Oregon’s history is now complete.
On Wednesday, the Portland International Airport opened a newly remodeled terminal. The $2 billion project took four years to complete, and features grand skylights, the return of the beloved airport carpet and 120-foot long video walls that display a 24-hour art installation made by local artists.
The remodel also brings open spaces and stadium-like seating to host future events such as art shows, Lunar New Year celebrations and more, all accessible to the public who aren’t flying.
“You can come here and sort of gather your wits about you, get ready for your journey or wait for people, meet people, meet your family,” Curtis Robinhold, executive director of the Port of Portland said. “The idea is an open space that is welcoming and belongs to the community.”
But for those heading to the airport to catch a flight, Robinhold says the experience should be smoother and faster thanks to updated TSA equipment to get through security checkpoints.
It may also be less stressful for harried travelers who can take in the dozens of large trees planted in the terminal or peer up at the video wall projections of iconic Oregon landscapes.
“What you get is a sort of lowering of tension,” he said. “Take a deep breath, calm down and enter through the next phase of your journey.”
Robinhold says that visitors can expect other changes ahead at the airport. The second phase of the opening is expected to be done in December 2025 or early 2026, according to Robinhold. It will feature nearly a dozen new local restaurants and shops, more restrooms, exit lanes to head to baggage claim and two new areas to wait for arrivals.
“So that phase two, folks won’t experience firsthand, but they’ll still have to walk around the construction on site and should probably expect a bit of disruption in travel.”
Curtis Robinhold spoke to “Think Out Loud” host Dave Miller. You can listen to the full conversation here:
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