PORTLAND, Ore. — The Port of Portland has added more details on what travelers can expect when the new main terminal is unveiled at Portland International Airport (PDX) in late May.
Construction of the new terminal was split into two phases, with the first half of the new terminal being built while the check-in counters and security stations from the old terminal remained in use. The big May debut will bring the first half of the new terminal online, marking the end of phase 1. Here's what to know:
The May transition
On the day that the new main terminal opens, the old security stations, post-security lobbies and exit doors will close down, and new security stations inside the new terminal will take over.
The new check-in areas and security stations are designed for a more streamlined security process, according to the port, and starting in May will include a way for travelers to reach all four concourses after passing through security. During this phase, the post-security concourse connector will also be used as a set of temporary exits.
The safety detour walkways between the concourses will remain in place during phase 2, shuttling travelers around the construction zones at the former security checkpoints to get to concourses B and E.
From May through September, crews will be cleaning up the entryway and tearing down the old ticket counters. By October 2024, outside views will stretch from the front doors to the western windows, the Port of Portland said.
In addition, PDX will begin opening 12 new shops and restaurants and art exhibits in the new terminal, along with the return of the iconic carpet.
The new terminal will also give the airport a public space with stadium seating and a mezzanine restaurant.
As soon as the new terminal is up and running, the airport will close off the remaining parts of the old terminal and begin work on phase 2.
Phase 2
When the phase 2 construction areas reopen, the airport will debut 10 more new restaurants and shops in post-security lobbies, as well as two pre-security areas where people can wait for arriving travelers. There will also be new private bathrooms, with tile mosaics created by local artisans, according to the Port of Portland.
When the construction ends, the airport will have new exit lanes and more elevators to the baggage claim, as well as more of the iconic carpet, the Port of Portland promised.
The airport will be finished with renovations for the terminal's north and south ends by late 2025. Construction should end with phase 2.
Main terminal
The new main terminal is the centerpiece of a broader overhaul that the Port of Portland refers to as PDX Next, which got underway in 2019. The overhaul also includes the new Concourse B — an expanded replacement for the former Concourse A at the southern corner of the airport, a new car rental center and a redesigned transit hub.
Most of the other components have already opened; the main terminal is the last piece and is scheduled to open later this year, although construction won't fully wrap up until 2025. The redesigned B concourse also made room for TriMet to rebuild the airport MAX station and add a second track on the approach to airport as part of the Better Red project.
