Portland International Airport in the US state of Oregon has opened the first section of its new main terminal.
The $2.15 billion terminal features new check-in areas, wider TSA security screening areas with new equipment, and larger public areas – including a pre-security area with stadium seating.
Portland Airport’s new terminal has a roof made of locally produced wood with 49 skylights. Photo: Dror Baldinger
Eleven new shops and restaurants – all local brands – have opened, with three more planned for this fall.
The terminal was designed as a tribute to the nature of the Pacific Northwest. Its wooden roof, sourced from local and regional lumber producers, is punctuated by 49 skylights that provide natural light to some of the airport’s more than 5,000 living plants, including mature trees.
Sharron van der Meulen, managing partner of the architectural firm ZGF, said the terminal was designed to reduce travel stress.
“Travelers are immediately greeted with expansive airfield views, abundant natural light and lush inland landscapes that create a sense of wonder and delight, reminiscent of a walk through a Pacific Northwest forest,” she said.
Construction of the 30,000-square-foot terminal in Portland began in 2021; 55,000 square feet of the building opened on Wednesday.
The final phase of the project is scheduled to open in early 2026. It will include 10 additional restaurants and shops, new airline lounges, waiting areas for arriving passengers, and new escalators, elevators and toilets.
Since 2020, Portland Airport has also expanded its Concourse E, opened a new Concourse B, and opened a rental car center.
